Docetaxel and breathing problems?

[Alvin735]

After first Docetaxel/Cabazitaxel infusion - 10 days later, I couldn't breath and was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. Was there for 4 days .... I had my second infusion 14 days ago and am still having a hard time catching my breath. I can't walk to far without stopping and straining to breath. I also have COPD ... my question, could the chemo be why I'm having such a hard time? Or is it just a continuation of the pneumonia? I am planning on talking to the doctor before my next infusion next week. I have an oxygen concentrator that I have hooked up to my cpap.

[Alvin735]

Meant Docetaxel/Carboplatin combo. sorry

[tom67inMA]

Yes, docetaxel can cause shortness of breath, and generally caused problems with my lungs and I am healthy other than the cancer. One day during treatment I had to stop in the middle of getting dressed to catch my breath. When I did exercise, I couldn't run until I was out of breath as heavy breathing just didn't feel right anymore. It got worse in the last couple cycles then cleared up a month or two later.

That said, the breathing problems should be at their worst about 5-10 days after an infusion, and things should be improving before the next infusion.

Are you taking dexamethasone around the time of your infusion? They may also include it as part of the pretreatment. This helps tremendously with the side effects. My best days during treatment were typically the day after infusion, before the steroid wore off.

[Alvin735 in reply to tom67inMA]

Thank you!

[cesanon in reply to tom67inMA]

Wow, that's interesting. Good to know!

The docs do a really poor job of warning about side effects. Really poor to non-existent.

[tom67inMA in reply to cesanon]

I sometimes wonder if that's intentional. Patients like me can treat a list of side effects as if it's a to-do list Actually, my MO did give me a list of potentially serious side effects (fever over 100.5, injection site reactions, etc.) with instructions to call the office if any of them happened. I did get several and each time the office said "call us back if it gets worse".

[cesanon in reply to tom67inMA]

"I sometimes wonder if that's intentional"

Of course it is. Once they decide on a treatment they don't want to waste time with uninformed patient concerns distracting from and delaying implimentation of that decision.

It's wasted sword motion that costs them time and money.

I sort of can't blame them. But an informed treatment decision should belong to me, not them.

[j-o-h-n in reply to tom67inMA]

"call us back if it gets worse"

"the check is in the mail"

"sorry, our dog ate your records"

“call us when you feel better"

"suicide hot line"

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 06/27/2019 6:34 PM DST

[tom67inMA in reply to j-o-h-n]

LOL, j-o-h-n you couldn't have picked a better time to reply! Hand on the bible, I was just out for a run and had a breathing problem when I inhaled a deer fly. <cough> <cough> <spit>... no bug, must have swallowed it. Feels like I have butterflies in my stomach. Can I call that a late side effect of docetaxel?

[j-o-h-n in reply to tom67inMA]

Tell the doc you found a fly in your ointment.... (he'll tell you to take an aspirin and if you still have a problem call him on the 19th hole).

Swallowed it? Technical term for that is "yucky poo"

Breathe now.... slow and easy...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 06/27/2019 8:52 PM DST

[Hidden]

How are your red blood counts?

[Alvin735 in reply to Hidden]

All labs good (at least at my last infusion); PSA only dropped a tad (disappointing)

[Hidden]

Several questions to think about:

And your Cardiologist says what? What is your white blood count? Your Medical Oncologist looks at that number before every infusion. Do you use an O2 tank? Finally, who manages your health well being? I ask because, in my case, my Cardiologist was in communication with my Oncologist; especially during chemotherapy.

GD

[j-o-h-n in reply to Hidden]

Holyshit... two doctors actually communicating with each other.... next time youtube it.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Thursday 06/27/2019 6:36 PM DST

[paulcross4]

I get this after a few days until about a about a week after infusion (Dox/Carbo), then it goes away over the next few days and the last week I'm fine. My Red Blood cell count is always low and I put it down to that. It's annoying at worst thankfully.