taxotere side effects

Hello ladies

I really feel for you going through this at the moment.  I had awful se's with Taxotere and could only do 2 out of 3 treatments, even though the second treatment was reduced by 20%.

I had the Big D - and really bad, it was worst for the first 10 days after treatment and then eased a little bit.  I took Imoduim for it, but it hardly helped.  I couldn't eat very much at all as everything tasted like mud but was going to the loo every hour or so as if I'd eaten a 3 course meal. I was losing around 2 1/2lb per day while on Taxotere.

If you are suffering from D then also try to get something to replace your electrolytes.  I don't know what they are called over there, but here in Australia you can get "ice blocks" from the chemist that are designed to help when you have bad D.  Drinking lots of water will help with dehydration too - I struggled drinking water though as it too tasted like mud and was making me feel sick.

I had a steroid crash with my first treatment, so my onc had me take them longer - but a decreased dose so that I was weaned off them over a couple of days - it helped a lot, I didn't get the crash the second time.

I remember trying to drag my body around, the feeling that it was filled with cement is a good way to describe it.

I'm just past two years from dx - and I feel wonderful.  There is light at the end of the tunnel - I never felt I would make it while on Taxotere - but you do get through it and life begins to return.

For those of you doing Herceptin - compared to chemo it's a piece of cake, but did get a bit hard towards the end - I had the Big D for the last few treatments of that too!  I'm just lucky I guess lol.

Sending you all ((((hugs)))) Taxotere is really the pits for some of us.

Trish

xoxo 

Thanks for the support Trisha-Anne! XO

You coming back and saying you feel wonderful gives me hope. Tommorow's my 6th and last taxotere. Yay! I hope I live through the SEs.

Gina 

Ljhm, how are things?

Hi ladies - hang in there!  For those of you finishing - expect to see improvement at about the 6 week point PFC.  I just passed two years from diagnosis - can't say I feel great because I am enrolled in a vaccine trial that makes me feel flu-like, but that will end in Dec. and I anticipate feeling good after that!  The important thing is - I am still here and NED!

I'm on TCH and every time the experience is different. There's so many weird SEs it would take all day to write them down. But, there are good moments (and sometimes days) inbetween the bad ones! It's screwy, and difficult to make plans.

This time, although dear onc said he lowered the steroid, I CAN'T SLEEP. I took melatonin, valarian root and ambien earlier tonight (got benadryl with the cocktail) and I'm thinking of taking another one. It's almost 4am.  

Has anyone taken two ambien 10mg one night?

Thank You Dear Ones. Thank You Dear Barbie for the happy Yay!!!!! May your special effects be many, and your side effects be few..... ;-) 

I know this is kind of unusual, but has anyone had any problems with their nose bleeding?  It seems like just about any time I wipe my nose it is bloody.  Is this just another side effect?  I have not had any unusual bruising or anything like that.  I am on coumadin due to a blood clot in the lung 20 years ago when I took Tamoxifen.  I had it checked a week or two ago and it was OK but wondered if Taxotere could have some effect on the coumadin.  If anyone else has had problems with a bloody nose I would appreciate knowing that this can be just another side effect.  I had my second treatment 2 weeks ago tomorrow, and if my memory is right, which who knows these days, I was thinking it happened the first time also but I did not give it much thought then.

Maddie57 - Thanks for the info.  I have noticed my nose running more but just thought it was sinus, as we live in Nebraska and it is that time of year for all of the stuff in the air from farmers picking their crops so just attributed it to that.  Now that you mention it though, it has been that way for a while, I just never connected the two.  I am glad to know that the runny-bloody nose is just another side effect.  I will do the vaseline thing also, thanks again for the advice.

You will definately see a treatment rhythm. Bad at first, then rebounding, then on to your second treatment. Days right after treatment Day 2-8 were worst for me. Everybody is different. Once I got beyond day 8, I did pretty well until next round.

Hi Ladies - It is probably a bit late to ask about this now, as I had my last Taxotere reatment on Monday, but these last 2 days have been hell!!! Did the chemo burn off all the skin around your nether regions - back and front. It has been awful - so sore it was bleeding. I have made sure every time I have chemo that I drink a lot to flush it out, and have experienced it every time, but this time it was the worst it has ever been.

Also - do any of you experience that tremendous throbbing for a few days post chemo. I can feel my pulse throbbing away all over my body. It is so noisy when I lie down for a rest. Do you remember how you could hear your pulse throbbing in your head after a particularly strenuous gym session at school? Well it feels and sounds just like that!

maddie - I put the Aquaphor on that part of me too, lol!

Hi there. New to site. Taxotere is indeed some heavy sh--. Just started chemo Tues 10/9. Thursday & Friday were worst. Still fatigued. Awful gut ache esp after eating even just a few bites. Yucko! Hoping tomorrow will be better. Doing well drinking water but hard to exercise. Any advice for the gas-like aches & that yucky const'n?

Hi Msw2012- hang in there!! Just remember you have to be like a donkey for a few months - endure - it will come to an end!!! Good luck - really thinking of you.

I had stomach ache and terrible constipation as well. I wasn't expecting it, as I thought the SE of Taxotere was  diarrhoea. Another old chemo veteran  warned me about constipation - she has had 2 lots so she knew what she was talking about! She suggested Senokot ( also known as Senna). It is a herbal tablet and is available at the supermarket. The constipation gives you stomach ache and gas, and it can get really bad, almost an obstruction. If my veteran chemo lady had not warned me about constipation I don't think I would have realised what was going on, as I had so many other SE's I hadn't realised I had not been to the toilet. Once you are in a chemo routine and know if you will always get constipation - some people alternate between constipation and diarrhoea - take a tablet the day before chemo and step it up to 2 a day for a week or so after chemo.  For your 2nd chemo until you have established your SE routine don't take Senokot the day before, but if you have not been to the toilet after chemo take one that night with your steroid tablets. Your bowels start coming right about 9/10 days post chemo and then try and go naturally. Please sort this problem out with some medication otherwise you will get terrible piles. I never had them before chemo, but have them now. Please look at our suggestions and comments  just above this about burnt skin around the anus and privates. You may need them. Hope this helps you a bit.

I agree with Not about the exercise - don't even attempt it the first week post chemo. I certainly couldn't manage it. 

 I find the steroids and antibiotics also give me bad stomach ache - this is the reason I never took any tablets prior to BC. I can't help you if this is the reason for the stomach ache, but have found a hot water bottle soothing. If it is the steroids or antibiotics causing the stomach ache you just have to stick it out until you have finished those meds.

Not - Go girl!!! Thrilled to hear you are also finished Taxotere. I see you are also on Herceptin for a while. Have you been asked to join any Herceptin trials?

Maddie, this might be a bit late, but your question about burning skin around the nether regions - when I read that it brought back memories I'd forgotten all about.  Yes - I had that too and used a cream for nappy rash (I think you call them diapers?).  It helped a lot.

I didn't thing to warn anyone about the big C as I always had the big D! lol Everyone's different and we react differently to meds.  I was even getting the big D on Herceptin after about 7 months.  SpecialK we have very similar dx and around the same time!  

Hang in there everyone, this too will pass.  Remember one day at a time, and on Taxotere it's one hour at a time.

Sending you all (((((hugs)))))

Trish

xoxo

Hi Jeanie, you have a different chemo than I do but mine is 3 FEC and then 3 Taxotere infusions.   Yours being different could all be the same type of chemo.  No...nothing indefinite about Taxotere!  It is some heavy duty stuff from what I have heard here on the board.  I'm sure someone will chime in that may have the same treatment as you to give you a definitive answer.  Hom many infusions have you had?

FEC is 5FU, epirubicin, which is an anthracycline like adriamycin, and C which is cytoxan/cyclophosphamide. I cant talk about 5FU, but i found EC easier than taxotere in terms of se's. I got the crappiness immediately the day after chemo and just persists for three days, no cemented feeling, no shortness of breath. Just more tired than normal, metallic taste, and more nauseous. And of course, the big C.