hi I’m new (unfortunately) dx in august having my third fec and then going on to taxoere. Ive been really lucky with fec been feeling fine on fec, have it on the Friday’s rest the weekend and back to work on Monday. but I’m a bit nervous about taxotere how bad does it make you feel
Just like you I am worried too. Just finished my 3rd FEC on 7th Nov and many here has painted a less than rosy picture of taxotere and I am terrified. I had it bad too with FEC. However my oncologist said that although the fatigue last longer might be until 7-10 days, other side effects are better like less vomiting, less sore throat etc, not entirely convinced by her. She did not experience it herself personally, does it unlike our ladies here.
Hi amandax and sarig
I am sure you will receive other replies from our users sharing their experience of taxotere, but in the meantime, I have given here the link to Breast Cancer Care’s factsheet on taxotere. I hope you find it answers some of your questions.
breastcancercare.org.uk/docs/taxotere_nov_2005_0.pdf
Kind regards.
Louise
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care
Hi Amandax and Sarig
So, you’re ready to join the Taxoteres! I had 4 EC and 4 Tax and finished my chemo on 3 Aug.I found the Tax was worse than EC in some respects and better in others. The nausea, constipation, throat probs were replaced by Tax Tummy (really painful guts), numbness in various ares to differing degrees (tip of tongue,top lip - felt like I’d had a tooth filling - end of nose, finger tips), runny nose, watering eyes, couldn’t taste food and heartburn. These things, although not nice, were doable and just became part of my life. I kept a diary to moan into and every day was a day closer to the end of treatment. But, the over riding nastiness of Tax for me was the fatigue, It crept up on me gradually until at the end of chemo and for a few weeks afterwards I felt like a zombie. Some days were better than others but sometimes I could hardly put one foot in front of the other and all I wanted to do was sleep. I felt as weak as a kitten. It sounds horrible and it is but if I can do it then anyone can. Some ladies seemed to be affected more than me and some ladies less. It’s strange how it affects people in different ways. The ladies here are great in assisting others and the Tax ladies have lots of information to help with specific problems. I hope I have helped in some way and I wish you good luck with the rest of your treatment. Take care.
Jibby X
Hi Amandax and Sarig
Like Jibby, the main things I found bad about Taxotere was the foul mouth, you get a coating on your tongue, which can turn into oral thrush. I got prescribed Nystatin (a mouthwash) after my first which helped greatly with this and fended off mouth ulcers.
The other thing was on days 5 & 6 I was pretty debilitated from pain in my bones, like having bad flu so I would recommend getting everything you need in the house to prepare for this, get some Neurofen for the pains (not paracetamol as that had disguise a temperature). Also got stomach cramps and a bit of diarrhoea.
Also had numbness in hands which usually disappeared when I gave them a good shake.
But having said all this it really can be done, don’t be scared, it’s just temporary and Taxotere is apparently the gold top of chemo, made my lump shrink significantly!
Cecelia. x
Hi ladies
like you i have had3 fec which wasn;t too bad, but had my first tax last friday and was dreading it, the 1st 3days i felt ok but then the aches and pains kicked in i can only descibe it as bad period pains in the joints but not as bad as i expected the sore mouth is the worst, not knowing what to eat or drink is hard, so I,m survivng on cup a soups, porridge and scrambled eggs amoungst a few other things Each person seems to have different side effects, so I hope that yours isnt too bad, and everyone says it is do able.
good luck
Elaine.
hi there Amandex and Sarig
I have my tax combined with two others as I’m on the TAC regime so my side effects are not typical - but the horrid taste in the mouth and bone pain i can relate to. Take your anti sickness as prescribed, they work better at preventing nausea than stopping it if it starts. If you should get sickness then don’t suffer, get something for it - last thing you need is to get dehydrated.
The thing to remember is we do all ome out the other side, however bad it is at the time it does finish and we recover. I find a lot of the side effects are like being pregnant - the metallic mouth, the constant nausea, the ‘going off’ things and even acquiring a taste for new things! So, if you have had children, think back to your coping mechanisms then. the ginger biscuits, nibbling dry toast, mouthwash - they all still work.
thanks ladies for the tips i will let you know how I get on not got my first one for a few weeks so I will enjoy feeling ok for a bit longer
amanda x
i had awful time after my first tax, i have to have 6of them, five more to go with next one on tuesday. im dreading it as first one ended up in hospital following monday. i know what people ay about weakness, i could barely stand tho when i was admitted or sit up it waas horrible. they are giving me anti biotics straight away tho this time to take ome so fingers crossed for a better time. good luck hun hope itgoes ok
hi amandax and sarig,
I have just finished my final taxotere. Like you i had 3 FEC and 3 tax. After reading all the info I was terrified before having my first Taxotere but in actual fact it was not anywhere near as bad as I had feared. I found it Much less sicky than FEC and the other side effects were doable. I would say try not to worry. Easy to say, I know but with a bit of luck you should get through just fine. Remember you are halfway through already.
Best of luck xx