Taxotere - any tips?

Hi. My wife, Carol has just taken her second chemo with taxotere. She had steroids to assist with the possible side effects, and to be honest she has not had too many problems up to date. Her second chemo was tuesday. Her mouth and gums did get a bit sore, but you can get mouthwashes to assist. Her taste ws a bit strange, so I made smoothies and she ate pineapple to help. Her hair is thinning, but we have scarves and a wig ready. She is drinking copiously as she started to get a urinary tract infection, but this may have been a coincidence. All in all the side effects are not to bad so far. The steroids keep her awake most if not all of the night, so we put the bedroom TV on. I use the spare room to get some kip!! I wish you the best of luck with it, don't be afraid, and each side effect can be countered in the main. So what if the hair and nails go (which is unlikely) they will grow back. Take strength from the good the drug will do, be positive. Best wishes DavidC

Hi Caroline

I had 4 cycles of Taxotere following 4 cycles of AC last year. I personally found the Taxotere much easier than the AC (I had bad sickness with this), and actually had more energy, none of the associated joint/muscle pains, and no sickness at all! The only thing I did have was a severe allergic reaction to the first infusion - almost a blue light job! - but fortunately with the correct level of pre-med and steroids my Onc. was able to stabilise this so I could continue the course.

With regard to your nails, a top tip I received was to keep them painted a really dark colour for the duration of your treatment. The reason they can fall out is due to a reaction with sunlight, so by blocking the light you can save them. I'm pleased to say that I did this and had no problems whatsoever!!

Oh, another thing, you will probably find your hair starts to grow back - this is quite common when Taxotere follows AC/FEC. It's peculiar because Taxotere on it's own causes hair loss, just one of those strange but welcome side-effects!!

Best of luck for tomorrow, I really hope you find it as easy as I did.

Thanks to both of you for replying and your advice.

Great tip about painting my nails I will try that!

I will let you know how I get on.

Cheers
Caroline :-)

Everyone is different so what may happen may not actualy happen. My friend has just finished her 4th treatment and not lost nails at all and just had tingly feeling in hands and fingers sometimes.

Just had my first Taxotere on Monday and not too bad so far apart from flu like aches and paines and a slight tingly feeling but on day 4 not tooo bad side effects. If you are only having 3 it may not affect you. Take the steroids as prescribed they will counteract the side effects.

GOOD LUCK XXXXXXXXX

YEAY it grows back already? I have heard this before fantastic, see any other side effect is minimal if you get your hair to grow back again. I only have 3 more Tax to go so will battle it out, i dont care about the nails but there was a lady in clinic painting hers a dark colour you were right.

Hair yay xxxxxxxxxx luxury xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi Caroline,

Like you I had 3 FECs then 3 taxoteres and was told the latter was much worse.

As I had had a pretty dire time on the well named FEC (cos it was indeed fecking horrible!!) I was absolutely dreading the taxotere. In fact, it was much easier than the FEC. Yes I had some days when I was wiped out (after being like the Duracell bunny on the stay awake steroids) but nothing like as bad. I had also heard about the nails.....enough already...not enought I've lost a breast and most of my hair...but I bought some OPI Naill Envy and some nail oil to apply and I still have an immaculate french polish. I did get the numbness in my toes and a bit of discoloration on toe nails but I didn;t treat them..

One lady on it told me the reason she painted her nails black was
because her nails went so discoloured.

Lots of luck tomorrow

Diane

Hello. I had three cycles of taxotere and I have my finger and toe nails still! I think that they have to tell you these things, even if there's a small chance of them happening. Just to protect themselves if that makes any sense. I had two other drugs at the same time as taxotere so I don't know whether my side effects were just from taxotere or the other ones, or the combo! I had a funny taste in my mouth, tiredness...and that's about it! My nails did go funny, but they didn't fall off. They had like a little ridge in the middle of them, just a little bump...but they grew out so it's ok :) Anyway, I've blabbered on! All the best with your treatment xxx

Thank you for all responding to me!

Had Taxotere on Friday and so far I am finding it definitely better than FEC, main and best difference being no nausea thank goodness!!!!

Am feeling more optimistic about keeping my nails now and will just make sure I look after them as much as I can.

Hope you guys are ok!

Caroline :-)

watch your temperature love, and ring the hospital if it goes up to 38C i went to clinic yesterday and got a right royal telling off asmine went up to 38 last week. I was in the middloe of nowhere in Devon but took to the bed and slept it out and was fine next day. However, it could have gone the other way i was told and that the main concern on taxotere is that we are more prone to infection than on any other drug. Dont worry about the nails, just worry about the temperature and good luck to you. I have my second taxotere on monday so see how this goes xx

best wishes xxx