hi everyone, i was just wondering whether anyone could give me some advice about driving whilst undergoing chemo, i havent been driving i am currently 4 of 6 docetaxol, carboplatin, regime, however i am stuck in the house, going stir crazy i have suffered quite a bit with side effects and fear i carnt walk far anyway, but feel i would benefit from getting out of the house what does anyone think about this, love liz x
I reckon you would be fine to drive towards the end of wk 2 onwards. I am having tax weekly, so I dont drive the day after but then am ok
x sarah
Hi Liz. I had my 3rd docetaxyl the Friday before last. After 4 days I felt a bit weak but it was a lovely afternoon so I decided to drive to the bank. Only about a 10 minute drive. I thought I’d never get home again. I was like a learner driver and really scared. Came home and spent the rest if the week in bed. Hadn’t had that reaction on the first 2 doses so maybe it was a cumulative effect. Think I could drive this week.
I think if you play it by ear you’ll know what you can do. I was a bit foolish I think.
Polly x
Hi Liz I’m day 3 Tax 2 won’t be driving today, or till Wednesday if last lot anything to go by, but was out and about in car last week. I try to get as much out of good days (mine and weather) I’d the seaside the countries and town last week.
I think you just need to assess your own aches/pains, wooly headedness. I have driven myself to and from all my appointments without trouble.
HI there, I had 3 FEC 3 TAx - I just couldn;t concentrate enough to feel good driving for more than ten mins or so …really frustrating. But you know what my Onc said the brain is like a sponge and soaks up the drugs really quickly - hence chemo brain feeling…can only be good eh for killing off stray cancer cells?
best Nicola
hi ladies, thanks for all the advice, yes i agree i know on my last 4 regimes i havent been very good, for the majority of the time on the last one i was like a zombie, i had about 3 days when i felt ok, i am on day 11 of my 4th dose today, at the moment i feel ok, touch wood, its not that i particularly have loads of places to go, people to see, etc i think what gets to me is once my oh has gone to work, and the kids have gone to school, its just me the dogs and the house lol, its knowing i couldnt get anywhere even if i wanted to i know it sounds really pathetic, but its like a psychological thing with me, i sold my car when i had my mx back in november last year, i have the chance of a loveley little run around and i think i am going for it, whats the worst can happen it sits there for a while, i have only got 2 tax left now and maybe it could be just the boost i need thanks ladies, love liz x
Oh dear - hadn’t thought about driving after Tax - I’ve got to drive to a meeting at my son’s school tonight as OH won’t be home from work. I had my first Tax last Wednesday and have been feeling awful so far (having the Neulasta jab as well didn’t help!) although I finally got a better night’s sleep last night by taking codeine at midnight.
I didn’t have any trouble driving while on FEC but I’m a bit worried now about tonight. I think I’ll go out for a little walk around the block later just to check that my legs are still working OK!
Jane xxx
hi polly how do you feel today, i had my 4th tax friday before last, how many have you got to have, vile arent they, i have my days where i say to my oh i carnt do this again, but i know i will, it helps to know you are not alone dont you think, have you got to have rads as well, i have then back in for a mx, i have decided as a preventative measure to go ahead with further surgery, but i am taking each day as it comes, i sometimes expect too much too quickly, but i have always been the same, i think you did try to go out a bit soon day 4 for me is one i usually spend in bed, i havent even got the energy to get dressed, any way loveley to hear from you and all the best love liz x
Liz I am fortunate in that I have a pal who is not working at the moment either, we joined the national trust last week and have vowed to visit places in our area over the summer. It is good to get out a bit, I live with grown up daughter but she’s out to work 7.30 and not back for 12 + hours, the days are long and empty when SE’s bad.
hi alto, just go by how you feel yourself, everybody is different arent they, i think i have been getting bad side effects, because i have had chemo before, the onc said he sees it a lot in people with a previous history, it wasnt my intention to make anyone worry about driving, and i am sorry if i have made you think twice, just take it easy and go by how you feel, i am going to, if i dont feel good enough headwise then i wont do it but if i feel up then i will i will probably look like mr magoo (remember him) on a bad day lol look out road ragers here i come love liz x
Hi all, I am due my first Tax on the 8th having finished FEC. I was planning to drive as normal, my onc said I wouldn’t feel as sick on Tax. Just pains in arms and legs! Can you tell me what side effects to actually expect, maybe I should take someone with me as it’s an hour to the hospital! Thanks girls.
lizzy x
hi pattimi, i agree the days are toooooo loooooooong when the se,s are bad, i think you think about it more, but you know when you are ok yourself, and i tend to think i am best on my own when i feel really bad i carnt stand the tv or the noise of the household in general, in a way you are lucky because you can be quite when you need to be, i have got 3 children 12year old, and 8 year old twins, i know i am going to struggle with my final 2 tax because the kids break up for easter after the next one and then they have various days off after my last one as well, at least you can have your peace and quite and rest even though you most probably have days when you feel you are going stir crazy, but chin up girl the summers coming, it can only get better, and joining the national trust was a fab idea, there are some beautiful places to visit and sites to see, keep smiling love liz x
Lizzy, I think in general the SEs from Tax don’t hit straight away - it usually takes about 48 hours. I think it’s due to the steroids. I felt great for the first day then had my Neulasta jab that causes aches anyway. From the second day I started to ache and then have had a few days where I could barely move due to the aches all over (even my jaw hurt when I ate!) and my legs feeling as though they didn’t belong to me. I’ve also been very tired.
So I’d say if you’re anything like me you’ll be alright to drive straight afterwards and probably the next day but don’t plan anything for the next four days or so after that.
I’m hoping I’ll be OK to drive tonight as I feel a lot less achy today (5 days post Tax 1).
Jane xxx
hi lizzy, i have just had my 4th out of 6 tax, now please bear in mind NOT EVERYONE GETS THE SAME SIDE EFFECTS, YOU MAY NOT BE THE SAME AS ME
i thought i would say that because i dont want to worry you or put you on a downer, heres how it goes for me: have the dose, next day ok, day 3,4,5,6, really low, carnt get out of bed, feel sick but havent been, glands feel swollen like mumps, and i physically feel like i have been kicked from head to toe, carnt walk, usually end up crawling to the bathroom, carnt taste anything,really bad thrush in my mouth, 7,8,9, start picking up feeling better more energy, still aching now i am on day 11, carnt taste anything, head a bit cloudy, feel very weepy, arms and legs a bit heavy, NOW HERES THE THING TO REMEMBER take each day as it comes, see how you feel on a daily basis, NOT EVERYONE IS THE SAME,
i have only told you in such graphic detail how i have been because no-one warned me i thought i was going gah gah, you need to take your temperature every day, if it goes up and you feel pants you might have an infection, and need to phone hospital, please dont worry you may not get side effects but there is a thread on here i think its help docetaxol, or its somewhere on the forum under chemo side effects, and the ladies on there are all saying the same thing tax is hard and i know i have had days when i have said i carnt do this again, but you have to, hope this info helps all the very best to you love liz xxx
Thanks Jane, at least I know what to expect. I have 4 doses of tax with herceptin to go, and have been worrying about it. My OH is in the UK now working so I am here in Spain with my 2 young daughters, at least I can arrange for them to get lifts to school for those days. What is a nuelasta jab for? They haven’t mentioned that. I have to take some steroids the night before, and the morning of my next session which I never had to do with the FEC. Do you feel sick with the TAX? Do you have the yukky mouth taste? Ewwwwww, I will be glad when this is all over!!
lizzy x
Oh Liz, you poor thing… that sounds awful, how on earth do you cope. At least you are nearly through it. I will take everything you say on board. Better go and get myself a thermometer!! I think my 11 year old will be helping out a lot. Thanks for the information, you are right, if no one tells you then you think you are the only one having such bad SE’s and that can be more frightening than anything. I have now hit my good period, so I had better make the most of it! Thanks again.
Lizzy xx
Not been sick with Tax, yucky mouth OH YES, and sore bout 10 days. I have the Neulasta jab as WBCs low this gives aches as well, I find it’s a bit like having a muscle twitch ankles knees and pelvis. Feel a bit spaced out and not in touch, fingers feel fat and sparkly, I have also had some water retention so wake up to swollen eyes, and have a dizzy spell/head rush if I jump up and trot off too quickly, ( had Tax dose reduced for this).
Sounds horrific when I’ve written it down but the last 10 days were fine.
hi all forgot to mention finger nails and toe nails, paint them black or as dark as possible, something to do with the nail bed being affected, mine have gone really white from the cuticle half way up, when the nurse in the chemo unit saw them she advised me to paint them, it has to be dark, to stop uv rays, they get sore, change colour, can go multi coloured, then in extreme cases, wait for it, can drop off!!!
thought i would just mention that, nobody told me about it until mine had gone halfway up every nail lol love liz xxxx
I drove home from chemo once on tax it was ok but a little fuzzy headed probably not ideal but dont drive for the first week if i can help it.
Hi all
I’m due my 3rd FEC this Friday (April 1st) and then start on 3 x Docetaxol with Herceptin. I’ve pretty much sailed through the FEC, but am getting a bit nervous about the next regime. Especially after reading other peoples experiences on here. I haven’t come across anyone who seems to have had a good experience on Docetaxol.
Has anyone had the herceptin at the same time - any advice you can give me? Also how were the side effects?
I know i need to get in a good frame of mind to conquer this. I’m a person who needs all the info, be it good or bad, so that i’m fully prepared.