Hi all,
Just a quickie as feeling so crap but has anyone else had a sever reaction whilst having their TAX. I had my 2nd last Wed and 3 minutes into the tax going into cannula had a massive anaphylactic reaction and went taci cardic and the crash team were rushed in. They had to give me piriton and hydrocortisone, stop for an hour and then proceed really slowly. It was so scary I really thought I was going to die of a heart attack which if there is a funny side would be bloody bad luck when you’ve got bloody BC. They have said it might happen again but obviously I will be watched very closely but I am now terrified. Really want to stay with Tax although feel like crap, makes me depressed and mouth thing is just URG!!! I know its the all singing all dancing one. Positive stories please!!
Sorry if I have scared anyone who is just about to start their TAX, I was told this is rare.
Thanks
I had Tax with no problems when administered but a friend of mine had it and within 20 seconds she had a reaction whereby her blood pressure dropped and the team was called. But after that reaction they decided not to carry on with it and gave her another FEC.
I do hope you are okay with your next dose. The side effects are awful but we get through it and as you say its the all singing and all dancing one.
Sorry can’t help with the reaction thing on tax but just wanted to wish you well and hope that you are OK now. Hopefully the next one will be OK, and least they will take it slowly and monitor you so closely that things will be OK. Not surprised you are terrified though, think it would scare the s*** out of me too.
Hopefully things will get better. The mouth thing is yuk, and sorry to say nothing really seemed to work that well, although I had difflam mouthwash, oraldene mouthwash and was given something else (forgot name) in tablet form, as suffered bad oral thrush, more than ulcers! You will get through it though. I did, and I am a coward big time. Just hang in there.
Firstly, I am sorry to hear how bad things were for you and so pleased to see things were dealt with so speedily. I hope you are fully recovered now.
My first Tax did give me extraordinarily bad side effects but not as life threatening as yours. My side effects included hallucinations, violent mood swings, severe pain in the bones, blistered mouth, depression palpitations etc. However at first I refused to take a second session but my ONC pursued me to take a lower dosage. I did and things are better but if I had your reaction I don’t know as I would risk even a lower dose. Perhaps if you find out from the ONC what caused the reaction. Could it just have been poor administration of the drug? I am surprised they went through with it later that day, did they lower the dose?
I really would ask some very in-depth questions before going ahead. I know we want this ‘Gold Standard’ chemo but remember this too can cause its own long term problems, you need to think about the balance (Says she who has just had her 3rd TAX!).
Sorry to hear of your bad reaction. I had a much less severe one when I got Herceptin added in to my chemo treatment (Taxotere) so much so that they gave me piriton everytime to prevent my funny turns - itchy and flushed with heart racing.
Hope your next one is not so bad, perhaps getting piriton before you get your chemo might help.
I had a bad reaction but not as bad as yours C. They had to stop the infusion and give me Piriton and then start it again very slowly. After that I was given Piriton before the Tax. It is frightening isn’t it and I was relieved that they kept a close eye on me after that.
Tax made me depressed too and gave me a painful stomach and gut and also I had oral thrush each time. I used Difflam and was given Fungilin lozenges by my GP for the thrush. I was tempted to stop but carried on and I’m pleased now that I did as Taxotere is said to be very good.
I hope your next one is better.
Take care
Anthi x
Thanks all,
They have said they will keep a really good eye on me for the next two doses and than hopefully the rest of this bloody awful journey will be slightly better, only have double mastectomy, ct scans to see if lungs clear, radiotherapy and then a whole lot of finger crossing to go as triple neg to look forward to, oh the joys of this hideous disease. Sorry feeling really sorry for myself just so desperately want to see my little boys grow up. WHEN WILL THERE BE A CURE???
sorry
with love
Feel as if I could of written this thread. Had my 2nd tax on friday and did exactly the same as you - crash team and all.!!! It happened after only 3mls so tax was stopped. Had to see Cons monday - who said in view of such severe reaction can not have it - so have now been changed to two cycles of CMF which I start today!!!
It is bloody scary - isn’t it - the feeling of impending dome. I still am not quite right from all the drugs they have on Friday. Hope you feel better soon.
You have got a journey ahead of you - but you can do it. I had my surgery before chemo and I can honestly say the chemo is definetly the toughest, You are nearly there - you can do it. How old are your boys? I am just 40 and my 2 are 5 and 3 (girl and boy).
I also had a reaction within twn minutes of my second taxol. Couldn’t breathe, started gasping for air, face went really red. It was probably not as bad as you, you poor thing. Although it felt like it was gonna happen on the third cycle too (felt like I couldn’t breathe again but I remained calm and took deep breaths: don’t know if that helped though, and it didn’t happen, thank golly!). I had some side effects from tax; rash, acid reflux, bit weepy and palpitations which doctor kept telling me was me and not the chemo, I totally disagree, definitely was the chemo (haven’t had them since) and I had pain in my knee joints.
But guess what, by my fourth cycle, I had hardly any side effects at all and went on a wee 2 day road trip with my Mum. Come to think of it, I wasn’t too bad after the third cycle either as Mum and I went to a two day music festival. So I’m hoping the same will apply to you. Hopefully you’re reaction to the tax will be less severe with the next few cycles. I was glad my onc didn’t decide to stop it.
Feel a little better today although mouth still horrible and palpitations. My little boys have just turned 1 and 3 so thankfully not aware of all this horrible situation, I try and not cry around them to much but it is really hard.
Lets hope we all have a better journey to the end of treatment and then hopefully for it never to recur and be part of our lives again.
Sorry to hear about your bad reactions to tax. No serious reaction for me except a swollen tongue 24 hrs later which made swallowing difficult. Onc then prescribed extra drugs so for second tax Wednesday had piriton and hydrocortisone prior to infusion. Will probably have the same next time. Was really anxious for a week prior as so scared about possible reactions, spent the week rowing with my poor hubby. Hope the side effects do get easier, I had the neulasta injection yesterday so waiting for the aches from that to start!! oh the joys.
Here’s an idea for you. I had 4 FEC and then 4 taxol but I had them weekly ie 24 single doses every week instead of every 3 weeks. The Fec side effects were just as bad as the bigger dose in one but I had NO side effects on taxol apart from aches and pains. Why not ask if you can have taxol weekly? My onc let me and he said it is just as effective weekly as 3 weekly but you have to fight for it as it costs more but I am sure you would have a good case!