Dositaxel

[Sebsmum]

Hi

Had anyone ever stopped dositaxel chemo I’ve had 4 out of 6

Ended up in hospital for 8 hours in A&E

High infection markers but not neutropenic and rash

I’m really scared of sepsis no one from oncology will talk to me told me to just come for my usual appointment and chat to doctor then

The breast nurse is passing messages through receptionist all week want is the stats

HELP

[Margt34]

Hi my oncologist stopped my last tax after I ended up in hospital for 5 days and 3 days my temp spiked and he said the risk was greater with infection and as I had all my other treatments it was safe to stop .Dositaxel is awful but apparently does the job I am 3months on from treatment and still suffering with my mouth and taste and my feet are still numb and my nails still falling off but hopefully the tax has killed off the bad bits good luck and love to you it will soon be over and life will get back to normal xxx

[Sebsmum in reply to Margt34]

Hi thanks Margt34

Think I’ve made up my mind my little 10 year old is terrified I’m going to die

See what oncologist says but as I said I’m pretty much there

💕💕

[Margt34 in reply to Sebsmum]

It's very scary for a child to see you so poorly my 5 year old Grandaughter who I have minded since she was 5 months old was also terrified she wouldn't visit me while I was ill but thankfully back to normal now.Good luck with with whatever you have decided and this will all be a bad memory in a few months love and hugs to you xxx

[SueandEmber]

I had sepsis after my second Docataxel but my Oncologist lowered the dose a little after that and I had a supply of antibiotics on hand. I also had G-CSF jabs for seven days after each chemo cycle to boost my white blood cells. They had added Pertuzumab at double dose for my second cycle and I had really bad diarrhoea and I am sure that is what caused an infection. After that, I took broad spectrum antibiotics for all bar one of my remaining cycles of chemo. I didn't want to risk another dose of sepsis and the hospital was more than happy for me to take the antibiotics if my temperature started to go above about 37.5 - which it did each time bar the last but one cycle. I was really determined to see finish my six cycles of chemo! If your Oncologist will agree to giving you some antibiotics 'in case' for your last two cycles, I would stick with it. The side effects aren't nice but Docataxel seems to work and it must be better than the alternative! Very best of luck.

[Hidden]

Hi Sebsmum

I only had ONE Taxol/Dotaxacel a poison by any other name!

I’m afraid it made me very, very ill. I’ve never known pain like it, l felt like I’d been run down by a train. I ‘lost’ three days of which l have no recollection & my husband said I cried out & screamed in my sleep.

Luckily l already had an ‘out of step’ appointment with my Oncologist, a week after l’d had the Taxol. Mmy husband pushed me in a wheelchair to see him. He was horrified at how ill l’d become, he booked to see me a week later to discuss the options & the risks of continuing or stopping, he told me to go home think it over & ring him.

I decided that enough was enough, l’d had three FEC & anymore Taxol was one step too far.

If the Unit aren’t being particularly helpful, ring the Oncologists Secretary & leave him/her a message.

Some people don’t have any issues but it’s well known that it has serious side effects, some of which I still have to this day!

Good Luck with your decision & let us know what you decide & how you get on.

Best Wishes

Mrs N 💅🏼

What was your diagnosis, type, Stage etc?

[snugx]

If you can keep going then please push through . The pain of it ever returning will far outway the suffering of what's happening now. Yes I suffered horrendously with mine and like many ended up in hospital. I remember being so low I tried to find God as I felt that way my only option left of help . However, although I was ready to give up the onco decided to reduce the strength and my last 2 were much easier on my body. 3 years later I am well, but I do not forget how much that brought me down. But you do come out the other side. You really really do. Just keep yourself rested, even cross of days on a calender so you can see when it's all ending, but keep going, you will be so proud of yourself when you finish treatment . I wish you all the very very best

Jackie

[Dolbycat]

I had a bad reaction to my first cycle of Docetaxel and felt I couldn't go on too after ending up again in A & E, but they reduced the dose for the last 2 cycles and it was more bearable. I am glad I saw it through as the chemo really did the job and shrunk my 9 cm tumour to 2 cm and I was then able to have a good result from my mastectomy surgery. I year later I am back at work and feeling much better. Good luck in your decision, best wishes for the future. x

[Sebsmum in reply to Dolbycat]

Hi Dolbycat

I’ve already had my mastectomy my tumour was 11cm so chemo preventative 😊

I just want to run away from all this 🙁 going to see oncologist on Tuesday I’m dreading it

💕💕

[Donnanh]

Hi I too ended up in hospital after my fifth and 6th cycle. The nurses said “oh it’s quite common with docetaxal” I wasn’t aware of that. I had been using the G CSF injections to boost white blood cells but I was still neutropenic. It is scary but it seems quite a lot of people go for a reduced dosage rather then stopping.

Having said that, before I started chemotherapy, I asked my oncologist “if I got really sick and cannot complete all my cycles, and could only do 4 cycles for example, would they have been a waste of time or would I still have protection?” She said that they used to give 4 cycles, so previously 4 was deemed enough, but they changed it to 6 as research showed it was more beneficial. Good luck and take care.

[waveylines]

I had the standard three rounds of FEC then three rounds of Docetaxol. The docetaxol was really hard....and yes ended up in hospital twice with Neutropenic Sepsis. The last round of chemo my Oncologist reduced the dose. I still have some loss of feeling in my toes three years on.

Whilst Neutropenic Sepsis is very serious....I was fine...they pumped me full of masses of antibiotics intraveniously. The trick is to watch your temperature and if it does go higher than what they say make sure your ring the number they give you to tell them. Though I was in hospital both time for three to four days....I was ok becuase they caught it early. They also gave me injections to try to offset the effects of the chemo but I still got Neutropenic Sepsis.

The best advice I can give is to take one step at a time whilst stocking up well on all the little things to sooth away some of the vile symptoms.

I am now three years clear......it was worth it though the ses at the time were tough Xx