Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

I had a severe allergic reaction to taxotere on my second treatment of TCH. Have had 4 doses of herceptin and those were fine. First TCH treatment was OK my second caused breathing problems & spike in blood pressure.

Now my oncologist is suggesting a new regimine of CMF.
Has anyone else had this treatment? What can you tell me about it

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

Curryalso,

I have no experience with CMF, but I believe it is given frequently in Europe, and less so here for BC. Hang tight and someone will respond to your question. Our Euro friends are in bed at present, so look for their replies around lunchtime (est).

I do hope you are able to continue on with a regime that is not so toxic for you. Take care. Wishing you all the best.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

Hmmm...are they talking about CMF w/o Herceptin? I would think the Herceptin would go along with whatever traditional chemo regime you switch to.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

Hi , just read your post. CMF is very common in England and is reported to be very effective. A number of women at the breast clinic are currently on a regime of 4 CMF followed by 2 taxotere with herceptin, then herceptin alone for 12 months. This seems to be preferred to AC followed by TH here at present.
Ellie

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

They are talking about CMF and herceptin. I will know more on Tuesday. Just wondering about the CMF treatment. Haven't heard much about it. Hope it is something that is effective.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

My friend had her 2nd tx of taxtere and severe breathing problems. they attributed it to administering it too fast. I don't believe it was considered an allergic reaction and the tx was not discontinued.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

CMF is not that common, not at least in Finland. If someone is allergic to the solvent of Taxotere, they often try with Taxol. It's effective chemo too, "grandma" of taxanes.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

Regular Taxol has the cremaphor solvent that can be an issue. If you can get it, Abraxane (albumin bound) may be an option to emulate the TCH. You could get a weekly (lower) dose and that might help too. CMF would probably be good in a metronomic fashion for low toxicity. Again, you should be able to continue the herceptin part either way.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

I'm meeting with my oncologist on Friday and he will explain the course of treatment we'll take. Thanks for the info you've given me.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

I also had a problem with taxotere. After 4! infusions with no problems, about 10 minutes into my fifth I started to feel like I was going to pass out. Could only get the words, "somethings wrong!" out - and luckily my wasband immediately shut my drip and called the nurses. I felt a tightness, shortness of breath, and just a creepy weird feeling that I was going to black out or die. Meanwhile, once the drip stopped, I recovered on my own. This was many years ago - they may have given me some benedryl. I did not have any epinephron (sp?). And one of the toughest things I ever had to do was to start that drip again. We started it SUPER slowly and I finished my treatment. I think that I used benedryl after that and we slowed down the speed. Did your reaction start within the first 15 minutes? I also have them slow down my herceptin. If they drip it any faster than over 45-50 minutes I cannot catch my breath. And last, I had CMF in 1996 so I know this regime has been around for quite some time.
Good luck!

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

Ursula,

I was reading your signature and noticed you are 15% ER and PR and you live in Finland. I am weakly ER positive, so I assume I am less than 15% but my onc here in Canada is saying I should try either an AI or Tamoxifen. I was just curious to know if your doctor had recommended hormone therapy and if not, why not?

Thanks,
Dianne

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

I had taxotere with carboplatin and herceptin. I also had an allergic reaction to the taxotere within about 10-15 minutes of infusion - every time. They tried mixing up different pre-meds and that helped, but my infusions took 10 HOURS because they had to go so slow. They did infuse the taxotere along with saline and that seemed to help. My last infusion (#5.5) we thought we had it figured out but my bronchis went into a spasm, and that's when they infused the saline along with the taxotere. Nasty stuff.

I have heard & read that there is some synergy between carboplatin & herceptin and that TCH is a good regimen, if you can handle the taxotere. I could not do 6 sessions :)

Good luck,
Dianne

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

I had my first dose of CMF (actually I start the C (Cytoxan)
in oral form today 175 mg. a day for 14 days. I'm getting Herceptin every 2 weeks. I tolerated it well - just hope I'll do ok on the oral medication. It is a 28 day regime. CMF & Herceptin week one. CMF week two, Herceptin week three. Rest week four. Then we start again for 5 more rounds.

It's scary to start a new drug when you've had a reaction to treatment. Afraid it will happen again.

Better learn to toughen up.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

Hi Curryalso. I am reading and writing to the group because my sister was diagnosed HER2 positive, but I am also a breast cancer survivor of 26 years (No testing for Her2 back then). I had a right modified radical mastectomy and a year of CMF chemo on a three week cycle all those years ago. It was a quite common chemo regimen a long time ago, but isn't give so much these days--according to my sis's chemo nurses. I tolerated it pretty well, with a few of the common side effects. I also took Vincristine with it and some prednisone. I wish you well with this treatment.....I've always been glad I did it---It has served me well!

Barb A.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

Today i went in for my 2nd chemo treatment, omg i thought i was dying! When they started my Taxotere in 3 minutes my stomach was bothering me then it all hit me at once, I got really hot like on fire from the inside out couldnt breath felt like i was gonna explode!!
Like i was just shutting down! My poor husband is gonna have nightmares cause he said my face was so bad, my face & ears were blood red,my ears swelled up and my eyeballs were poppin out of my head and my blue eye color was all white. The nurses stopped it right away and gave me steroids through the iv,put me on oxygen and kept an eye on me. That was the scariest thing i've ever gone through in my life!! My first treatment wasn't bad i had one small hot flash and then after neulesta shot had been in terrible pains in bones and muscles from waist down. So anyway we did not continue treatment I have to go back next week and they are gonna try Taxol instead with the Cytoxin. I guess we will see how it goes.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

Patty,
That sounds awful!
If your onc wants to continue the taxane route, maybe you could ask for Abraxane..a newer form of Taxol with less potential for reactions.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

Did you by any chance take any steroids the day before, as well as the day of tx, and the day after? Steroids help cut down on the reactions.

Re: Allergic reaction to taxotere
 

Curryalso,
Another thought....I had taxotere+Herceptin and fared well. I used Abraxane for a 2nd round of chemo when I had a recurrance. Supposedly, the Abraxane is coated with an element (alubium??) that makes it less toxic to non-cancer cells. I certainly found Abraxane to have few side effects than the Taxotere.

Another option that you might want to explore with your onc.

Sorry that things started off on a rocky road. The waiting for the next step is the worst part..you will get this figured out and back back on a smoother road to recovery.

Good Luck and lots of hugs...Lori