taxotere side effects

Oh wow hikergal you have quite a lot on your plate. My personal experience when I had nuelasta was I felt bad the week of treatment so I didn't do anything or go anywhere. Week 2 (one week post tx) my labs would show my WBC was low still so I would try to stay in that week. By week 3 (2 weeks post tx) my WBC would be back to normal. We went on vacation during my "good week" last month. Movies, restaurants, shopping. We drove though and didn't fly. I would ask your MO on that.



If I did need to run to the store or whatever during a low WBC week I just took precautions. Didn't use a cart or wiped it down first. Germ x when I got back to the car etc.

Edited to add: I am a germ phobe when perfectly healthy so those are things I do anyway!!

Hi Kltb

Good luck with the antibiotics.

I think they are worth it!

Alice

Thanks for the advice on traveling, etc.  I asked my MO at the time of BMX if I could travel during chemo and he thought it was ok.  I asked the oncology nurse last week about wearing a mask and she did not think it would help but I think it is worth a try!  Glad they gave me Neulasta yesterday, maybe that will help me from crashing too badly.  Another oncology nurse said the distraction of the trip would be good, so I guess I will wait and see how I feel next week.

ktlb04 hope you feel better on the antibiotics!

I had aches and pains all through taxotere, but was also getting 10 days of Neupogen shots after each chemo.  I had Neulasta, but for some it doesn't work so that's why I had to do the Neupogen shots.  Tylenol and warm baths were very helpful.  I lost all my eyelashes so taxotears were brutal - I could barely see.  My hands and feet were iced during tx to protect my nails - I finished Taxotere on Feb 2 last year.....and lost my big toenail in the summer, other than that, my nails yellowed but are now back to normal except that they are super soft.

My chemo regime was FEC-D(Docetaxol or Taxotere) - I had 3 FEC treatments then 3 Taxotere (also started Herceptin).  I was hositalized all through FEC and told I was "critically ill" but really didn't feel all that bad.  On the Taxotere, I felt worse, but medically I was in much better shape and did not end up in the hospital...go figure.

Never had any mouth issues but I rinsed lots with Club Soda.

It's doable - not pleasant, but keep a sense of humour and a positive attitude.

So glad for you, Tazzy! Yeah!!! I celebrated that day on May 7, and believe it or not, I hardly had any side-effects after Taxotere #4. The worst one was #3 - tight chest, difficulty breathing, racing heart, very weak. The three weeks after #4 was a breeze, really. I wish the same for you. Only complaint is the Taxotears that kept streaming until about two weeks ago, but it is completely gone now. No Kleenex in sight!

Oh! liefie... I have the SE's are kind to me this one round.  Hope that the mentality of it being the last will work.... positive energies etc.   Took that long for the taxotears to stop eh?   Did your stop immediately after your treatment.  Mine do... for about 8-10 days... when I was looking through my chemo journal seems that I get the pains after the neupogen shots.... the tears stop when the pain starts...then the pain stops and the tears start???

ljhm - hair loss.  When I was dx'd my hair was just past shoulder length - soon as I knew it would go, I went and go it cut short... really short.   I couldn't stand the thought of it coming out in clumps all over the place.  Then when it started to thin... was about 2 weeks after first treatment I made an appointment at the cancer agency where they shave your head - and went and got it shaved off.   For me anyway it was a lot less traumatic to go that route.   I never went with wigs either, just hats, scarves, caps and turbans.   I have grown very fond of them and invested in lots of colourful scarves to match different outfits.   Do you have a Look Good Feel Better workshop/room near you ?   They provide a wonderful service - everything is free and/or by donation.  Not sure where you are in the world.

I have to say that the taxoteres is the most annoying, irritating of the SE's - for me anyway.   For the red and soreness under the eyes, I have been using vaseline, so far its working.

Rads I dont have to think about yet... after surgery.  And we dont have much choice in this business.   We have to put on our big girl panties... pull 'em up and suck it up. 

Starting to feel a little fuzzy around the edges so am going to settle on the sofa with my book, watch the rain fall (who can believe first weekend of Summer) and just rest up.

Ladies, hope all your SE's are minimal.... lets all remember they pass.

hikergal - from a dry eye condition to possibly the opposite.   Depends on what your humour is I guess... Bridesmaids I thought was hilarious.  I love any Monty Python movies (but I am originally from the UK, so realise that our humour is sometimes a little different to people from the States).  I am also known to have a bit of a warped sense of humour.   Really glad the nausea has passed.  I am so very grateful through all my tx's I did not get nauseaus.

Keep smiling ladies - even through the SE's and anything else.  

ljhm... I said that the look good program was like make-up for the soul.  And if you can, I found it way better to get rid of the hair first... that way we are still in control.  Least that's how I felt.

Cold caps weren't mentioned to me...but all 3 of my chemo's make you lose your hair - guess they thought what's the point.  I dunno.. its gone now and as I'm finished I hope that in a few months it will be well on its way back.

kltb - how are you ?  did the anti's work?

ssj - I would call your onc - they will probably tell you to take an antihistamine.  Some of my friends on the March chemo board have had the issue on Taxol.

Tazzy - thanks for asking, yes, I suppose they are working - the fever never went any higher and if I still have any lingering/low grade, I haven't noticed it enough to check.  Yeah, I was kind of a "what's the point" gal on the cold caps too - I just don't have the patience to do the extra work.

ljhm - I went ahead and cut mine down with DH's razor to about a #3 when mine started coming out and then he buzzed it on down to a #1 for me.  The stubble drove me mad so I went ahead and razor shaved it (which probably isn't a great idea just because of teh risk of cutting yourself).  Mine has steadily regrown in little patches even through chemo.  Just stubble mainly and not all over.

I have been down and depressed the last few days but feel myself coming out of it today.  Even got on the treadmill for a few minutes...not fast and not long - just 2 sessions of 15 min each - but it was something.

ktb04- Be kind to yourself  which translates to be easy on yourself.  You have been in chemoland longer than I have and it is certainly to be expected to feel a little down at times.  Being tired and fatigued doesn't help either.  Glad you came here to vent!!!  After my #2 round of chemo, it seemed like I was crying a little almost everyday of basically nothing.  I know it was partly due to the chemo since that is about the time I started into chemopause.  My poor little ovaries have been so confused since chemo started.  Now mind you, I am 56 1/2 years old and was stlll having very regular periods.  The funny thing about the period thing is that every doctor/nurse always asked me I was sure I was still having my periods.... like duh!!!!!  I also have taken pregnancy tests before every procedure/test.  You just have to laugh at that!!!!!  Hope you feel better soon soon soon!!! HUGS!!!!

Thanks Melrose and ljhm - Melrose, I hear ya on the pregnancy tests!  Things have been well, nonextistant in that dept lately so I had NO chance of being pg but everytime I went for a procedure when I was diagnosed, we had to go through the pg test thing!

ljhm - I think there is something about Taxotere - I am far worse/more down than when I was on A/C and I have had others say the same thing.

I am on Celexa - just for about six weeks now - but I think I could have used some xanax on top of that right after first Taxotere TX...the celexa was prescribed more for my incessant worrying...

Hi all! Some of yoh I know from other threads, but I am also on just Taxotere right now, so it's nice to share the journey. I am one week into my second, and have had different experiences each time.. Except for the crazy steroid high the first two days. Oh and the runs the first couple of days. The first round though I had muscle aches, wicked swollen glands and sore throat/neck/shoulders+tired. This round so far I have had more bone pain. Nothing crazy, but shooting pains in my legs, back even my head. Tylenol has helped all of it. Nastiest for me has been the mossy dry sandpaper mouth, can't really stand much but smoothies and yogurt and pudding.

Had some tears last round. Oh, and pimples. Excellent. And... No more period.

Hugs to all.