taxotere side effects

jeanieb - you are not a wimp!!!! As some of the others have said - chemo has a different affect on different people. One of the ladies on another thread I am on seems to have very little SE's fron Taxol/ Taxotere. The first one I had, I ended up in hospital, and really thought I was having a heart attack the pain was so bad. I also felt wimpy, but the throb of pain was literally lifting me off the bed.Two hourly morphine did not help. I felt so inadequate. Now I am a bit better I realise I have never been a wimp! I never take any painkillers - they don't agree with me, and I have only ever had about 2 weeks sick leave in about 30 years. I go to work if I can get out of bed. Some people are just hyper sensitive to the drugs.

bcbarbie10 - I guess you are right, if we were wimps we would not be here, I had not thought of it that way.  I have 3 or 4 more treatments.  I have scans on Wednesday, November 7 and will find out on Thursday, November 8, if it is working.  The last time I saw my onco I asked if I was done with Taxotere and he said he would feel more comfortable doing another 3 or 4 treatments, unless he changes his mind between now and then.  I did have to agree with him about doing 3 or 4 more, I would rather do enough now just to be sure and maybe not have to do them again to soon.  I have only had 3 so far.  Today I have actually felt like eating, but I want to eat everything I can get my hands on.  I have not felt like eating like this for quite some time.  I figure after Thursday I will not want to eat again anyway, in fact when I take the Decadron on Wednesday I do not feel like eating with that stuff either so I will just stock up this weekend.  I am going to go to the store and get some Ensure and Boost for the week after treatment.  I do have Gatorade on hand, I will drink lots of water, along with the Ensure and am going to get my favorite ice cream and see if I can eat that during that time also.  I do know that when I do eat I feel much better but we all know how hard that is when it tastes so awful or are so nauseated.

Thanks to all of you for the support, hugs and words of encouragement.  I felt so good yesterday I painted Christmas ornaments all day long and today I went to a Craft show, if I could just remember that I will have these good days during the week of bad days.  I will do my best to remember them this next time.  I hope you all have had a good weekend.  I will let you know what I find out on scans on Thursday.

Been reading all the very informative posts here, and I think I have enough info to start a shopping list!  I will be starting TCH on November 12.  Trying to not assume I will have the bad SE's while being prepared if I do.  I am very honored to be among you ladies as you battle through this journey; inspired by your strength.

Here's my list, anything to add?

• imodium
• Miralax (it's what I have on hand, sufficient?)
• anti-gas tablets
• aquaphor
• A&D (or is there another "diaper rash" ointment that's better?)
• real fruit posicles to eat during chemo
• ice water/ice during chemo
• bland foods to munch on when I don't feel like eating much
• smoothie ingredients - use yogurt to add protein
• generic Claritin

Any other triple-positives with ILC that I haven't noticed on this thread?  Actually my ILC is gone after surgery!!

Thank you SpecialK.  I am off for a shopping trip this afternoon.

BTW, I think your ID is very fitting --- you are definitely "Special."

I got my scan results today and the bone scan stayed the same, no new spots, the CT scan showed some thinning of the omentum, he said it is hard to tell how much with this type because it is a layer and not like a tumor that can be measured, but it had thinned from the last time and my markers were down to 90 from 107.  I know those are low markers but when they get to 100 it bothers me.  I asked if the CT scan should have showed more thinning than it did and he said no that for only 3 treatments it is right on track and he was happy with it so that makes me happy.  I took my 4th treatment today, I asked how many more and he said 3 more then we would re-evaluate and go from there.  I have the feeling it will be 3 more after that but we shall see.  I also wanted to know what my markers should get to and he said "my answer is kind of dumb, but as low as we can get them", he went on to say everyone is different and when they reach a point that they neither go up or down then that is where they should be for me.  He has also told me, and I knew this, but the markers are just one of the indicators they look at.  He wants me to come back next Thursday for counts and just scheduled me to get fluids since I have had them 2 out of 3 times and he knows I feel much better after I get them because I have gotten dehydrated and run a low grade temp, along with diarrhea, and not eating.  This way if I need a Neulasta shot I can get it at the same time.  Last Thursday when I went for counts the white count was at 14 up from .62 the week before and today, two weeks after the shot they were at 6.35, but I just finished a week of Xeloda, but I did not realize they could jump around that much.

Overall I feel pretty good about the results and hope and pray Taxotere continues to work for me.  I hope it can get me to the point to be able to take a chemo break for 6 months or more.  I have kept a journal this last month on how I felt everyday after treatment, so when I think I am at my low point I can look at it and see how many days until I am feeling good again.  I thought I could remember the first times but I didn't so decided to keep the journal.  I am thankful for this site, it has helped me so much and I have to agree with Powermom, Special K is very special along with PAeagleFan and bcbarbie10, and lots of others that have helped me get through this and sending me hugs, they really do help, the cyber hugs work wonders.  Sending cyber hugs to you all. 

Hugs to you, Jeanieb!

You have been thru so much already Jeanie and you are keeping such a good attitude.  Prayers that the chemo is doing its job and you can have a break soon.

Jeannie - still thinking of you and still sending you ((((hugs))))
The taxotere really does mess with your head.  I have always been positive - but T does make that really hard.  There were times on it I wished I could just die and have the whole thing over with.  That's the only time I've ever had those sorts of thoughts, but I was so sick I just wanted it over.

Hang in there sweetie, you'll get through this, we are all holding your hand and holding you up.

Trish

xoxo

i too have taxatere and have many of the same se i fet my tx on mondays and all shit hits the fan on wed every time so wed thurs fri i say thats itvi quit id rsther die than do this then it starts to ease well for next tx that sat i have my work xmas party so am really trying to make it i was told by mo that the fatique will not go away by sleeping and to walk as much as possible to get blood to the muscles and get lots of proteins so my husband says he will drag me up to go for lots of walks snd i have all my ensures ready that metal taste is pretty overwelming also black licorice helps

Hello ladies - sorry I have been missing but have been up to Washington, D.C. for my last vaccine trial visit, now just have skin testing to do - will be leaving Sunday for that trip, then I am done and don't have to go back for 6 months.  I am having a PET scan and hopefully the last of reconstructoin surgeries the second week of December, so I hope all of that goes well.  Trying to get my Christmas stuff done since I don't know how I will be feeling in the  10 days between the surgery and Christmas so I have been busy and not online as much!

Hope all of you that are in treatment now are hanging in there!

Also keep in mind that chemo can have a deleterious effect on all soft tissue - so digestive system from top to bottom - can be affected.  I had the first three tx only having steroids in my day-of tx pre-meds.  I had a UTI (soft tissue irritation) and was prescribed antibiotics, then developed a rash.  I was sure it was from the abx because I am allergic to many of them, but because the doc could not guarantee it, I then received the before/during/after dosing of steroids just in case the rash was caused by Taxotere.  I suffered from the crushing fatigue and upper GI SE that would start after that last steroid dose, so I started halving the after tx dosing and stretching it out for two more days and did a lot better with those SE.

Hi ladies

So glad I found this thread.

I am on day 8 post 2nd chemo ...1more Tax to go thank goodness.

Not only does this mess with your head but does horrible things on the outside to you, Im over going out so people dont look at me like I am a snake shedding skin (mu hands were terribely peeling) noe on the thumb joints both sides it looks like I have been burnt no blisters..just reddy/purply colour!

The balls of my feet are killing me...was suppose to go out with friends today for our kids to have a play though unlike me..will be giving that a miss...i almost just fell out getting out of bed! Anyone else have or had this and if so us there ANYTHING that can be done to eleviate pain???



Thanks for listening...next tax 12th dec bring it on then CMF x3!

Xeloda was horrible for me, sick all the time, peeling feet and hands, fingernails, lifting hair didn't fall out....and bathed in udderly smooth, which I still use.....tomorrow tax and then to the drs. again (after going today) cause the abcess that is back and the pain is still there, he wants to see if it has gone away.....messing with your head, can you explain?  I have chemo brain all the time, wonder what you all are seeing.....I love this site....

Sandy

Trail, the balls of my feet are burning, too, not red though, just the sensation. And i didnt have Xeloda.



Jeanieb, you are so right, lets all hope for a better, healthier, happier 2013. PLEASE!!!