Chemo pain

[Bananasmoothie]

Hi All, I wanted to give some hope to anyone experiencing severe pain with taxanes. I had horrific stabbing pain from upper abdomen to knees with my first cycle of carbo / Pac. It started day 2, was at its worst day 3 and gradually improved the rest of the first week. It was almost unbearable and I didn't know how I would withstand the remaining 5 cycles. I believe this is called 'taxane acute pain syndrome and is well described in medical literature.

The good news is that cycle 2 was infinitely better regarding the pain (still felt terrible and nauseous but this was tolerable). The differences I made for the second cycle were:

I started full dose regular paracetamol & brufen on the day of chemo and continued until day 5

I took clarityn (loratidine) once a day for 5 days starting the day after chemo

I avoided exercise for the first 3 days after chemo (the pain in the first cycle came on during a walk)

In addition I change my diet around chemo and take supplements; see my previous post for details but I'd done this for the first cycle too.

I'm not suggesting anyone has to do anything I've done, but I wanted to share my experience as it was so horrific but things did improve. If anyone is as terrified as I was about continuing chemo then there is hope and you won't necessarily get the same issues. I didn't have any dose reduction.

Best Wishes to all.

[Ruebacelle]

Hi. Wow you had terrible time. What was the infusion protocol? Did they do pre chemo drip of antihistimine plus antinausea plus cortisone? That is standard here in france and I think usa also. Stay strong and nourish your fighting spirit. Hugs from paris

[Bananasmoothie in reply to Ruebacelle]

Thanks for your encouragement. Yes it was standard protocol with pre-infusion steroid & piriton with 8mg oral dexamethasone the next morning. Apparently taxane acute pain syndrome is uncommon (seems I'm good at that with clear cell too) but pretty horrific if you get it. I've read on here of so many who thankfully had few problems with chemo that I wanted to give some hope to any who've had a more challenging experience.

Best wishes

[Inguc_is]

my mom have also pain after chemo 2 and 3 days, but in mind she get that it is pain because chemo kills cancer in body and it is more easy to take that there is fight and it will help for next times

[Leniko]

Chemo gave me such bone and joint pain. Even my toe joints cramped. Hot stone massage was comforting.

[chemlcali]

Nothing helped my pain. I was given nothing to help me and docs said it was all in my mind. We had to stop after #4. I could no longer stand on my feet. I screamed into my pillow in absolute agony. To this day, neuropathy rules my life. I try to have a brave face but some days I just can't.

[Sashay2020]

I’m on Carbo/Doxil and have noticed that I have not experienced what I called “the stabbies,”. I had the stabbies as I healed from debulking surgery and went through front line chemo with taxanes. It felt as though a little critter was inside my abdomen with a fork trying to stab its way out. Thus was every day throughout chemo. It did not improve until I finished frontline chemo. I was glad I had medication to blunt the stabbies and am relieved that I do not have them now. Sashay