Anyone on just Taxotere and Cytoxan?
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Hi all
Anyone get peeling feet with taxotere? All my nails have gone red and the skin on my feet is peeling down from under the nails-got extra pills for the neuropathy called Neurotin- and they are for epilepsy as well.Nadine hope you got that toilet paper in the bathroom!!
Have a good day all
Anna
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Anna, my feet did peel with taxotere. I used cocoa butter on my feet to keep the skin soft, moist and intact. Put some Hard as Nails on your nails that are turning red. They may be getting ready to lift from the nail beds. Hard as Nails kept my fingernails from falling off. I should have used it on my toe nails as well.
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I had 6 rounds of Taxotere and AC all at once. I did a cycle of decadron for 5 days for first 2 treatments and a Nuelasta shot the day after chemo to keep white blood cell count up. My onc nurse said thats standard for Taxotere. The decadron prevents allergic reaction. I was out of my mind on the decadron though, I couldn't stop talking, and was doing fine with the regime so they cut my dose way back by the third dosage and I only needed to do it for 2 days the last one. Gained 18 pounds made me eat like a long shore man. I also had a nice supply of Lorzepam to help me sleep and take when I got overwhelmed with the whole mental aspect of it. Now I need them to sleep because of the chemopause. It never ends...
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Nadine54, I was afraid my head wasn't going to be any cooler without hair, I might have to find some kind of cooling hat or something, surely they make such a thing. If not I'll just have to keep towels in the freezer for emergencies, and stand under the fan a lot. I always forget something I went for when I go to the store, and if I make a list, I usually forget the list, but I am kind of compulsive about having toilet paper, so I don't usually run out of that, soap yes, tp no lol
ShellyJo, the steroids always drive me a little crazy, I have had to take them fairly often over the years because I have multiple sclerosis, and I never sleep, stay hot, flushed and my heart rate way too fast. I guess the good thing this time is I haven't gained weight with them because I've been kind of queasy the whole time, not really nauseated, just not right
I have felt just yuck all day today, it's day 8 after TC and for the most part haven't felt too bad until today. I'm not sure what's up, could just be the cumulitive effect of everything, and exhaustion, well that and when I walked the dog a 10am the heat index outside was already over 100 degrees, I'm sure the power company will get lots of $$$ from me this summer trying to stay cool
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Annabelle is a week past her T/C #3; and she's getting what almost looks like an allergic reaction on the tops of her hands and wrists. It's a reddish-purplish discoloration - almost looks like a bruise, and it's itchy. One of the areas also has what almost looks like poison ivy blisters. Calomine lotion relieves the itching for a short time, but it returns fairly quickly.
Anyone have a solution?
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Hi Dutch, sounds like she is getting hand and foot syndrome, it can happen with taxotere. It's like it's been burnt, and I'm afraid calamine might not be the best thing. It needs to be moisturized, bag balm in a green can is what the doctor told my Mom to use when she got it from another chemo. I'm afraid calamine might dry it out, and although feel good initially, make it worse in the long run. I've read people using things besides bag balm, but I'm afraid I can't remember what. They sell bag balm here at walgreens and walmart, usually in the hand lotion section. Also if it blisters, it's a potential site for infection, so have to be very careful I'd definitely let the doctor know on Monday, or sooner if possible, Good luck
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Dutch, I had that with 3 of my 6 rounds of TC. I used triamcinalone cream - it's a prescription steriod cream. Worked like a charm. I also used Gold bond "Ultimate Healing with Aloe" - you can get that over the counter at Walmart.
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Hi Firni
Thanks for the info -is that Hard as nails the glue? or am I missing something here?Got those red marks on most of the nails now -this is going to bother me more than the hair!
Wishes for a good weekend to all
Anna
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Thanks Tamara1201 and kt57. Sounds like you've both nailed it. One hand is now swelling up like a balloon (lympedema?) and the tops of both feet are now red and itchy, too. I guess it's time to call the Onc's 24 hr hot line.
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Anna, Hard as Nails can be found at Walgreens or any drugstore. It's just a clear nail polish that helps to harden the nails. No one knows why it helps keep nails on during chemo but it works.
Dutch, it does sound like it's time to call the Onc. I had hand/foot syndrome after my 2nd TC. My onc said to use Eucerin cream in the jar to moisturize and to keep out of hot water. The heat of the water or friction from rubbing, with make it worse. Lukewarm showers/baths, no hot water hand washing of the dishes, no wearing rubber gloves to wash dishes. Benadryl cream works great with the itching. The swelling can be LE or it could be the Taxotere. I had pretty bad swelling in my hands and feet from tx 3 thru 6. Now 3 months out, I still have one swollen foot. The swelling typically would go down quite a bit before the next tx. Onc Rx'd a Medral pack (it's a steroid series you take for 6 days) after tx 3 and that knocked the swelling out real well, but it came back with the next chemo. He wouldn't give me any more. Hugs to Annabelle. I know she's feeling miserable.
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Tamara1201: I have to at times have a cold washcloth that I lay on my head and have a ceiling fan and or the air conditioner turned on. I went nuts with turbines, head wraps, hats when I knew I was going to loose my hair. I found even the lightest one makes my head hot when outdoors. I wear hats if we go someplace but when we are in the car I prefer to have no hat and let the air hit my head. Don't know why but moving air hot or not seems to help me. I thought having hair was hot...not having hair seems way hotter to me. Could be why I don't wear my wig...just to hot, and its feather light.
Nadine
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Firni, Spoke to the Onc himself at 6:30AM this morning - he's very good at call backs and responding to emails, even on a Saturday or Sunday. He said it really is something she just needs to ride out. He did say that oral benadryl might be helpful and to stay away from hot water. (During the night she got up and tried salt dissolved in hot water immersion soaks to no avail. In fact, it probably exacerbated things.)
It now looks like she might also be developing some hives. In any case, she's not having a whole lot of fun right now.
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Dutch, how many more tx's does Annabelle have? Such misery. It's hard to even keep the reason we go thru this in our minds when it's so miserable. I hope the Benadryl helps. Maybe it will make her tired enough to sleep thru some of this. I found sleeping with the help of Benadryl or Perocet was a good way to get thru some of my worst days.
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Firni - One more T/C. The benadryl does seem to be making her drowsy enough so that the misery is a little less. Using wet wash cloths soaked in ice water seems to help some, too; but the one hand is swollen quite a bit and hot to the touch..
She wants something to relieve the misery, but the Onc's only alternative to the oral benadryl and cold wet cloths/ice packs was to go to the ER; and I know that she wants to do anything but that.
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Hi Dutch, Have Annabelle take whatever the Onc lets her take for pain as well as the benadryl. Icing does help for a while. Does she have a fever along with the swollen, hot hand? If she does, you know the ER is a possibility. Drinking lots of fluids will help flush her system and I read somewhere that she doesn't like to drink that much. But watermelon is a great substitute for water, any other fruit, jello, soup, you get the idea. And it may sound odd, but pushing fluids will many times ease the edema. I do hope she's feeling a little better.
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Nadine54, I suspect I will be going like you, and only wearing a hat or scarf, and then only when I go out in public. I think I'm going to get a wig, just in case I have a special occassion since it will be a long while before I actually have hair. I stay so hot,and sweaty, already I don't think I could take anything else to make me hot. It seems like the only time I'm cool is when I'm sitting directly under the fan, or in the car with the ac full blast blowing on me, after I've been there a while. I've just about given up on wearing makeup too, sweat it off before I get out of the house. It's days like these that I wish I lived in Alaska, but I don't think I would survive the winters there lol
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Did the ER. I had sent photos of Annabelle's hands to the Onc; and he indicated that what she was experiencing was NOT hand/foot syndrome, since it manifests itself on the palms and soles of the feet. Her swelling and itching is on the backs of her hands and to a lesser extent on the tops of her feet. The Onc did say that it could be a possible SE to the Taxotere, but said that was strange 9 days after the infusion; and recommended an ER visit.
ER couldn't determine anything other than calling it a "severe allergic reaction to unknown substance". They were very concerned about her high white blood cell count, even when I told them is was almost surely from the Neulasta. The Nurse Practitioner and ER Doc acted like they didn't know what Neulasta was/is. Not very reassuring, I can tell you.
She was sent home with Rx's for Pepcid, Benadryl caps and Medrol Dosepak. She took Pepcid and Benadryl last night. Hands are somewhat better this AM. We'll get the Medrol later today.
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Dutch, all the edema I experienced from Taxotere always showed up about 2 weeks after Tx. My onc didn't think it was odd that SEs were appearing that long after the infusions.
I can believe the people in the ER were uneducated in the ways of chemo. My own PCP has limited experience with all the ins and outs of cancer treatments altho he tries to keep up. I guess that's why we see oncs. Still it's disconcerting to go for medical help and feel they are clueless.
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Just out of curiosity I googled neulasta. More informatin then anyone would need is easily obtained. Plus, most hospitals have easily obtained on line drug information. Doesn't seem too much to ask if they didn't know about to take a few minutes to learn about it and help you. Regarding the think its odd for it to show up 9 days later. I think its hard for Oncs to admit when SE's happen. I think its a safety mechanism. They hate to think they're hurting us. I heard a lot of, its odd this far out, wow, that is a rare SE. Really? Everyone I've talked to here experienced it.
Hope the dose pack helps.
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This just emphasizes why these discussion boards are so important. My onc never mentions side effects. But if I ask her (based on what you folks are saying) she says, "yes, that can happen." I diagnosed the folliculitis myself, even though the onc on call (very experienced) said she had never heard of this happening. We have to be our own advocates and it's disconcerting when the doc's are clueless. We need to look out for each other.
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Tamara1201: I did put make-up on the other day and what a mess that was. I didn't realize I had lost some lashes and brow hairs also. Both are light colored anyway so somehow I missed that. Looked more like a clown so it will be sometime before I try that again. I am with you on the wig for special occasions. Told DH last night I wish my feet were cold...I have cold feet year around and haven't had that since all of the treatments started and even since I am done they are hot to the touch. In part I am so glad none of this happened in the winter my head would freeze. Don't know if you have any problems with hot flashes but that sure puts a spin on being so hot all of the time. Since my chemo is done the hot flashes don't come to often at the moment but being hot then adding that sure isn't fun. I seem to live in shorts and tank tops and really hate having to wear jeans....makes me to hot. I figure the weight went on so fast and honestly at my age I could care less what people may think if I wear shorts....somehow I am going to try and be cool.
I still do the cold wash cloth on my head and at times a few minutes in the freezer helps make it colder...rather shocking at first when placed on the head but sure helps my body cool.
Nadine
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HRF: I agree with you totally. We are walking the line and appears we are better at helping each other than the doctors.
Also in Idaho its raining once again ...been one rainy season and want some sunshine for a while.
Nadine
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Dutch - glad Annabelle is doing better. I can relate to the ER experience about the Neulasta. Both times I ended up in the ER after my treatments, I would mention the Neulasta just so they knew what else I had been given and what it was used for, and I got that look that dogs give you when they don't know what it is you are saying, you know, turning the head slightly and looking at you as if you are speaking in another language? And, sometimes, again, going from my own experience, the onc's don't always recognize se's, especially if they aren't seen a lot by their own patients. Good luck with getting the rash tolerable, hope she's more comfortable now.
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The swelling is going down, although not 100% yet; and the itching is getting a bit less. Got an email this morning from the Onc. He feels the problem is Taxotere toxicity and said he will not give her any more.
As to the ER doc, we got to see him a total of about 2 minutes of the 6 hrs that we were there; and when I mentioned Neulasta in response to his concern about the high white blood cell count, the look was "who the he** are you to tell me about medical stuff?!??" Granted, he was probably busy; but he really was a total jerk. Even the Onc made a sideways comment in his email about the ER not being able to diagnose something they should have been able to do.
One Day At A Time!!
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Hello ladies - I just happened to spot the following info on the British MacMillan cancercare website - I hope some of you may find it useful. I already know Anna, so her post was my inspiration!
a lady writes -
"I was advised to paint my nails with the darkest colour I could when I had Taxotere Chemo for breast cancer. It may be a different type of chemo to yours but yes it worked for me. Sometimes I felt as if my nails ached but they did not discolour or lift at all. So yes I would definitely advise painting them and good luck with your treatment, and fingers crossed it will work for you."
prior to this particulr post, a number of people were describing doing this. I havee no idea of the logic, but I hope this may help. xxxxxxx
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Dutch, the medrol dosepack worked really well for my edema after my 2nd Tx. But the edema came back as soon as I had another chemo. I plan to ask my onc for another when I see him on thurs to get rid of the lingering edema three months after chemo. I hope the medrol pack will knock our her edema for good since she won't be getting any more chemo. Is she done with all her tx now?
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Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all the congrats on finishing chemo. I've been so tired lately. My body is just not catching up with my mind.
Chunkie--congrats on finishing chemo!
Dutch--I've had hives since 5/1 after my second TC. My hives are finally going away now--2 weeks post 4th TC. I had some peeling of the feet also. My hands and fingers also had welts and swelling that looked like bruising which the onc said was from the Taxotere. I was on several Medrol dose packs, but never 2 weeks in a row. They helped with the hives and itching. I was also on Benadryl/Atarax. I did tepid oatmeal soaks and used icepacks around the clock. I am still soaking my feet and hands in cold water to help with the itching.
I had a follow-up on Friday and nearly flipped when I saw that I gained 14 pounds since I started chemo! It was all the steroids that made me gain all that weight. We also decided that I am going to start on Tamoxifen for the next 5 years. I hadn't been able to work-out because when I get hot, my hives are worse.
Nadine--it's suppose to be 105 here this Friday.
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Hi Ladies:
Had my first TC treatment on Friday. It went well. I had great nurses, as well. It is Sunday, day two, and have have very little SEs. No nausea!!! My knees hurt a bit yesterday, but not for long. I am a little slower today, but don't feel poorly. What I have been concentrating on is drinking lots and lots of water...so far, so good. I am SUPER afraid of having cysts develop on my bladder due to the treatment; so, I drink up and go to the bathroom like mad!
My taste for water has changed...I now HATE it, but use to LOVE it. I even sent my husband to the store to get a different type of water thinking for sure that something was now wrong with the water I always drank...not so, as I was told, my tastes buds are changing...I don't even like the cologne wears anymore...he had to go shower it off...poor guy. I am just glad that he loves me.
So glad for the port! I have one good vein; so, the port is purrfect for me. Well, I will see what the next few days bring. I have an appointment to have my wig styled on Thursday and hope I have the energy to make to it.
Tomorrow I plan to get back to my exercise...slowly. NOt sure what to expect from SEs in the days ahead. Is it a good sign that the first treatment seems to be going well? Do they get tougher?
So glad to have you all. Thank you. I pray that all of you have uneventful treatments, good days and restful nights.
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Afighter, thank you for your post, I'll be starting that regimen in 2 weeks and I'm still scared to death...but everytime I hear that someone just did it and it wasn't bad it helps...oh, the wig, going back to try some more on, that part to me is the worst, hoping that when I try some in my hair color I will find one that doesn't just look like a wig...
Hang in there! Paula
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Hi There Afighter
With you there on thwe water-I have to put lemon ,ginger or grenadine in it to get it down -it tastes salty to me-
Glad you are feeling good after your Tx-good for you if you can excercise-I am knackered most of the time
best wishes to all
Annaxx
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