I am having my third taxotere tomorrow and I am sitting here with legs that can hardly move. I have this awful vision after number 6 chemo i will be in a wheelchair. I went for a long walk as i thought it would be good as most of tomorrow will be sitting in hospital but am now regretting it.
Does anybody else have this problem, i know you can ache with the gcsf injections but they were 17 days ago! So this must be the chemo.
Any suggestions on relieving this pain!!??
Hello Sue
Oh how I sympathise. During all 6 taxotere rounds my legs just got heavier and heavier even after only 2 or 3 I felt like I needed a wheelchair and a blue badge to go to the shops (impossible if unaided).
I finished my course of chemo in Oct 08 and am pleased to say that now I can walk happily again, well have been able to for some months now.
Listen to your body, taxotere is a hard one, although good as it did the trick for me by shrinking a large grade 3 8cm tumour enough for surgery after 6 rounds.
Good luck tomorrow, will be thinking of you.
P x
Oh yes, how do I remember that. If you can go for a walk that will help, but don’t be too hard on yourself. I did gentle leg stretches lying on the bed when I couldn’t do anything else and I believe that helped greatly. I finished chemo in July and have just started back to work on phased return. My legs are almost back to normal.
Hang on in there you can do it!
Oh and do take whatever pain relief the doctors suggest.
Love Clare X
Sue - warm baths helped my achy taxotere legs - moving them whilst in the water also seemed to help. I had my last one on 16th Nov and they are improving no end. I also tried to get out and about each day, just a gentle walk with the dog seemed to help too.
Good luck
x
It is lovely to hear i’m not alone.
i think i need to go for more smaller walks than long ones like today.
Have tried the bath and it does seem to work well, wish i could go swimming!
Does anyone take painkillers or tried a massage?
Anyway biggest worry now is not the aching legs its the snow- will i get to the hospital for my chemo tomorrow-i get myself so worked up before so the thought of not getting to the hospital???
Your not alone on the leg front. I finished on the 18th nov and legs were so painful untill last week. I couldn’t even walk around the house for long without having to stop and sit down. I went xmas shopping once and it was horrendous and really should have hired one of those scooters. My legs do still hurt especially after i’ve sat down and rested but definatly not so much.
I also noticed that my legs became swollen a se from taxoterei’ve now discovered, diuretics were recommended and have help slightly.
Good Luck hope you feel better soon
Gina xx
Sue - I had a massage every 3 weeks throughout my chemo and I think it did help (with ONCs permission of course!!!). Gentle short walks are the way to go. I still have a painful right leg, from groin to toes, but I am hoping it may be post surgery pain or post TAX pain as I am not alone! I also took paracetemol for the TAX aches and Tramadol at night, which helped me no end.
xx
I did end up in a wheel chair after chemo no8[tax4]but it soon began to recover.I wish I had pushed myself to walk more but I was so very breathless that I just couldnt.
I took paracetamol, ibuprofen and tramadol too at night, also took sleeping pills.
I also had water retention, particularly after the 4th taxotere which water tablets didn’t help, this is the reason in the end that my chemo finished after 6 rounds instead of 8.
It all seems like a distant, but very bad memory now but if I did it, anyone can and I am a complete and utter wimp.
Hello Sue,
Yes, I had the same heavy legs and difficulty walking whilst on taxotere - I felt as though I was wading through deep water all the time, and found steps and inclines particularly hard. I also had fluid retention around my ankles, and ended up wearing ugg-type boots almost all the time outdoors and crocs inside.
The positive side to this story is that this was all last winter, and the side effects DO pass, so don’t worry on that score! Best of luck.
Thanks for comments- its nice to hear its not permanant!!
Have tried paracetamol which is ok, do prefer tramadol but its the constipation afterwards!
Like Horace i wish i could do more walking but feeling so breathless all the time is a hard one.
Had 3rd chemo yesterday and wished i had taken painkillers, sitiing in a nhs chair for 2 hours was ver painful especially as the steroids you take as well can make your legs feel strange.
Peacock,I know what you mean abou being a wimp but have just watched a programme about a girl, hannah having a heart transplant at 14, her courage was amazing- i wish i could have more courage!
I took paracetamol and ibuprofen together and that helped a lot.
Hey Sue
I’ve had 2 of 4 TAX so far, with the neulasta injections & (touch wood) have had no pain so far…just huge amounts of fatigue!
My onc prescribed me Gabapentin pain killers to take & they have worked brilliantly for me, with no side effects.
Hazel x