Hi just wondering if anyone has been ok …ish on taxotere?! (read so many negative things!) Starting it next week and very nervous, hoping some positive feedback will help!
Smiler
Just thought I would let you know, i go for my third on wed after having 3 fec and it wasnt quite as bad as anticipated, say that now but at time dont but everyone different, for me, it wasnt actually the tax more the injection I get day after to improve my white blood cells, I have bone pain everywhere and bits of dry skin and tiredness but after a week Im back at work and doing okay, almost full time, so in fact I only take 6 days off work - its so doable and my hair has even started growing back on it. No sickness compared to fec either
xxxx Good luck and let us know how it goes
Lisa
Hi Smiler,I did 4 Tax and it wasnt too bad. Funny taste in the mouth and felt a bit achy (like flu) for a few days afterwards and was also tired in the afternoons, but found it much more doable than I expected.best of luck, keep in touch x
Smiler
For the fuzzy mouth it is good to suck an ice cube during treatment, or lollies or anything very cold. Drink loads of water to flush it through. Sickness and nausea not a problem, controllable with meds.
Good luck, I’ve just had my 4th one and have at least 2 more to go.
xx
Hi. Thanks for all your comments. I had 6AC before op to shrink tumor and it was doable, symptoms pretty much as you describe and after a week back to ok, no sickness but aching after white blood cell injection, which I will be having again! Hoping I will escape some of the horrendous side effects I’ve read about and find my 4 Tax doable!
Good luck with all your treatments.
Smiler
x
hi smiler
I personally found TAX easy with very few problems. Felt ill around days 6-9 I think. Apart from that very few side effects. I was very lucky.Didn’t have any pain - just tingling. No nail problems whatsoever (now 2 months since last one and still no problems).
Hair grew a lot on TAX too.
Good luck - hope it goes well for you
love FB xx
Hi smiler
I had 4 taxotere after surgery, like you having had 6 AC before surgery. This was in 2003/2004 when taxotere was not yet used routinely for primary breast cancer. So these threads simply didn’t exist then and I got through taxotere with support of a little group on these forums going through it for the first time.
If I had read some of the side effects I read about now I think I might never have started taxotere! I didn’t find taxotere any better or worse than AC. It was ‘better’ in that I got no nausea or gastro problems. Worse in that I found the cumulative fatigue awful…and I always get depressed with that fatigue. I didn’t get major problems with aches and pains; some of my nails fell off but they grew again; I remained bald. Generally I would go downhill on Day 3, be out of it, very low and miserable from day 3- day 8/9 and then OK the rest of the cycle.
Every one is different on chemotherapy and I hope you experience isn’t too bad.
I have to start weekly taxol soon so not looking forward to that!
best wishes
Jane
Pleased that you didn’t have too many probs with tax fizbix, it’s good to hear from people who have been through it and not found it too horrendous! I know that no chemo is going to be a walk in the park but had just read so many bad things about taxotere! Good to hear aswell that you found it not much worse than AC Jane. Not that AC was a pleasant experience for me but it was doable so IF Tax is the same for me as AC I think I could cope. Hope taxol goes ok for you Jane.
Best wishes
smiler
x
After reading Westside Sues thread and seeing how much some people suffer it was good for you to start this one smiler - I hope starfish reads it…
I’ve been ok - ish - I’ve just had 4th of 6 and had TAC (taxotere doxyrubicn & cyclophosphamide) so lots of symptoms but nothing life threatening - gastric mostly (but could be due to AC) in first 2, now skin on hands and feet dry and peeling off, and nails ‘banded’ - looks like they;ll be saying goodbye at some point…
The fatigue is getting worse, but as long as I’m sensible (which is not easy with 3 kids…) it’s copeable…
So hang on in there - it could all be fine…
Big love! Td x
Hi Td, good to hear your experience with tac so far. I also have 3 children! Youngest starting school the day after my first Taxotere and determined I will be ok to take him! I had the AC bit first and hopin im not worse on the ‘T’ Bit ! Good luck with next 2 TAC .
Smiler
x
Smiler…I was always very well the day after taxotere…so wishing you both a great start to school.
Jane
Thanks Jane. Taxotere tomorrow and, thinking positively, at least only 3 more doses after that!
Best wishes
Smiler
Thanks for posting this Smiler. I am about to start my first of three Taxoteres, having just completed 3 X FEC, and was terrified by all the terrible side effects that some people are suffering.
At least now I know that it doesn’t happen to everyone on Taxotere. (and my heart goes out completely to those folks who have a really appalling time) I suppose I will also just have to see how it goes for me and talk to my ONC if I have real problems coping.
How did you get on with TAX once you started?
Hi Smiler
Although I’ve been having nasty side efects with Taxotere, on the plus side,I have been able to get up and move about each day (haven’t been bedridden at all), eat reasonably normally (although I can’t taste much) and sleep very well (even when taking the steroids) and I’ve haven’t actually been sick (ie vomited at all). So…not all bad news!
How’s it going for you?
X
S
I was fine the day after my first Taxotere - even cycled 26 miles( a keen cyclist before BC)…but the day that after no energy at all (wonder why!!!). Then about 5 days after chronic pains in muscles, joints and back. No nausea though. Hair even growing since been on Taxotere (yipee). Put on a few pounds despite all the exercise I do…appetite is huge!!
Nails ok so far, but not sure if its the steroids, antibiotics or chemo that seem to have turned me into the incredible hulk…one minute happy, next minute in tears and get very short tempered and angry. The anger thing has worried me greatly as one incident could have been quite serious!! Chemo team said it was probably hormones!!
3 more Tax to go. Much more pleasant that AC (if ypou can call it that).
Hope it goes ok and wish you all the best.
Hi
Had my 2nd Tax last week, they reduced the dose this time as I ended up in hospital with nil neutraphils after 1st! Have been exhausted still after 2nd lot, but fingers crossed better than 1st. Slept LOTS and trying to take it easy, think I did too much last time and didn’t give my body time to rest/heal/cope! Hope you are all doing ok.
Smiler
x
Hi
I am a new member. I had my 1st Tax last week (3 to go), after having 4 EC. It has taken me 6 days to recover. I got severe pains and aches in my bones and muscles all over my body (in bed for 4 days), constipation (5 days), and my mouth was sore. I have already developed two white horizontal lines on my nails. The oncologist gave me Voltarol in tablets to take for the aches, but instead of giving comfort I got a very upset stomach. I found out that taking paracetamol together with Voltarol helps with the aches and pains. Has anyone taking both? I also sucked ice cubes and it really helped my sore mouth. I also asked to take Omeprazole to protect my stomach from the Voltarol and it seems to help. I feel like a human being again today, and I am going to go to work tomorrow. I have been working during my 4 EC with only an occasional day off. All of you who have been through the Tax, could you please give me some tips for the side effects? How can I prevent skin rashes?
hi enjoylife
I haven’t had a problem with skin rashes, but I have had very itchy skin which is also very dry, so much so that I’ve needed to take anti histamines. These helped so I’ve reduced the dose and now I’m trying to see if I can manage without.
The SE are horrible, i’ve had 5 out of 8 and they are getting worse so are cumulative I think.
I thought the steroids were supposed to stop the skin rashes? For your nails, try a strong silicone clear varnish then paint with dark polish, I was told to use black!
Good luck
Hi enjoylife
I have just come throught my second Tax and had every side effect going. joint pain,sore nails, lost my eyebrows and lashes, ulcers and white tounge, runny eyes,so so tired and zero energy.
I sound like a right old moany cow, but it has hit me like a ton of bricks, FEC was a breeze compared to this, but I have spoken to other people who sail thro it. I have just been reading another thread and one lady looked at her insurance bill and the drug costs £4000 a shot so it must be good!!! Well I have also heard that it is the ‘Domostos’ of chemo.
My Onc perscribed me co -codomol for my pain, which seems to work very well, but leaves me struggling to have a poo, but I have got some medicene for that too.
I have no tips, but my veiw is ‘no pain, no gain’ and always by week three I feel great again. I’ve only got one more to go…yippee!!!
Good luck to you sweetie
Julie
Hi all
I’ve had 2 out of 6 tax so far and have had a variety of side effects with both, although the second one was more bearable than the first. First time around I had runny nose, feeling hot/cold, slight nausea, funny taste in mouth and constant urge to eat, eye infection, bad headaches, aching joints, heartburn, diahorrea, fatigue, insomnia (although some of these effects … runny nose? feeling hot/cold? … might be down to herceptin which i started at the same time). Second time around I had runny nose, feeling hot/cold, slight nausea, funny taste in mouth and constant urge to eat, eye infection, bad headaches, minimal aching joints, minimal heartburn, diahorrea, fatigue, insomnia … Think I know more or less what to expect with cycle 3!
I’m having the week after chemo off work and then going back into work the following week, although I haven’t managed a full week yet. But I haven’t had really bad sickness like I did 5 years ago on adriamycin which really knocked me out for about 5 days, but after which I felt completely well again till the next cycle. So this time around side effects aren’t as severe, but there are more of them and they hang around longer so you have less time in between treatments when you’re really feeling yourself.
One really interesting side effect this second time was a perfectly formed red rectangle that appeared on my abdomen a couple of days after the chemo and which disappeared after a few hours. Curious to know if anyone else has experienced similar! Looked like I’d been to a tanning booth fully clothed but for a rectangle cut out. Or had sprayed myself with fake tan through a stencil. Weird.
I’m using a scalp cooler and so far my head hair remains firmly attached (yippee), although hair down below is coming out.
Ah, the joys of chemo.
Alison