Taxol and runny/stuff nose???
Comments
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Hello ladies,
I'm at wit's end. Since I have been having weekly Taxol treatments, I have had a strange problem with my nose either running just plain clear water, or my nose is so stopped up I can hardly breathe. It's as annoying to the people around me as it is to me, I'm sure! I asked my chemo nurse about it, and she did not seem to think it was related directly to Taxol. This may sound really dumb, but could it have to do with the loss of nose hairs? I have been so proud because I have had minimal side effects from my chemo treatments, but this is just plain driving me nutty! (nuttier?
)Does anyone else have this problem and is there a solution besides stock in the Kleenex Corporation? Would a humidifier help? I only have 3 more Taxols left to go (yippee!), so hopefully I can tough it out if there's no remedy in sight.
Thanks to all and have a pleasant day!
Mary Jo
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I had a hugh problem with my nose running and my eyes watering. I took 6 rounds of TAC but the waterworks didn't start until the 3rd or 4th treatment and didn't end until a month or two AFTER I completed Chemo. I really bugs me that that oncs and chemo nurses dont acknowledge all the side effects!! Stock up on the kleenex... Wishing you the best.
Mary
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I had the same problems with taxol, and my onc and onc NPN told me that it was due to the loss of nose hairs!
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Thanks, ladies! At least I know I'm not alone or have a freaky nose! Mary, it would be nice indeed if we were forewarned about some of these "lesser" side effects, only the big ones. And NaberthMom, thanks for passing along what your onc people said about the nose hairs-- I'd suspected that but wasn't sure.
Well, gotta go buy Kleenex!
Mary Jo
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Hi Bluewillow: I had the same problem it drove me crazy, it stil happens but now only outside. So it stopped being constant about two months after treatment stopped, but when I go out have to have tissues still, maybe it's the cold weather as well, but man it gets so bad. I bitched and bitched about it on this site and I actually had meltdown over it once. Thank God for this board because after I stopped crying,cursing, and screaming over it I wrote what happened on the board and they really supported me. It will stop in time. I just hope it doesn't last to long for you. Pearl49
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MaryJo, I had a horrible problem with runny nose/weepy eyes towards the end of A/C and for about a month afterward. Actually, now, 8 months after finishing tx, I still have an issue but it is much dimished.
I found that Systane eye drops were the only thing that helped the eye situation and lotion-treated tissues were best for the runny nose. Regular tissues made my skin so raw I couldn't touch my poor nose.
Tina
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Hi Snowy and Tina and thanks for your help!
Snowy, I'd say that the meltdown was for good reason-- it is SO aggravating! I'm glad to know it will eventually stop or at least diminish greatly.
Tina, thanks for the eye drops and lotion tissues recommendation-- I will try those. It seems that my left eye is the worst-- it just pours and pours sometimes. Now that I have confirmed the link between no nose hairs and the runny/stuffy nose, I wonder about the watery eyes. I did not lose one single eyelash (and only half of my left eyebrow), so I wonder what causes the eye waterworks? Gee what crazy things happen to us!
Thanks again!
Mary Jo
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Mary Jo, I found some relief with Ocean nasal spray (or any generic brand saline solution). It's not medicated, so you can use it often. It seems strange to shoot fluid up the nose to stop the fluid coming out, but it worked for me. I think it has to do with soothing the irritated nasal tissue with saline rather than *snot*
I hope this helps you!
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Mary Joe, like Nancy I have been using saline spray (cause I also heard that it wards off some viruses..) that seems to help .. my nose practically 'drips' ewww...
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Hi!
I had a cold the whole time I was on Taxol, that was 10 weeks. I really didn't take anything for it, since it was one of the side effects of Taxol. Sometimes I had nose bleeds, coz the air was dry, it was December of last year when I had my Taxol. I asked for saline solution/drops, and that helped. It didn't hurt as much. As soon as the Taxol was done, the colds too was gone. Hang in there.
Hope this helps,
Myra
mjucutan@yahoo.com
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BlueWillow
I had the runny nose when I was on the Taxol, I didn't try any meds like and anti-histamine or anything like that but it may help.
Also for the watery eyes. Watery eyes means that your eyes are dry, yep I said watery eyes are dry, my onc had me use drops for dry eyes like Refresh and Systane. So you may give those a try.
It worked for me.
BlueWillow I noticed you are Her+ have you started Herceptin yet?
I was on Herceptin weekly for a year, and the side affect I had from that was, diarrhea all the time. I had to take 8 benefiber tablets a day to get a normal BM. I took 2 in morning, 2lunch 2 supper, 2 bedtime. I hope this info helps
sherry
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HI everyone and thanks so much for your helpful info!
Sherry, yes I have been given Herceptin along with my weekly Taxol, which I have once a week for 12 weeks. As soon as I finish the Taxol (in 3 more Mondays-- countin' em down!) I will have Herceptin on its own, I think every 3 weeks, until November 2008. It is interesting that you mention your problem with diarrhea, because since I began the Taxol, I have had constant gastro problems, including diarrhea. Until now, it never occurred to me that it could possibly be the Herceptin and not the Taxol causing it! Thank you lots for the tip about the Benefiber!
Take care-
Mary Jo
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I just had my last Cytoxin/taxotere treatment (#4) and I have had the nose running and eyes tearing since treatment #2. I didn't realize it was from the chemo and just thought it was due to winter as I started in the beginning of Nov. Now after reading i realize that all of this is a side effect of the chemo. I have gone through at least 15 boxes of tissues, ready to buy stock. From what I have read, this should get better as time goes on. God I hope so,as I am tired of my nose dripping all the time. eileen
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Bluewillow and gang, I had the runny nose & dripping eyes--hairless--happen to me as well.:-) I was in a minor car fender bender in a grocery store parking lot where a girl drove by and hit my car. When the Police came, I had to 1st explain the runny nose and eyes to the Policemen as they looked at me strange...told them I was not on drugs but doing chemo and had to get out of the sun. Would that not have been a headline on the news if they had taken me to the Police station in error and found out I was a BC patient and nothing wrong with me.;-) Take care and buy those tissues.
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MaryJo---we have a very similar diagnosis and treatment--I'm on weekly taxol/herceptin for 12 weeks (to be followed by herceptin alone for 9 mos)--I'm 6 weeks in now. Like Myra, I've felt like I have a cold for the entire time, not just the runny nose, but swollen-feeling throat, achiness, etc. But the runny nose is definitely a thing. Drippy, runny, bloody (ew!), and stuffy, esp at night. All I've been doing is running a humidifier, which helps a little.
No fun, eh?
sniff--
Amy
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Uh, in my case the runny nose has nothing to do with lack of nose hairs as it is 8 mos. post chemo and I have the "works" back. A real hairy canary!
Tina
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Hi to all you Kleenex stockholders!
Thanks for all the info about the drips! Eileen, let's hope it stops soon-- wonder if those boxes of tissues are tax deductible?
I too thought it was due to winter weather. THanks for sharing!Lee, sorry you had the fender bender, but I found your description of the ordeal amusing! I bet those policemen got an education that day about chemo
I don't know what part of NC you're in, but I hope it's warmer than my part-- I'm in the western mountains and it was 8 degrees this morning, windy and sure brought on the sniffles! Amy, yes our dx is very similar indeed. Good luck on the rest of your Taxol/H and H alone. I too have had the bloody nose thing, though not severe, it's very annoying, esp. at night and it alternates with stuffy, then drippy- yuk! I really like the quote in your signature line!
Tina, well shoot! to think we might have this forever
I guess we'd better watch for Kleenex on sale, or do a bulk order? Hope your 'works' stop when spring comes... Thanks again for all the input and take care, everyone!
Mary Jo
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Oh boy, I gotta come here more often. I have asked two oncologists and at least three chemo nurses about my runny/irritated nose. Every single one of them said it was because of the dry winter air. Well, this is my 49th winter and I sure don't remember ever having this much trouble.
Reading your posts reminds me that I'm not crazy and I'm not alone!
Thanks Ladies!
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Oh Mary Jo, thank you for bringing up one of my fondest memories (heehe). I did taxotere and dripped from eyes and nose constantly! I would work on jigsaw puzzles during my 'up all niters' and dripped all over them! No one wanted to trade puzzles with me after that! Go figure!
For me it didn't last long after treatment. I'm still amazed at what those few little hairs do for us! The eye drops did help some.
You're my new hero! Kick it to the curb babe!
Deese
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I have had a runny nose. I thought it was just my allergies. Usually happens 3-4 days after treatment.
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Oh dear, I had that issue too and it made me insane. I had such a sore nose from blowing it all the time. My eyes watered too. My oncologist always said it had nothing to do with treatment. Funny, that all of us have that issue then!
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Oh, the oncs seem to be so "ignorant" of such common se's. Makes you wonder where they have been and if they don't know such common stuff, what ELSE don't the know???
Not exactly confidence-inspiring, is it?BTW, my onc's nurse practitioner knew what the problem was and about the sore nose she advised a little Bacitracin ointment in the nostrils. It does work to heal those nose sores.
Tina
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Just had to chime in here. I finished my chemo in April 2007, so I'm nine months out, and my nose is STILL running. It's just clear water, but it's still there and my nose hairs have come back, so it's not *just* the nose hairs. I firmly believe it is a Taxol (and Taxotere) side effect, judging from the number of us who have had problems. However, I agree that the oncologists seem to be clueless about this kind of thing. I asked my oncologist yesterday, during a 6-month check, how long the running nose would last, and she said she had never heard of that happening! Now, this is M.D.Anderson, not some small rural hospital. WHY don't they know??? Anyway, I got no answers, and have no suggestions as to how to stop it, so I just carry lots of kleenex. I sympathize with all of you - it is so annoying.
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Hi girls-my name is Debbie & I'm new to the site. The info about the watery eyes is great. I was diagnosed in August '07, lumpectomy in September, & just had my 4th & last chemo on Jan.17th. I was given 4 sessions of Taxotere & Cytoxan every 3 weeks & have been having the watery eye & nose problem for about 2 weeks now. It's so bad that I can barely see at times. My doctor says it's allergies & to take my allergy pills (which I usually don't take till the Spring), I'll let you know if they work or not ! I'm glad to hear that it's a side effect-which is what I originally thought. I'm not glad, however, that it might last for several months. Other than that, I've been pretty lucky with the other side effects. I had a couple of bouts with welts on the back of the head & body, fatigue, no appetite or taste the 1st week & eating a lot the end of the 2nd & beginning of the 3rd week.
My husband said that if it stood still, I'd eat it -- ha, ha.
Have any of you ladies had trouble with getting to fall asleep?
I don't nap during the day, but come bed-time, I lie awake with my mind racing for quite a long time. The Doc gave me a low dose of Ambien which works great, but I hate to use it every night. Stories of sleep walking and midnight snacking are interesting though :-)
Back to the tissues then.
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ha ha, Deb.
I have stories from my Ambien, too. I was told that one night when we were saying our prayers aloud, I began to pray for the Easter Egg hunt at church. Easter was nowhere in the future, and why the heck would I pray for it?!?!I could never understand my hubby when the Ambien kicked in. I would just say, "WHAT?!?!?" until he would say, "Forget it....."
I have a card I tried to write to him the night before a big exam he was going to take. My ambien was kicking in, and I tried several times to write a sweet and loving message. It was hysterically funny the next day-I wrote, "jibberish, blah blah blah, squiggle line," at least that is what all my attempts looked like!Try ativan-it calms your racing mind down, and makes you sleepy. I still take it at night a lot, because my mind races at night, too.
I also did the Tylenol or Advil pm, I felt that was a little less bizarre than ambien.
Love and prayers, Deb -
Still have a runny nose/eye's problem although not as severe, so --- the allergy pills could be working, or, the side effect is waning anyway -- don't know.
Maybe I'll wear my motorcycle helmet all day, cause I have no problem on the bike
..Happy Valentine's day to you all
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I so happy to learn about this issue by visiting community of ladies who goes through issue, which you don’t get answer from anywhere else. I am going through taxol weekly dose and having no other side effect, wondering what is going on with this crazy nosebleed. Now I have my answer, has given me a peace of mind.
Thank you for your group of supportive ladies.
Kashmi
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I have the same thing, since I started the Taxol+Carboplatin 4 weeks ago. Stuffy, runny, and bleeds when I blow it, constantly. I thought I was sick, but maybe not.
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I too have developed a runny nose with soreness in my nasal passages after week 3 of taxol\herceptin. Nice to know it's NOT my imagination..whew
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They support diphenhydramine (benadryl) for most of what ails me , and coconut oil for the rest.
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