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Taxotere & Cytoxin Chemotherapy/ Symptom management

Posted by kbradtke @kbradtke, Jan 30 6:40pm

Hello,
I am in treatment for an ILC BC recurrence, Stage 1b or 1c. I had the same 23 years ago, and was treated with lumpectomy, chemo (adriamycin & cytoxin) and radiation. This time, I had first a lumpectomy and am now undergoing chemo with Taxotere and Cytoxin (TC) (my onco dx score was 35), after which I will have a mastectomy.

I have had only one infusion thus far, and I noticed that on Days 3-10 post chemo I had fairly significant amounts of bone pain and body aches. By day 11 post chemo, I was finally functioning without Motrin and by day 13 I finally felt normal. I am doing cold capping (have noticed my hair shedding by about day 10), and have decided to use cold gloves and socks for subsequent infusions.

Questions for any of you who were treated with TC:
1. With cold capping, I have to start treatment 30 minutes prior to chemo infusions, and continue for 90 minutes more after chemo infusions. For those of you who have used cold gloves and socks, did you follow the same protocol as cold capping, that is 30 minutes before and 90 minutes after infusions? If not, how long did you use the cold gloves and socks? Did you find that the cold gloves and socks prevented neuropathy?

2. How many of you experienced bone pain and body aches, and if you did, how did you manage these symptoms? I found from about day 3-7, neither Motrin nor Tylenol nor Claritin really managed the pain for me.

3. For those who experienced, bone pain, did you find that this got worse with each subsequent infusion? If so, hoow long did these symptoms last with infusion 2, infusion 3 and infusion 4? And what if anything, were you able to do for symptom management?

Thank you in advance for any feedback or suggestions you can provide!

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chrisbomstad | @chrisbomstad | Feb 2 1:55pm

I’m using the Cold cap, socks and mittens 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy and 90 minutes after. I’m supposed to have my 3rd treatment tomorrow so have not had any symptoms of neuropathy yet. But just spent the entire morning in the ER with a blood clot from the chemo. Sent home with Eliquis and no excessive walking for a week. I’m used to walking 3-4 miles a day and have had no other side effects until now. And just paid $570 for the RX after my insurance. 🤦‍♀️

REPLY
1 reply
kbradtke | @kbradtke | Feb 2 3:34pm
In reply to @chrisbomstad "I’m using the Cold cap, socks and mittens 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy and 90 minutes..." + (show)
@chrisbomstad

I’m using the Cold cap, socks and mittens 30 minutes prior to chemotherapy and 90 minutes after. I’m supposed to have my 3rd treatment tomorrow so have not had any symptoms of neuropathy yet. But just spent the entire morning in the ER with a blood clot from the chemo. Sent home with Eliquis and no excessive walking for a week. I’m used to walking 3-4 miles a day and have had no other side effects until now. And just paid $570 for the RX after my insurance. 🤦‍♀️

Jump to this post

Thanks for your response about the cold socks and mittens. Can I ask how you knew you had a blood clot and why or how it was related to chemo?

Are clots a common side effect with the TC regimen?

And why would walking be limited with clotting?

I have my second infusion in a few days. I am 68 and used to hike a few times a week but between hard winter (Boston located) and fatigue I’m maybe just walking 2 miles a few times a week. Before I was doing more rigorous hiking trails of 3.5-6 miles a few times per week.

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chrisbomstad | @chrisbomstad | Feb 2 5:02pm

I had previously had a blood clot 10 years ago when I broke my leg in three places and was laid up. My calf muscle started aching a little bit and then got a little worse. When I pulled my toes towards me, I could feel it and knew from my previous experience it was a clot. Blood clots are a possible side effect because the chemo makes the blood sticky, and the veins become compromised. I do a lot of research on reputable "teaching hospital" web sites about everything related to my very rare breast cancer and this was something I found on the MD Anderson Cancer Center site. I have to limit my walking for a week until the clot is dissolved, but am concerned that I have only had two treatments out of the many for the next 6 months and was told at my "second opinion visit" at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, 'Don't sit around after each chemo therapy treatment, get up and walk every day no matter what and drink lots of water". I hope this helps! Chris

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1 reply
kbradtke | @kbradtke | Feb 2 7:39pm

Thanks so much! I too was told to exercise daily but I had so much bone pain on days 3-10 post chemo that I could barely bring myself to do it. Winter weather doesn’t help much either!!

Good luck with your continued chemo. Sounds like you have many more treatments ahead!! Stay fierce!!🍀💪

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kbradtke | @kbradtke | Feb 4 12:20pm
In reply to @chrisbomstad "I had previously had a blood clot 10 years ago when I broke my leg in..." + (show)
@chrisbomstad

I had previously had a blood clot 10 years ago when I broke my leg in three places and was laid up. My calf muscle started aching a little bit and then got a little worse. When I pulled my toes towards me, I could feel it and knew from my previous experience it was a clot. Blood clots are a possible side effect because the chemo makes the blood sticky, and the veins become compromised. I do a lot of research on reputable "teaching hospital" web sites about everything related to my very rare breast cancer and this was something I found on the MD Anderson Cancer Center site. I have to limit my walking for a week until the clot is dissolved, but am concerned that I have only had two treatments out of the many for the next 6 months and was told at my "second opinion visit" at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, 'Don't sit around after each chemo therapy treatment, get up and walk every day no matter what and drink lots of water". I hope this helps! Chris

Jump to this post

On another note, I started having extreme sensitivity and numbness on the crown of my scalp. This started on day 16 post chemo, after my first infusion. I am losing a lot of hair, in spite of cold capping and the numbness and sensitivity have continued. Have you experienced this?

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chrisbomstad | @chrisbomstad | Feb 4 3:07pm

Sorry to hear this. I have only had 3 chemotherapy sessions and have not experienced this. My hair has not started falling out yet, but I think it will be very possible when I start get the Doxorubicin. Wish you well and hope that these symptoms subside quickly,

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