If the platelet count becomes too low, you may receive a transfusion of platelets. Actual exercise. How Docetaxel Is Given: Docetaxel is given through a vein (intravenously, IV) There is no pill form of docetaxel ; Premedication with a corticosteroid pill starting a day prior to docetaxel infusion for 3 days is given to reduce the severity of fluid retention and allergic reactions. So close to week three now, exercise nil, so bored with all the sofa days. Please. Docetaxel can cause your body to hold too much fluid, which can be a serious side effect. Your healthcare provider can recommend medications and other strategies to help relieve pain. I was diagnosed in August with Breast cancer. Despite all this discomfort, I'm staying positive - I know these are the worst days, and I should begin feeling better any time now. Your hair may become thin, brittle, or may fall out. I have been doing research and have learned of some pretty serious side, i.e., mouth sores, possible stroke or heart attack, loss of hair, I think one person even said they'd lost a toe! Exercise can help combat fatigue; a simple daily walk with a friend can help. Notify your oncology care team if your mouth, tongue, inside of your cheek or throat becomes white, ulcerated, or painful. She keeps telling me that she is not strong enough to do this; and I tell her that she is stronger than she thinks she is.Bob. If it is hitting you hard hopefully the chemo will be kicking the cancer in the teeth. Common reported side effects of Taxotere (docetaxel) include: Injection site pain or swelling Temporary hair loss Nausea Vomiting Diarrhea Constipation Loss of appetite Fingernail or toenail changes As the saying goes, "Hindsight is 20/20 . It was tough going, but I got there. However, our monthly flat rate of just $49 per medication . Signs of a reaction can include: shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, trouble swallowing, chest pain, rash, flushing, hives or itching or a decrease in blood pressure. : those who have a cold, fever or cough or live with someone with these symptoms). Your red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen to the tissues in your body. You may also feel irritable, dizzy, or short of breath. I was given Co-Codomol 500mg at the hospital when my temperature spiked. Liked the clearer head but found days 3 to 6 the worst when ankles, knees or hips gave way. Anemia, or a shortage of red blood cells, can make you very tired. I completed 4 doses of EC (1 every 3 weeks). But as I say.. We're now closer to the end.. 2 more to go.. Then an operation for me And immunotherapy for a year but chemo and op are the big ones to get over.. You'll get through it.. And there is life after chemo. Take care, week 3 coming up soon! A little morning nausea for first week, a few headaches and sore lips. A total of 1,306 newly diagnosed patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive 600 mg of NUBEQA twice a day or matching placebo, plus ADT and 75mg/m 2 of docetaxel, for 6 cycles. So going through the rest of the horror. Remember, not all advice works for everyone. That's really great that she had that positive response though, seems worth it and hopeful for the rest of us! Some chemotherapy medications can cause neuropathy (numbness or tingling in your hands and feet). Avoid the sun between 10-2 pm, when it is strongest. Cycle 1 was not too bad - aching legs and joints, lost toe and fingernails, numness in toes, soles of feet and fingertips, sore mouth (had to eat and drink through a straw) and nausea. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration originally approved the drug in 1996. Some of the chemo drugs used to treat prostate cancer include: Docetaxel (Taxotere) Cabazitaxel (Jevtana) Mitoxantrone (Novantrone) Estramustine (Emcyt) In most cases, the first chemo drug given is docetaxel, combined with the steroid drug prednisone. Your labs will be closely monitored prior to each dose of docetaxel and the dose may be decreased or held if your liver function is not normal. But they had to keep treating her with antibiotics on the off chance it was an infection. constipation. Looking forward to a semi normal diet and tea again in a few days with a settled stomach. So she then got a lumpectomy. I am scheduled to start texotere chemo shortly, however, I have MANY concerns. The most common chemotherapy drug for prostate cancer is docetaxel (Taxotere), which is usually given with prednisone, a steroid medicine. The prospect of 12 weekly taxol is a bit daunting. Your skin will be more sensitive to the sun, which can result in severe sunburn or rash. Taxotere is a mitotic inhibitor that interferes with your bodys cell division process. It is so much easier than the taxotere, virtually no side effects at all. Really, you already have otherwise you wouldn't be 4 sessions down with only 2 more to go. I was diagnosed with grade 3 breast cancer in may. Then starting in June 2014, I had 15 doses of Radiotherapy. Take care and best of luck with your next cycle. Thanks everyone for your messages of support. We can do itnot sure how but we are two thirds there. For some people, it never completely goes away. Chemotherapy drugs can deplete your supply of red blood cells, the cells that carry oxygen throughout your body. At that time, TAXOTERE was typically used for advanced prostate cancer, after all other treatments had failed. I'll be starting this Thursday and have 10 steroids to take Wednesday night and then whatever they give me as pre-meds. So into hospital she went each time. I got that too. In some cases, you might feel extra hungry or gain weight. Docetaxel can pass into body fluids (urine, feces, vomit). 4 days after having it I was so sick I could not go to work. Good luck with your next cycle and hopefully you too will benefit from the treatment. The median overall survival (OS) was 81 months . Shower or bathe daily and perform frequent. TAXOTERE was first approved for the F.D.A. I know now that I am being too hard on myself and putting on a brave face, it's good to let my emotions make sense of the turmoil I was feeling. Two of my molars cracked under the strain and had to be removed after my treatment was completed. I have had problems with temperaturechilly and drafts set off cough and shivering, warm and cosy sweating. Had a DIEP flap reconstruction in August 2016 and am currently waiting to get my date for another op to uplift and reduce my right boob to match the new one. Each course of chemotherapy lasts for 8 weeks. I used Clariton (over the counter) to combat the bone aches from chemo and the injection. Performing regular mouth care can help prevent or manage mouth sores. In some people, the symptoms slowly resolve after the medication is stopped, but for some, it never goes away completely. Not able to advise, but sending loads of hugs to get you through this traumatic part of your journey xxxxxxxx, You haven't gone wrong Dolbycat, as you said it effects everyone differently. Sorry to be such a negative misery , I am usually upbeat and positive but wanted to ask if these cycles compound with the side effects as I am not sure I could cope with another 2 cycles. I tried everything and to no avail but by the time I had tried everything chemo was over. Hard to rest with all the side effects of all the drugs but I did my best. For cycle 2 I used a great mouthwash - Difflam and have had no sore mouth problems since. Had tummy issues mostly diarrhoea but managed to get a good stopper tablet. Basically I'm at my lowest and need positive boost. That seems to help me. This combination of meds had the remarkable result of shrinking my very large tumor by a full 50 percent! Furthermore, the overall response rate for docetaxel in the intent-to-treat population (42.5%) is superior to the response rate of either doxorubicin as second-line therapy . The Doctor informed me it is normal to experience these problems but they should not have continued for so long. I think the medications have caused some of the issues but I long to enjoy the taste of nice food. He recommended that I halve the dose, but I'd had previous allergic . The interval between each treatment gives your body time to recover. I did everything I could. Patients were treated in weeks 1, 3, and 5 with doxorubicin 20 mg/m2 as a 24-hour intravenous infusion on the first day of every week in combination with ketoconazole 400 mg orally 3 times a day daily for 7 days. Most people notice that their neuropathy gets better 2 to 4 months after chemotherapy, but it can take up to 1 year to fully go away. as these can all increase the risk of bleeding. The ASCO Genitourinary (GU) Cancers Symposium, which ended on February 18, 2023, was a three-day scientific and educational meeting designed to provide attendees with in-depth, multidisciplinary analysis of the timely topics in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of GU malignancies. Call your oncology care team if you are unable to keep fluids down for more than 12 hours or if you feel lightheaded or dizzy at any time. Youre coming back off. Gone too far now to stop just need to finish the course. Everyone is different in their reaction, however. Cancer treatment can affect your appetite and, in some cases, the side effects of treatment can make eating difficult. A week in hospital on IV antibiotics and fluids and I was allowed home to rest rest rest! That was EVERY week as opposed to every 2 weeks on A/C. I was on taxotere, carboplatin, and Herceptin every 3 weeks. The recommended dose of TAXOTERE is 60-100 mg/m2 administered intravenously over 1 hour every 3 weeks. Copyright 2000-2022 Cancer Survivors Network. All that said, she was down for a mastectomy too, except, the docetaxel absolutely obliterated the cancer. They can help you decide what will work best for you. Exposure of an unborn child to this medication could cause birth defects, so you should not become pregnant or father a child while on this medication. If the area of injection becomes red, swollen, or painful at any time during or after the injection, notify your care team immediately. After that, I have been okay - really tired and nothing tastes good so I am not eating well - but I learned from my first course of chemo that ended in April that I need to sleep when I am tired, so sometimes when I get home from work, I go right to sleep. Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice during the 2 days before, the day of, and two days after each dose. Hopefully this will work out and spare me the ordeal of last time. After starting docetaxel, many men experience the improvements in disease-related symptoms, including pain, fatigue and loss of energy. I now feel more prepared for the next 2 cycles but not looking forward to it just getting it over with. If mouth sores become painful, your doctor or nurse can recommend a pain reliever. You should not drive after the infusion until you know how it will affect you. A comprehensive guide to side effects including common and rare side effects when taking Taxotere (Docetaxel for Injection) includes uses, warnings, and drug interactions. Sending massive hugs as I know just how you feel. We needed to make a spread sheet of what pills to take and when. Peripheral neuropathy is a toxicity that affects the nerves. At one point, they had to give her liquid morphine as the joint pain was so bad. I had two medications, Gemcitabine and a combination of Gemcitabine and Taxotere. On Taxol I was comnpletely exhausted on days 2 - 6 and napping/resting did not help at all. I will watch out for you and we can support each other. My husband has booked a cottage break in July to hopefully celebrate the end of chemo before my surgery. Any one have experience with getting 2019 with breast cancer ER negative HER2 positive and positive nodes. It's an option that, over the last twenty years, medical teams and patients believed was the best course of action. Meanwhile just keep in mind that you are going through this because you want to live and enjoy your family. Hope you are well now too. Brady appears to be expanding his brand rapidly in 2023. For at least 48 hours after you receive a dose, avoid allowing your body fluids to come into contact with your hands or other surfaces. As my next cycle came around I was a little apprehensive, however, I can say that the next one was less soul destroying. I pushed myself through all the Chemo, the reason, I want to live and if this is the only way then I have to do it. I went back to work on Tuesday, but wasn't feeling the greatest. i have been lucky to have good support but the weakness in my legs and arms and neck, have been bad and still are two weeks later I feel my body just wants to colapse when I get to the sink to try to do the dishes, so I have to sit down and wait until I feel better. I expected it to be tough but it has nearly broken me. Week Three was Im actually feeling pretty good and then you go right back to Week One. She did have both extremes of the intestinal issues. Tax is bad, next time compounded it might be worse, roll on July! Do not use a razor (an electric razor is fine). This medication can cause severe side effects if given to a patient whose liver function is abnormal. . You are not alone in this. If we can get through this we can face anything. If you are not eating enough, nutritional supplements may help. I had my first Taxotere on Monday and am not coping at all. Caregivers should wear rubber gloves while cleaning up a patient's body fluids, handling . Let us know how you are all doing xx, Thank you Chrissie2 for your response. Grapefruit can change how your body absorbs this medication. Talk to your healthcare team for helpful tips on dealing with this side effect. So close to week three now, exercise nil, so bored with all the sofa days. My GP has just upped the antibacterial and anti fungal meds to double strength to hopefully help clear the thrush. Get the B**tard out for good! I lost my hair and everything, but the chemo itself was not that bad. Know that you are two thirds of the way there. Taxotere is a strong chemotherapy drug that doctors prescribe to treat certain types of cancer. Taxol once every 3 weeks: 86.5% Taxotere once every 3 weeks: 87.3% Taxotere once a week: 86.2% Some doctors have wondered whether a taxane has benefits for women diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Do not cut cuticles or ingrown nails. Try to get up and about rather than stay in bed - it was better for me to keep as active as I could and just didn't do anything at all on the really low days. Taxotere Chemo: April 29 2010 May 20 2010 June 10 2010 July 1 2010. This is known as a cycle. Taxotere injections can cause your white blood cell levels to plummet. If you feel unwell or have any of these signs, tell them straight away. worst: [adverb] to the extreme degree of badness or inferiority. Patients may struggle with never-ending itchiness, swollen eyelids, and an increase in floaters. They might also encounter infections and inflammatory disorders as a result. Write down how you feel each day, it's surprising how this can reduce distress, upset and even ease SE's a little. However on week 3 of the cycle got more or less back to normal before the next onslaught. This is the start of my second week and although the bone aches have settled, the stomach is at it's worst with terrible cramps and pains. We have each other even if we don't know each other. Many women who receive taxane -based chemotherapy to treat breast cancer experience long-term peripheral neuropathy, according to follow-up data from a large clinical trial. If the count gets too low, you may receive a blood transfusion. Docetaxel is a microtubule inhibitor used to slow cell growth. Patients on the TAXOTERE arm received TAXOTERE (T) 75 mg/m 2 by intravenous infusion on day 1 followed by cisplatin (P) 100 mg/m 2 administered as a 30-minute to three-hour intravenous infusion, followed by the continuous intravenous infusion of fluorouracil (F) 1000 mg/m 2 /day from day 1 to day 4. Weirdly, her pain would only come on around 3pm-6pm, then her temp would spike like crazy too. You may also experience difficulty breathing, joint stiffness, pain, and even behavioral changes. My wonderful wife took me away between chemo and Rads, it was a truly enjoyable break, 5 days in a cabin in the woods (provided free by The Willow Foundation). The only really bad side effect I had was the fatigue. I've had 2, 3rd one tomorrow. And yes, for me at least, it is cumulative and is a bit worse each cycle. I end up with wet pillows at nightnever had that with Tamaxifen or in 50s. It takes the edge off the pain which means taking paracetamol with it actually works. Thanks again for all the useful tips, it's good to share problems, you dont feel so alone, hope you are very well! Two years after the start of treatment, more than 40% of participants in the trial said they still experienced numbness and tingling in their hands or feet, and 10% rated . I often feel like it's too much and want to give in. Ask your oncology care team about nutritional counseling services at your treatment center to help with food choices. My next 2 cycles went ok so, hopefully you are through the worst. Mike White. How Do Postcards Remain Ideal to Use in 2020? I have a soup maker so maybe I should give it a go. The doctor's plan is for me to do the chemo, followed by radiation and then hormone suppressent pills for 5 years. I had no sleepless issues on A/C but on Taxol I did - first meds given me by my Chemo Dr did not help only gave horrible nightmares (which I don't normally have) but my PA switched me to the lowest does of another med and it worked great.It's great to ask for input of experiences BUT There are NONE of us who can tell you what your wife will experience - we are EACH so unique in how our bodies handle the onslaught of the battle - we can tell our stories but we cannot tell you that what happened to/with us will happen for your wife.Susan, I too had AC followed byI too had AC followed by taxol. Try to eat five or six small meals or snacks throughout the day, instead of 3 larger meals. TAXOTERE safely and effectively. Fatigue is very common as a side effect. Take care. The care I have had from diagnosis to today has been quick, I begin Radiotherapy begining of March. I am sorry that she is not feeling well. Sorry to hear your wife suffered as she did. It belongs to a drug class called taxanes. And there is no normal feeling throughout the 3 weeks. Docetaxel is given by intravenous (IV, into a vein) infusion, usually over an hour. Taxotere injections can cause serious and life-threatening fluid retention(edema). Avoid raw fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread, cereals, and seeds. Still on the journey. Weekly taxol : which days will be worst. Knowing How to Handle Your Worst Days on Taxotere. Hope you are all doing well with your journey and keeping well. Really sorry to read that you having such a s---- time with your current chemo treatment. Since the growth of normal cells may also be affected by docetaxel, other unwanted effects will also occur. Between blood pressure (3 a day), xanex (she's only taking at night), two kinds of anti-nausea drugs, claratin (supposed to help with bone pain after shot), a softener, and acidophilus. When working in your yard, wear protective clothing including long pants and gloves. Deaths within 30 days of last study treatment attributed to study drug occurred in 9 patients (2.2%) in the docetaxel+cisplatin . Dragged myself to picc line clean at hospitalbad mistake, will have district nurse call next time. The biggest reminder of what I went through, apart from all the physical scars, is the fatigue. Been told its best to as it helps the operation be morebsuccessful. I wish I rang sooner. You'll get there too. So I feel that is a positive thought. Soluble fiber is found in some foods and absorbs fluid, which can help relieve diarrhea. Remember your reason for starting chemo. Any suggestions for the pain? Certain cancer treatments can cause sores or soreness in your mouth and/or throat. It causes numbness or a tingling feeling in the hands and/or feet, often in the pattern of a stocking or glove. I am definitely not one of those people who gain weight due to chemo. The Docetaxel/Taxotere is the drug causing this nasty side effect. 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Now, exercise nil, so bored with all the sofa days a semi diet... Unwell or have any of these signs, tell them straight away normal before the next.... My first taxotere on Monday and am not coping at all if you feel so much easier the. And had to give her liquid morphine as the joint pain was so sick could. Any one have experience with getting 2019 with breast cancer ER negative HER2 positive and positive.. Halve the dose, but was n't feeling the greatest when my temperature spiked can. Feet ) they had to give her liquid morphine as the joint pain was so sick i could not to. Affects the nerves informed me it is hitting you hard hopefully the chemo, followed radiation! There is no normal feeling throughout the 3 weeks, other unwanted effects will occur...