Anyone starting Taxotere soon?

pp, that’s great news, it is a bit nerve-wracking, but great when it goes well. My bloods were at 6 which was fine, don’t really know what the norm is though. Take care, x

Hi Pat, my WBC was 3.2 and it has to be a minimum of 3 so only just got there! Still feeling okay today - waiting for sludge gob to start!!
pp
xx

Well, me and this TAX aren’t getting on at all well. I’m on day 11 of my 2nd TAX and I woke up this morning absolutely covered from head to toe in the most appauling rash. Not 1 bit of my body is unaffected.It looks like chicken pox! So now, I’m not only fat and bald, but fat,bald and spotty! and very very itchy, it’s driving my crackers! This evening knuckles, knees and ankles swollen to and very painful! I’m feeling really sorry myself! I’m back on the wretched steroids and antibiotics and antihisthamine, and now pai killers. Probably won’t be able to have the last one and i’m one of the 5% of people who react this way!
Poor me!
Take care Ladies, hope you have better luck than me!
Jo XX

Hi all, hope everyone is ok and enjoying sunshine. Poor thing Jo, blooming tax is like torture for you, isn’t it? Hope you’re feeling a bit brighter today. I’m on day 10, nasal congestion and bloody nose still there, throat better, aches and pains better so I really can’t complain too much. Worse thing is the sludgy mouth and taste thing. Oh well, got new wig today and it’s perfect, well as perfect as it could be without being my real hair! Lovely and light little bob so am happy that I have something for when I go into office, and it’s been a bit hot for the old hats of late. Take care all and hang on in there - not too far to go now. love and big hugs, Pat x

Hi Everyone,
Sorry to hear Jo that you have reacted so badly to the TAX hope you are feeling a bit better now.
Well I am pleased to report that my hair has started growing again - I thought you lost it with TAX like you do with FEC? Only very fine covering at the moment like baby fluff unfortunately it is coming through all white!!
Day 4 for me today and have started feeling achey - sludge gob not started yet!!
love
pp
xx

Hi all, how’s everyone doing? I’m on day 13 of Tax 2 and it’s not been too bad. Still very achey - me and my daughter walked up 6 flights of stairs to a derm appt for her at the hospital, and it nearly killed me! Mouth still bit sludgy but taste seems to be coming back a bit quicker than last time. Can’t believe it’s last one next Thurs, time waits for no man and all that!!! Much colder today but still nice and bright out, bit windy as was a bit nervous re: the wig but it stayed on! Check in later ladies, love and hugs Pat x

Hi All
Well day 8 of 2nd TAX and the worst thing is the sludge gob - has anyone found anything to eat that still tastes reasonable? Glad your taste is coming back Pat.
love to all
pp
x

Hi pp, it’s day 14 for me and my taste is virtually back to normal and I have to say the sludge gob didn’t seem to last as long this time, strange but good. Pineapple is good, apart from that I found the more highly flavoured foods like spicy curry etc the more I could taste. Things like meat and potatoes and pasta all just tasted the same. It’s a rotten SE, I watch food programmes and adverts and it drives me mad when I can’t taste, I get cravings for things. Apart from that, it’s really just been the aches and pains and bloated feeling, not too bad really. Hope everyone else is going along okay. love P x

Hi all
Just had an all inclusive 2 night break - at the hospital!! My temp was up to 38.3 so they admitted me checked my blood and found i was neutropenic my neutrophils were zero!!! Despite having had 3 injections by then to boost my white blood count! I now have to see the onc before next chemo is due in case he decides to alter my treatment.
Hope everyone is doing okay
love
pp
xx

Sorry to hear that PP. I had similer after 1st Tax and now after my allergic reation mid way thru 2nd Tax, they’re talking about giving me something else for the last one tomorrow but i don’t know what yet!we’ll have to wait and see!
Take care
Jo XX

Hi all, pp sorry you were in hospital - this tax really plays havoc, doesn’t it. My lung condition has started playing up so I’m on a 14 day course of heavy-duty antibiotics - what fun! Jo, I hope tomorrow goes well for you after the first two. I’ll be thinking of you. At least we’re nearly done. Seeing onc tomorrow and if bloods ok, last one Thursday. My taste is back to normal and aches almost gone so I’ll make the most of the next few days. Take care everyone, love P x

hi all , im about to start my first taxotere and have to say after reading how everyone has dealt with theirs im much more positive about starting mine . i was really worried after talkin to my nurse who was telling me all the worst stuff that could happen . its nice to get the views of us ladies who are actually going through it and can tell you what to expect . i feel more at ease now and ready for thursday . i wasnt to bad with my 3 fec and it got easier to deal with as time passed and was able to get more medication for sleep and sickness . anyway hope you ladies are enjoying the sunshine , its meant to last all week so im gonna try n do a bit of gardening before thursday . wishing you all well
melissa xxx

Hi all and welcome Melissa. I too was terrified about having Tax -I had 3 FEC and have last of 3 Tax on Thursday - chest infection permitting. After reading some of the posts elsewhere, I had worked myself up into a terrible state, then found a couple of positive posts and, when I told my onc about my fears, she just said keep an open mind, and I have. For me Tax was very different from FEC, biggest change was no nausea which was great! I have had aches and pains, temp goes a bit mad for first few days, and the sludgy mouth, but it hasn’t been too bad and totally manageable. You’ll prob have an inj day after which helps white cell count. I’ve a lung condition which is tied in with the chest infection, hopefully bloods will be fine for Thursday, they did chest x-ray too, just to make sure. Good idea to enjoy the sunshine, I’m sure you’ll be good on Thursday. A tip; I use the cool mitts on my hands and feet, well I did on first Tax, forgot on 2nd and have had a bit of tingling in my hands this time. Worth trying and it’s not too uncomfortable either. Jo, hope you’re okay and pp and everyone. Good luck Melissa, you’ll be fine. love and hugs Pat x

thanks pat for your comments . i have been injecting myself which i had to do every 5th day after my first 2nd n 3rd fec for 5 days so i expect i will have to carry on with those . ive had a bit of a skudgy mouth with the fec so they shouldnt be to hard to deal with , hopefully the nausea will ease though as that has been the hardest to deal with even with taking the meds . as for aches and pains i have multiple sclerosis and take painkillers for that so hopefully they will help with anymore that i may get . but thank you , you have helped me to feel more positive , bring on thursday lol xx
take care melissa

Hi Ladies, welcome Melissa. In spite of all my probs on TAX I still prefer it to FEC, i think!

Anyway had my last chemo today, they did decide to give me last TAX as thought it was more important to finish the course and suffer the consequenses so am ready for allergic reaction again around day 11/12. Had piriton and hydracortisone intraveniously half an hour before they started the TAX and thankfully no nasty reaction this time!

Feet have gone quite flakey now so have ben given some diprobase to put on and told to wear bed socks over cream tonight to help. Just what i need with all these bloomin hot flushes as well!

Night night ladies, good luck with your last one Pat!
Jo XX

Hi all, well done Jo, last one! I bet you feel relieved after having had such a lousy time on the Tax, how u doing today? I’ve just been to gp for more antibiotics, onc sent me for chest x-ray yesterday and will ring me tomorrow afternoon with decision on whether to proceed with last Tax on Thurs or delay for a week. Fingers crossed it can go ahead as I really need to see the back of this chemo lark. Aren’t the flushes awful, and I’ve noticed my toes, especially the big toes have become quite painful. I agree about preferring Tax to Fec tho as the nausea and sickness and horrible chemo fog did my head in (on fec). Jo, have they given you stuff to take for day 11/12 when u felt bad last time? Best to stock up on EVERYTHING!!! Hope you’re ok pp, and Melissa, Thursday will come and go in a flash. Off for a cuppa, take care all, love P x

Hi all and welcome Melissa, bet you are glad Jo to have had your last TAX! I still prefer FEC to TAX - think I must be the only one!!! I now have an appointment to see my onc next Tues the day before my chemo is due when he might possibly change my treatment - I hope not as I just want to complete my course of 4 tax.

I hope that your last tax goes ahead on Thurs Pat I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.
love
pp
xx

hi all x just wanted to say im sorry to hear about your problems with the taxotere x hopefully i wont have these x , its good to know that the nausea may not be so bad , i hate that part x will let you all know how i get on once thursday is over x been told might have a long wait as have to wait for the tax to be prepared first x oh well as they say these things are sent to test us x
anyway ladies wishing you all well x spk soon
melissa x

Hello Ladies, just an update,
Having just had my 3rd dose of TAX it definately feels like it’s accumilated and I seem to be going downhill a lot quicker than after the last dose, feel lousey tonight actually and went for a lie down at 4.30pm this afternoon and didn’t wake up till about 8ish this evening and now can hardley move, all my joints feel knackered and I think i’m about to loose a finger nail! Thank Goodness, It’s the last one! Hope everyone else is ok on it!
Jo XX

Hi Ladies, hope all are ok? Jo, well done with last TAX. Onc phoned yesterday and, as x-ray and bloods ok said I could have last TAX which I did today. I think you’re right about the effects building up, I feel fine at the mo but know it will all kick it tomorrow. But at least we are thru with it now, what a relief. Melissa, how did you get on? I’m sure it went fine. Just take it as it comes and go with the flow. Last cycle I was in bed for 3 days from day 3 - 5, nothing much I could do so went with it. Any probs, ring the hospital, but I’m sure you won’t need to. PP hope you’re okay. Will check in tomorrow, love and hugs Pat x