Had my 5th Taxotere last Friday, have had the usual aches and pains but yesterday I started to get an excruciating back pain, stabbing and when it stabs it goes right through me into the middle of my body. Pain relief hasn’t helped. I had a sleepless night because of it, although I have found since I got up that it only stabs now and again, so obviously moving around is helping. I did spend the day in bed yesterday feeling sorry for myself.
Is this type of back pain unusual? I’ve never had back pain like it before.
Hi,
sorry can’t advise as not on tax or experienced it but saw your post and wanted to wish you well and hope that you have seen the worst of it. A possibility you might have a water or kidney infection so I would get it checked out today if possible. It all seems much easier to cope during the day but at night, so much worse. I was awake from 3.30 doing a jigsaw trying to bore myself to sleep, no such luck just went off to sleep in time for alarm to take son to school. Just popped my next 4 steroids so even buzzier now.
Big hugs and hope it is going, check it out just in case
Lily x
If you are having this sort of pain you should give your breast care nurse a ring. She should be able to offer you some pain relief and advise on these symptoms.
I know you don’t have a breast care nurse, but contacting someone sounds like a good idea. I have a 24 hour helpline number here, so I expect you do, too.
I seem to remember someone posting on here that Taxotere makes you more susceptible to injuries, especially soft tissue ones (I’ve redeveloped tennis elbow and RSI since having Taxotere), so perhaps we’re more vulnerable to damage all round! Best to get it checked out, tho’.
with my 1st tax everything hurt, there wasn’t a bit of me that didn’t hurt but my onc has given my tabs to take and so far so good i have no pain, so give them a call and let them know whats wrong - don’t suffer. x
I am also on Taxotere (second one next week) and about 3/4 days after treatment I was racked with pain in joints and muscles…the worst was in my back, and I have a very high pain threshold.
I rang the chemo team who told me to take pain killers every 4 hours (up to the max in a day) . They didn’t seem to be aware that people had this side-effect!!! I found that many of us do suffer with pain and Taxotere. Some ladies seem to get strong painkillers from their doctors.
I tried paracetamol which was useless, and tried Ibuprofen too - not much better with that either.
Hope you find some relief soon as its pretty uncomfortable to say the least
Well after my desperate post this morning when I was still in agony, I popped another pill, this time a tramadol and gradually started moving around. I’m happy to say the pain has eased off today, its still there but not nearly so bad as it was yesterday and last night. I think perhaps laying in bed yesterday feeling sorry for myself probably didn’t do me any good. My legs felt like jelly and I felt flu like (typical of tax SE) but, instead of laying in bed maybe I should have done a bit more walking about.
I must say that I do in fact feel much better now so hope I’ve turned the corner.
I’m off to the hospital again tomorrow so will mention it to them as I’m having another dose of Herceptin.
Lily, hope you are not feeling too cold and that the steroids don’t disturb your sleep tonight. Do you have any sleeping pills? Just for while you are on the steroids it might help, just a thought. Hope you are not feeling too chilly?
Bahons you sound like you are doing well this time around, well done.
SO glad you are feeling better. Don’t feel guilty about staying in bed - you obviously needed it! I get a bit achy sometimes - I take diclofenac, plus co-codamol, if I need to. Hope you have a smooth and pain free trip to hospital tomorrow and that the docs reassure you about your back.
I’m definitely feeling better this time round, but my old friend the ‘down below thrush’ is back, I’m afraid! Still, it’s being hit with everything at my disposal at the moment (nights are worse, tho’).
to all of you on the dreaded taxotere - hang on in there I know its hard but its worth it. It supposed to be gold class. I have 3 tax back in may and june and boy did it knock me for 6.
Yes Sukes you are quite right, despite all the horrible effects, if its the best chemo then I am glad I am having it.
Strange but when I get this stabbing pain in my back from time to time, unlike all night however I tried to lay, it also hurts in my chest and my stomach.
I’ve dosed myself up with Tramadol, and a muscle relaxant to try and get a peaceful night, as its an early start for me tomorrow at 08.00.
S, Sorry to hear the thrush is back this time, what a pain! There is nothing worse than sore and itchy bits. How many more tax will you be having? I wondered if we will finish at around the same time.
I had a terrible time on my 1st TAX. It was stabbing pains everywhere, into my internal organs that was the worse. Co-codamol, tramadol nor voltarol touched it, but on the 2nd dose they reduced it by 10% and although I had a lot of pain, the stabbings stopped - may be this will help you too>
Hope you get some sleep tonight! Is 8 am when your transport arrives? It’s barely light then!
I’ve been told 6 Taxotere for me, but got the feeling that they might opt for more if they thought it was necessary (presume they’ll do a scan first to decide!) is it like the BOGOF thing in supermarkets do you think? I’ve just had No 4 - how many have you got left?
Yes, the thrush is a pain - still,better the devil you know and I think could be ever so slowly getting the upper hand…I’m prone to it anyway, so it ought to be no surprise that I come down with it after each dose.
I had exactly the same as you last year after my 1st tax. It was indescribably awful. After that, I took painkillers (diclofenac & cocodamol) regularly during the period I’d had the pain in the first one, and was much better.
Hi everyone,
I’ve just had my 1st tax today. Scary stuff from what I’ve read. Am waiting and looking over my shoulder waiting for THINGS to happen. Painkillers by bed just incase! Lets hope it scares the s…t out of the cancer. How many tax have u had Peacock? Just have to deal one thing at a time all advice is needed and appreciated.
I’ve just got back from the hospital, having just had my 4th Herceptin. It’s a pity that because my chemo was stopped, I now have extra trips to make, one day for chemo and one day for Herceptin.
I mentioned to the Onc about the awful back pains, he felt along my back but he said everything was ok and then he remembered that I had had a Neulasta injection last Sat, and thinks probably that was the cause of it.
Chris - I’ve had 5 Tax now. Stick in there, for me it is getting tougher but I’m gonna see it through to the end
S - I might have 3 more to go before I finish but they’re not sure - I hope it may be less. In case you didn’t know, I found out today that if you drive your own car to appointments you can claim the petrol back. I never knew that before so its a useful one to know. Sorry if I’m telling you something you already know.
They took tumour marker blood tests today, the CA15-3 and another one, ACE? Does anyone know anything about this one?
The abscess is still there, stitches came out today which was a bit sore after nearly 3 weeks - OUCH.
After all the excitement of today (not) I think I need to put my feet up. Hope you are ok Lily??