taxotere side effects

Hello ladies

Keep your chin up.

Six months after finishing chemo I can't almost remember having it!

This too will pass.

It is worth it, in my humble opinion, and I speak as someone who had sepsis, 0.37 neutrophils, peeling skin, hand/foot syndrome, blood clots (leading to daily Tinzaparin injections for three months).

I started feeling healthy again just four weeks after finishing and hopefully so will you!

Best wishes

Alice

Thanks Alice! Encouraging words.

About the darned dry nose thing, I started using saline nasal spray, cheap at the grocery store. No more Neosporin or Vaseline. Just spray a few times a day. No sting and way less runny nose & "bats in the cave." (Got that one from my husband lol)

Thank you so much, Alice.  It feels so overwhelming when we are in the midst of it.  I keep reminding myself "this too shall pass" no matter how bad I feel, but it's not easy sometimes.  The end is in sight now for me, last chemo in a few days!

praying Blondiex46 that you become stable and that TM's are down so you can go back on hormonals ... everything crossed on me for you hun, let us know when your next scan so we can all have you in our thoughts and prayers x

Well Monday night here.....so good night from me to you xx or good day from me to you xx !!

Ziffy, on taxotere, i couldnt do four days later. Eighth day might be okay, though. Good luck!

Well, I get chemo on Wednesdays, I know that i will be tired afterwards, probably from te benedryl so sleep afterwards, thursdays are ok and friday usually is when I fade....if I work I try to do it on Saturday evenings or Sunday, but not for alot of hours, usually 4......I don't get the Neulasta shot, am on taxotere!!

Sandy

sherylb - a member named bdavis used the Brian Joseph - send her a PM and ask her - I can't remember if she liked it or not.  By the time I saw her post about it mine were already impacted.

ziffy - I got my treatment on a Thursday and by Saturday around noon I started to fade, could not think straight, off balance, nothing tastes good.  By Monday diarrhea started and by Thursday I was dehydrated so went in for fluids every time a week later along with getting the Neulasta shot.  My onc said it takes between 7-9 days to hit the low point so we always did the fluids and shot the week after treatment, by the following Monday I was feeling human again, so it is about 10 or so before I felt just OK and could do a few things, but the fatigue kept me from doing much of anything until the week I went in to get it again, then I was feeling good.  I know everyone is different and hopefully you will not be as sensitive to this as I am. 

I am wondering what happens when you lose you nails.  My big toe nail is all black underneath and when I wear shoes and walk much it bleeds out from under at the top of the nail.  I am sure it is going to come off and I have other nails that have what looks like blood pooled under them on hands and feet.  I started Tax on September 6, taking it every 3 weeks and my last one was on December 20, so I had six treatments and my oncologist had me take a break, he thought my body needed it and when he looked at my feet and hands he was really sure then.  I do not know what to expect when the nail does come off, is another one growing in at the same time or are you without a nail for a while?  Does it hurt or does it just kind of finally pull away, then does it bleed much?  This is kind of gross but just wanted to know what to expect.  Thanks

Jeanieb2--It has been a while for me, but I did dose dense taxotere, and my nails did pretty much as you describe. Much to my relief, they fell off on their own and it did not hurt. There was a new nail underneath which had grown half way up. The grossest part for me was when they got loose and bled. It was a relief to finally get rid of them!

Hi,

I  just went through my first three weeks after chemo January 8th. I start my second round tomorrow january 29, 2013, except now they want to give me Nulasta and im so skeptical of the side affects. I do want to continue what I sarted but im scared any suggestions.

gigi

Gigi, do you know what you are scared of? I was able to specifically identify what I was scared of, but my MO just didn't listen and pay attention to helping me, and I ultimately have done poorly. You need to identify the part that frightens you or causes you the most anxiety. Talk with your MO or someone here - if you can figure it out, you can better address it and you will feel more comfortable going ahead with treatment. If you have an inner voice that does not get answered, you may be risking a lot if you continue on a treatment regimen that you are afraid of, but you may be less afraid if you can work with through that fear. Don't just go blindly into the treatment because you started it, but rather go through the treatment because you believe it will help, and that you can handle the SEs. Best wishes.

jeanieb2--I am remembering a funny story about losing my two big toenails.(The other 8 toenails got loose but I never lost them, and my fingernails felt tender for a bit but stayed in place.)

It was summer when I finished my four rounds of dose dense taxotere, and soon I felt well enough to return to work. I could not stand the pressure of regular shoes on my feet but I found a pair of sandals that were fairly presentable--I work in a very sophisticated, rather posh office where people dress up very spiffiily. I was self-conscious about how gross my toenails looked, so the night before I returned to work I painted my toenails bright red and went to work wearing the sandals. Mid way through the work day I glanced down at my feet and to my horror, I had only 9 bright red toenails. The big toe on my left foot was pale pink with an embryonic nail emerging. I ran around the office frantically, retracing my steps until I spied a bright red blob on the pale grey carpet. My missing left toenail--I was so grateful I found it myself, before some other unsuspecting person picked it up and wondered what it was! That night when safely home, I pulled off the toenail on my right foot--it was hanging by a thread, and got out my red nail polish and painted an approximation of a full grown toenail by painting the skin above the new nail, on both my big toes.

Blondie, I had my first treatment on January 10th, shaved my head last Thursday my hairs started coming out in chunks..  Next treatment this Thursday.  They did tell me I might not lose my lashes or brows but I am using Latisse just in case.  My MO said I could use it, but I have seen some on the boards who said their MO said no.

I will be icing my nails too.  I asked my nurse about it and she said well we don't have very many women that do that..  Oh well I am. 

Starting my Miralax today, my Claritin tomorrow a day early to try and avoid the Nuelasta headache!  Don't want that again. As well as the steroids. 

Sheryl, I'm there with you on Thursday!! 

Traii, love you. 

Everyone else have a good day!

Carla

MSW2012,

I would be concerned too. Our Nadir (lowest point) is supposed to be 7-14 days after our last chemo. Keep calling and be assertive before you go tomorrow just to be sent home if WBCs to low.

Sheryl