HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Hi everyone,

Had first taxotere treatment January 29th.

Any advice -- a more natural approach, please- - for this awful pain I appreciate it very much.

I have been miserable ever since the day after the treatment. Hands feel numb, skin rash on forehead, mandibular area and both sides of the neck, below the ear.

What do I do?

Additional info:

Normal blood pressure
No fever, vomiting, constipation
Apettite is normal, however I now have discovered sores in my mouth, so no oranges/pineapple in the morning!! The best of fruits.

Doctor wanted to prescribe Oxycontin- - I refused it.
Am I an idiot for doing so?

Please help ......

Love,

Adriana

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Hi Adriana,
I'm so sorry that you are going thru this. I was on taxatere a long time ago. Mostly it made my stomach always feel sour, gave me chronic nausea and kind of like heartburn. I'm pretty sure that's when I started prevacid. I also used to stay on low doses (1/4 tab) of ativan which helped with the chronic nausea for a few days after "therapy". Maybe you will have to switch from toothpaste to baking soda and just pamper, pamper, pamper yourself. xoxo SoCalGal :-)

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Get some biotene mouthwash and gel. There is also biotene toothpaste. It really helps with the dry mouth/sores. Also ask your doc for a prescription for magic mouthwash. There are prescription lozenges available but the magic mouthwash did the trick for me. My doc also lowered my doseage due to the immediacy of mouth sores.

A dermatologist should be able to prescribe a steroid cream for the rash. I had it on my hands and face.

So sorry you have to go thru this, cancer sucks. Hang in there

Janis

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

My heart goes out to you,sorry you are having so many problems. I was on Taxotere and did not have near the problems you are having. My Onc gave me steroids as well as nausea meds so that probably helped. I would definately talk to you Onc and see what they can do Anyway - just wanted to say I'm sending positve thoughts your way. Stay strong

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Hi
Sorry to hear you're having a bad time. It's one of the most difficult cancer drugs. There are lots of good mouth washes available that really work. As for the rash myself and Chelee had horrendous rashes on our face and I also had it on my arm. I tried steroid cream which didn't work but then got an antihistamine and it totally cleared it! What I found out very quickly though was to stay out of the sun totally as it made the rash much much worse! I also felt very tearful and upset and now wished I had got some meds for it rather than suffering!
Hugs from England
Ellie

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Adriana,
I too had terrible mouth sores so used the biotene paste and mouthwash and also a conditioning gel just before bed. I also religiously gargled with bicarb wash 4 times a day and once on this routine didn't have any more mouth sores.
I also got terrbily depressed for 24 hours about 3 days post treatment - hubby used to wait for me to start crying!! Again must have been something to do with the taxotere as I wasn't as emotional on the FEC?
Good luck
Jenny x

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

When I first started chemo, I did 6 cycles of Taxotere. I had read about studies done by Valter Longo at USC that were doing trials on fasting prior to and after chemo. So I fasted the day before and the day after chemo, and drank plenty of fluid. I think it helped reduce the symptoms dramatically. For the stomach issues, I would open up a capsule of licorice root on my tongue and dissolve it in my mouth. I also drank a tea called "Sore Throat" which really helped at the time. It was in 2009, but if I remember correctly my doctor did prescribe anti-nausea meds, steroids (which I took as needed, except for the steroids which I took as directed) and Nexium (which I never took). Eat plenty of green healthy veggies, kale, brocolli and brussel sprouts, try to stay away from sugars and processed foods.
It is not fun and I can remember feeling so bad, but it really knocked the cancer out of my lungs and most of my bones. It worked really well for me. Just stay hydrated, because it does dry your body and salivary glands. The advice about Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash is good. Good luck and hang in there.

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Adriana, I had Taxol which is similar and was glad to take anything the Dr's could give me to help alliviate any side effects, glad to take advantage of modern medicine and wondered why you are not?? I think it makes sense to add any help we can to get through all this!

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Adriana,

The pain you feel is real and absolutely awful. Like Tricia I had Taxol, and like you I shunned the oxycodone because ,really, it did little but knock me out for 2 hours only to awaken to the same level of pain. Seemed a waste of money to me, however, my Onc. told me that it is best to begin taking your pain med of choice BEFORE the pain begins which usually hits around 24-36 hours after the initiation of the infusion. She told me this after my 3rd infusion so I did put it into practice for my 4th and last infusion. I took Aleve the day after my infusion and followed the recommended dosing. It worked well surprisingly, so perhaps you may want to give that a try with Aleve or the Oxy. I wish you peace, health, and freedom from pain AND cancer!!!! Adding you to my prayer journal so I remember to lift you up.

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

So sorry you have to endure these awful side effects.

My med onc prescribed Neurontin (aka gabapentin) for me and that did help. Like Laurel I also turned to Aleve and that was helpful. The pain was bad starting the third day after treatment and subsided after two or three really bad days.

The mouth sores were more persistent and I just had to watch what I ate, meaning my food was on the bland side.

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Oh, my heart goes out to you. With mouth sores, get yourself a child's toothbrush as you can get them in extra soft so it doesn't hurt the gums. Unfortunately (or fortunately) they usually come in cartoon characters. I had a Sponge Bob and Mulan. But when you brush and are close to the gums, it doesn't hurt.

Also, yogurt helps alot. Get plain nonfat regular yogurt and put it in your mouth and rinse around. It helped me.

Hugs to you.

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Addy,

So very sorry you are having to deal with this.

I had Taxol rather than Taxotere and had a rough time with it. My onc put me on low dose of Darvoset. It didn't seem to make me loopy or nauseous like most pain meds tend to make me.

I didn't want to take pain meds either and my continued refusal was the only time my onc actually got upset with me. I'm glad I followed his advice. Many times I was in tears from the Taxol until the Darvoset made life bearable.

Stay well hydrated, during and after treatment especially. Magic mouthwash is truly magic!

Hoping you soon find relief.

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Hi Adriana,

First off love your name, its my sisters name. ;-)

I just had my last scheduled chemo treatment about 2 weeks ago and what helped me was plenty of water. I drank water while sitting in the chemo seat and continued to drink as much as I could the week after each treatment. As I really dislike water, it wasn't easy but it I do believe it helped.
I also washed my mouth with baking soda, water and salt a few times a day and I never did get any sores. Its not the best tasting thing in the world but it beat the alternative. My onc told me to rinse every 2 hours or at least after every meal. I did the after every meal until I felt them coming on and then I would increase the amount of times I rinsed and that always did the trick.

Good luck with all future treatments!!

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Dear Adriana,

You mentioned numb hands too - are you using cold mitts. cold packs or ice baths during the taxotere infusion? This is essential and if you can cool both hands and feet even better. A multivitamin and extra Vit B6 might help. You probably know all this, given your history.

There have been many threads about the cold mitts, so a search of this site should dredge up lots of info.

Is the pain from the mouth ulcers? It wasn't quite clear. If the pain is in the rash - get to the doctor quick. Your description doesn't sound like shingles (herpes zoster) but that would need special medication ASAP.

For mouth ulcers, you can get ointment called "orobase" which is a thick gel which covers up the ulcers and therefore reduces pain. I use kenalog in orobase for the usual non-chemo mouth ulcers (apthous ulcers) and it is magic. It is a steroid mixed with the orobase. Two or three applications and the ulcers heal, instead of the usual seven to ten days. I don't know if it works for chemo mouth ulcers, but you can ask.

Other things that cause a sore mouth are thrush, a fungal infection (Candida), and cold sores (herpes simplex virus) can break out on the lips, nose, mouth in immuno-supressed patients. These are less likely than the straight chemo toxicity ulcers.

Regarding pain, most of mine was in my muscles or gut related. I had oxycodone on hand but only used it rarely. It was helpful to know it was there for the bad times. Otherwise, I lived on panadol osteo, and it was nowhere near enough pain relief. I was told not to use Nurofen, which would have been more effective. I really couldn't use it since my platelets went very low. If your doctor allows Nurofen, try it.

Darvocet (acetaminophen and propoxyphene) or panadeine forte (acetaminophen and codeine) are stronger than panadol but less strong than oxycontin. Tramadol is another stronger one.

So there are some different choices for pain, none natural. Distraction, hot baths, and good sleep help reduce the perception of pain. Certain sorts of pain respond to acupuncture or physical therapy. I know I'm getting off track so I'll stop right now.

Best Wishes. Hang in there.

Aussie Girl

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Hi Adriana,
I'm sorry you are having such a bad time. I have had two rounds of Taxotere and 10 minutes before the infusion starts I put my fingers in a baggie full of ice. The ice has melted a little by the time I receive Taxotere. I keep my fingers in the baggie while I receive Taxotere. The nurse warned me not to let my fingers turn blue so when they get really cold I take them out for a few minutes to warm up. I also sucked on ice cubes or tried to for the one hour of Taxotere infusion. My fingers feel normal but my tongue gets sore and I lose my sense of taste so I don't think the ice helped that much but I will keep doing it. I have magic mouthwash which is wonderful. I also rinse with salt water. The only toothpaste I can use is children's fruit flavor. Try the ice bath since it costs nothing and it is worth a try. I use cold booties on my feet which we purchased. They are not as cold as the baggie of ice but I like them because there is no mess. You can do this!!!!
Beachgirl501

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Hi Adee, dear friend, I had a tough time on taxotere...had it way back in 03 and yes, I had the mouth sores and my eyes watered often. Watch the fingers..I remember I cut my fingertip emptying silverware out of the dishwasher and did not feel it. So be careful. Be sure to mention any and all of those side-effects to your medical team. Love, Cathy

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

From Pam P's thread 'mouth sores': "I read about ideas on previous posts. I've bought Tom's of Maine toothpaste - that is painful too. I've also got the biotene rinse and have a script for magic mouth wash. The magic wash (maalox, lydocaine, benedryl) helps a little but the maalox stuff is not pleasant. I'm also trying baking soda & warm water. Also taking ibuprofin. The onc. nurse said they could prescribe vicodin for pain, but that seems like over kill at this point. I've also read a post on mycelex trouche and may ask for a script for that."

I was given the prescription of the magic wash (maalox, lydocaine, benedryl) when I developed mouth sores. It had worked very well for me.

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Hello my friend,

I used Biotine toothpaste and wash and after my first cycle, my mouth sort of toughened up and it went away throughout the rest of my treatment. I would take a pain killer if it were affecting me to the point I couldn't get the recommended amount of sleep. It's also really stressful on the body to be in pain. I took Tramadol which isn't as strong but took the edge off.

By my last chemo I was miserable, miserable and finally got a Rx for pot which helped a lot.

Send me a PM if you need some help on a weekend with anything. I'd be glad to get some shopping done or whatever you need.

Love,
-Julie

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

Taxotere was rough on me 8 yrs ago. My memory is a bit fuzzy. When my legs were in total pain I think they prescribed a steroid. I wore whit cotton gloves because my finger tips hurt . I remember a prescription for Abillify, but I hated that drug. I hope you can find the right prescription for relief for you. Your discomfort is real and no fun at all, so sorry for the discomfort.

Re: HELP please!! First time on taxotere
 

MD Anderson created Carafate for the mouthsores, reflux, etc. It helps. Ask your nurse for the magic mouthwash or Carafate. It will help. I remember the rash. I had forgotten it. Tell your nurse. Ask for help. They will help with that. However, I would be using Rick Simpson Oil if I lived in California. I live in Texas and can not use Cannabis products here. I am surprised they are still using that horrible chemo drug. I thought they quit using it with herceptin. More to come. Doing some research.