can anyone tell what side effects they have had with taxotare
Less than one minute read time.
FormerMember
hi its carol 2 i have just finished a couse of fec and had my first of 3 taxotare, while having fec i felt ok but on taxotare i have had sores on and in my mouth and up my nose, aching bones and indescribable tiredness for over 2 weeks now, i feel really bad, has anyone else had this hapen please any tips would be gratfully recieced, thankyou
FormerMember
I know they use the word fatigue for this, but it makes us sound like Victorian ladies reclining on a chaise longue. As you rightly say, it is "indescribable". I felt like a zombie, even getting out of bed and getting dressed (which I ha to do five days a week to get to the hospital for RT) took enormous will-power. I did wake up one night and suddenly leap out of bed, go downstairs and DANCE to some pop music (headphones on as this was 2am), and I will never forget the joy of that. Unfortunately next morning the fatigue was back - and didn't start to evaporate until a few days after chemo finished. Doctors just seemed to shrug and say, goes with the territory. Nothing I ate or didn't seemed to alter it. It is though the most tedious of side-effects, and I am thinking about how awful it is for you. I don't have any tips except to accept it, try to read, watch films, knit (I took this up as I could do it propped up in bed, and gave me an end product for each day). My brother bought me a Digital radio and I listened to a lot of old comedies. I also did jigsaws, again as they took my attention away from how crap I was feeling. I hope that the docs have precribed something for your ulcers - I had Corsadyl mouthwash (doesn't contain alcohol), but I don't know about nasal passages - is there anything you can inhale. They must be murder! I hope that your treatment will soon be over, and you will be bouncig around again. xxx Penny
hi Penny thankyou for your reply, it helps to know there are people who understand how you are feeling.My husband has been great and so have the rest of the family but when you tell how bad it is they think of it as being very tired but as we know its nothing like being tired, its like nothing we have ever experienced before, wanting the loo and trying to summon up the energy to get there, then comes the other part pulling\down your knickers thats a job in its self, then when finished having to pull them up again. Mind you when put like that its quite funny. I have another taxotare at Guys on Friday then only 1 more to go. After that 4 weeks radio. Then comes the question has it gone anywhere else (i have to have bowel scan then as they saw something but as i have had ibs for 10yrs i think and hope thats what it is).I have read some of your threads Penny you sound such a lovely person, and have always given such good advice, I really hope things go well for you and that you get that much deserved holiday, thinking of you and sending many hugs, hope one day to speak to you on the chat line. Thanks again and lots of love. Carol2 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
These are interesting. I'm coming off Epirub./Chlorphos. after next time (4th chemo) to switch to Taxotere. Have been trying to find out about it, and all nurses will say is 'It's different for everyone' so am quite scared about it. Epirub. makes me feel sick, achey, weary, mouth ulcers and horrible smells/tastes everywhere - is T. worse than this? Am I likely then to feel even more tired than I do now? Have got 4 of these to get through, so it's quite a thing to try to find out about it. Any more comments really welcomed. My sympathy, love and best to all on this blog. Best Wishes, Maggie x
hi mwright, thanks for your comments, hope i didnt scare you by saying about my experience with taxotare, as they say it is different for everyone, starting to feel better now but have to go to guys hos tomorrow to see doc and will tell her how i have been feeling, i then have more chemo on friday, its hell all this chemo makes you feel like nothing on earth doesnt it, as i had to have injections to help boost my imunity when on FEC hopefully they can give me them again and will make it alot better next time. I will keep you posted about this and hopefully we can get some of the side effects sorted. Hope everything goes ok for you. will keep you posted, take care try and rest as much as possible. love and best wishes, carolxx
I had 4 x AC last year followed by 4 x Tax. Although being highly allergic to Tax (had to have loads of pre-med to be able to tolerate it) I found Taxotere far better than AC. The nurses are right to say its different for everyone, in fact one of my Tax cycles I did feel quite tired with heavy legs etc, but nowhere near as bad as with AC - and no sickness at all!!. If you are following FEC/AC your hair will even start to grow back (it's not meant to, but it does).
I had lots of steroids and did put on a bit of weight during this treatment, but glad to say it's almost all gone now. And I did have loads of energy, walked 5k or so a few times a week, which I'd never have been able to do whilst on AC.
One piece of advice I was happy to receive, paint your nails a really dark colour. Taxotere can cause them to blacken and even fall off, and by keeping them painted it seems to stop this happening - certainly did with me.
