warning about TAXOL

Hello Steve,

My wife went through 12 weeks of taxol, the effects were not as drastic as the adriamycin and cytoxin combination she had taken for 15 weeks. What happened to us on her first treatment of taxol was that it was given very slowly. My wife was monitored for any adverse reactions and nothing out of the ordinary took place.

The fatigue factor was not as great as the previous chemotherapy, but then she started to experience numbness in her fingers and toes. She had watery eyes, and even a month after her last treatment some eyelashes were falling out.

After two months of being off Taxol there is no numbness of her fingers, the eyelashes have stopped coming out, there is only numbness in some of her toes, none in her fingers.

We had nothing bad happen from the infusion itself, all twelve went well. We do not know the results of getting Taxol, or radiation. We were told that these were necessary to eliminate whatever cancer remained in her body and gave her the best chance of survival and the best chance of the cancer not coming back. We trusted our oncologist and pray it worked. I pray it worked my wife has no doubt about it.

Is your daughter getting physical therapy for those pains? My wife is on the Active Program through Swedish Medical Center to get back her range of motion and her energy. I do recall my wife having body aches, but she appears to not have any now.




Edited by partner to one - Apr 25 2009 at 5:56pm

Hi Steve,

I guess that is why they say each person reacts differently to chemotherapy. I am happy that you and your daughter will be having a great time together! I believe strongly that it is family that makes cancer bearable.

I wish my wife folks stuck around for my wife's cancer treatments, they left after her mastectomy and she was in the start of her Taxol. Towards the end my wife told me she wished her mom was here.

I am glad your daughter has family to help her. My wife's mom and dad will be here next week. I cannot wait!

Dave

Hi Steve,

I am glad your daughter was able to tolerate Taxol.  I was not so lucky and after two of the scheduled 12 infusions had to stop.  I broke out in a red itchy rash all over and suffered severe heart palpitations.  The rash lasted a number of weeks, however, I still get heart palpitations from time to time.

Daffodil

Dear Daffodil,

sorry about your reaction...and may the "Clear so far!!!" written in your signature be forever!!!!

good luck to you..

Happy birthday, in advance, Living4today!!!!!!!! I will be thinking of you.
I have two children born the 18th of May five years apart..they will be 29(daughter) and 24(son) this year...they are both BRCA1 negative and then I have twins born May 20th, 1968...my daughter is the one TNBC
and my son "doesn't want to know" about his BRCA status..

My daughter has changed her diet and I will post the information here. I would like to do it after I see her on May 19. It's just easier when we have a whole day together to discuss stuff..

Thank you for your good wishes..

all the best,
Steve

p.s. Ali, I sent you a PM as you suggested..

Edited by steve - Apr 26 2009 at 2:42pm

Dear Donna,

thank you so much for your post..

when I first wrote this thread I had no idea if anyone would respond...or if there were some bad experiences out there...when the incident happened
while we where in the oncologist's office and after speaking to the woman in the waiting room I figured there were others out there but your post
put a new perspective on all of this..

and again I am not saying don't take the drug..just please make sure all precautions are done and a crash cart (with someone available who knows what they are doing on staff) is nearby.

I pray that in the years to come better chemotherapy will be available with less onerous side effects and my ultimate prayer is that TNBC can be dealt with, some day, without putting poison in your body.

I think this is a pretty extraordinary community...

all the best,

Steve

Do taxol and taxotere carry the same side effects? I just had my first round of chemo last week -- cytoxan with taxotere -- and except for wicked morning fatigue, aching lower back and, starting last night, mouth sores, I'm feeling pretty good. 

I'm not in denial, but at 62 I want to focus on the positive. A friend of my daughter's who had cancer told her yesterday that hers had been estrogen positive and "not the fatal kind."  My daughter freaked out, because she knows mine is negative. I tried to reassure her, but I guess I need reassuring myself.

 

minniemouse

 dx 2/27/09 TNBC; 1.5 cm; lumpectomy; clear margins; nodes negative; BRCA negative 

 

 

   

Dearest Caryn,

thanks for your welcome, dear friend...by the way I am delighted you had a good weekend...your update this morning brightened my day enormously.

it's funny, how the mind works, but the thing I remember the most about visiting you at CTCA was my first impression of you(I can still see you in my mind's eye) sitting in the cafeteria,on your laptop: I was instantly certain it was you because your radiance and intelligence was so apparent despite the procedures you were enduring. I think later in the day you had a radiation treatment as well and I remember you walking out, clearly whipped, but very happy to be done.

I don't know if you remember but I offered to drive us to your home and you firmly told me..."no, thanks, I got it." That resonated with me today when I read in your update that you drove over the weekend.

Later that night I reflected on our meeting and what impressed me the most and continues to impress me...was your courage and spirit...I told you then and I tell you today that I feel you will beat this. Your positive attitude is perhaps your best weapon and I feel you have been an inspiration to me and many others.

and it is not "blind" courage...you look intelligently at everything that is going on and understand it but your spirit is the key and also I believe your compassionate heart helps you...reaching out to others to be supportive while you are going through your own difficult battle says a lot about who you are as a person. I have seen that quality in others here. Women going through chemo, often with difficult side effects, posting messages of encouragement to others going through the same.

It is extraordinary to me to see that...absolutely marvelous women.

as I have told you before, I truly admire you. I am honored to be your friend.

in your corner, always,

Steve

HI MInnie,

I believe "clear margins, negative nodes and BRCA negative" are very important words and I want to reassure you that you will be o.k. I pray the chemo does its thing for you..the same way I prayed for my daughter, now almost five years out..

here are some taxotere(docetaxel) side effects from-

http://www.chemocare.com/bio/taxotere.asp

How Taxotere Is Given:

Taxotere is given through a vein (intravenously, IV)
There is no pill form of Taxotere
Premedication with a corticosteroid pill starting a day prior to Taxotere infusion for 3 days is given to reduce the severity of fluid retention and allergic reactions. Your doctor will prescribe the exact regimen.
The amount of Taxotere that you will receive depends on many factors, including your height and weight, your general health or other health problems, and the type of cancer or condition being treated. Your doctor will determine your dose and schedule.
Taxotere Side Effects:

Important things to remember about Taxotere side effects:

Most people do not experience all of the Taxotere side effects listed
Taxotere side effects are often predictable in terms of their onset and duration
Taxotere side effects are almost always reversible and will go away after treatment is complete
There are many options to help minimize or prevent Taxotere side effects
There is no relationship between the presence or severity of Taxotere side effects and the effectiveness of Taxotere.
Taxotere side effects and their severity depend on how much Taxotere is given. In other words, high doses of Taxotere may produce more severe side effects).
The following Taxotere side effects are common (occurring in greater than 30%) for patients taking Taxotere:

Low white blood cell count (this can increase your risk for infection)
Low red blood cell count (anemia)
Nadir: Meaning low point, nadir is the point in time between chemotherapy cycles in which you experience low blood counts.

Onset: 4-7 days
Nadir: 5-9 days
Recovery: 21 days

Fluid retention with weight gain, swelling of the ankles or abdominal area.
Peripheral neuropathy (numbness in your fingers and toes) may occur with repeated doses. This should be reported to your healthcare provider.
Nausea
Diarrhea
Mouth sores
Hair loss
Fatigue and weakness
Infection
Nail changes (color changes to your fingernails or toenails may occur while taking Taxotere. In extreme, but rare, cases nails may fall off. After you have finished Taxotere treatments, your nails will generally grow back.)
These Taxotere side effects are less common, meaning they occur in 10-29 percent of patients receiving Taxotere:

Vomiting
Muscle/bone/joint pain (myalgias and arthralgias)
Low platelet count (This can increase your risk of bleeding)
Increases in blood tests measuring liver function. These return to normal once treatment is discontinued. (see liver problems)
Infusion-related Taxotere side effects (symptoms which may occur during the actual treatment) include:

Allergic reactions (rash, flushing, fever, lowered blood pressure). Happens rarely, usually occurs in the first or second infusion. Frequency is reduced by premedication with corticosteroid starting one day before infusion. You will be monitored closely during the infusion for any signs of allergic reaction.
Infusion site reactions (uncommon and generally mild, consist of darkening of the vein, inflammation, redness or dryness of the skin, or swelling of the vein).
Not all Taxotere side effects are listed above, some that are rare (occurring in less than 10% of patients) are not listed here. However, you should always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.

......

Good luck to you, Minnie!!!!!!

all the best,

Steve




Edited by steve - Apr 27 2009 at 9:41am

Dear Minnie,

Minnie,

Steve,

• neutropenia - a decrease in white blood cells which may increase the risk of infections ...give them the Neulasta or Neupogen, or they may spend a week in the hospital like Janet did, and then the insurance companies will be paying big time!!
• nausea and vomiting ...give them the Emend...golden med to reduce nausea...but insurance sometimes will not pay unless you get really reallly sick!! IDIOTS!!
• headaches...there are many pain medications, and sometimes just tylenol extra strength helps...and sleeping in a recliner!! Doctors don't know that one. 
• mouth sores ...give them the magic mouth wash to use even before they start infusing!!
• aching or pain in joints and muscles ...Vitamin D3, and again the pain meds and hot baths and moist heat...doctors don't tell you that either!!
• diarrhea ...immodium and many others
• skin rash ...they have meds for that also, and that is usually an allergic reaction.

So, then why do many of these women have to fight for what they need? Because their doctors are not well informed.