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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Taxol..Long term side effects??
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Taxol..Long term side effects??
by vada's girl, May 01, 2002 12:00AM
I was diagnosed with grade II breast cancer in the fall of 2000. I had a mastectomy with lymph node removal. One node was positive.
My chemotherapy was: 4 doses of A/C and then 4 doses of Taxol, all three weeks apart.
With my first dose of Taxol I experienced severe bone, muscle and joint pain, which didn't go away in the three week period before my next chemo. Following the second dose of Taxol, I experieced pain that was more severe than the first. I had excruciating bone, joint and muscle pain, which also did not subside within the three week period.
I was taken off of the Taxol because of these severe side effects.
My doctor put me on Glucosamine and Neurontin to reduce the pain caused from the Taxol, and they do help some.
It has been over one year since I was taken off of Taxol, and the side effects have not improved, in fact they are getting worse.
This is the very same pain that I first experienced when I received my first dose of Taxol.
My Doctor said that the pain should have gone away months ago, but it hasn't.
Have there been other people with this long term side effect that just won't go away?? Do you have any suggestions as to what to expect in terms of length of time I can expect to continue with this pain, or any idea as to what is going on? What can you suggest that would be helpful??
My chemotherapy was: 4 doses of A/C and then 4 doses of Taxol, all three weeks apart.
With my first dose of Taxol I experienced severe bone, muscle and joint pain, which didn't go away in the three week period before my next chemo. Following the second dose of Taxol, I experieced pain that was more severe than the first. I had excruciating bone, joint and muscle pain, which also did not subside within the three week period.
I was taken off of the Taxol because of these severe side effects.
My doctor put me on Glucosamine and Neurontin to reduce the pain caused from the Taxol, and they do help some.
It has been over one year since I was taken off of Taxol, and the side effects have not improved, in fact they are getting worse.
This is the very same pain that I first experienced when I received my first dose of Taxol.
My Doctor said that the pain should have gone away months ago, but it hasn't.
Have there been other people with this long term side effect that just won't go away?? Do you have any suggestions as to what to expect in terms of length of time I can expect to continue with this pain, or any idea as to what is going on? What can you suggest that would be helpful??
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-JS, May 01, 2002 12:00AM
Dear Vada's girl, The joint and muscle pains or myalgias that can be a side effect of Taxol, generally occur 2-3 days after treatment and usually resolve by 5 days after. Having myalgias related to the Taxol a year following treatment, is unusual. Determination that there is no other cause for the continued pain should be made.
You may want to seek the advice of a specialist that deals in long term pain management issues. They would need to evaluate your situation completely, through history and physical exam. Based on the interpretation of this evaluation they would make recommendations, there may be some trial and error process of finding what will work for you to relieve your discomfort.
You may want to seek the advice of a specialist that deals in long term pain management issues. They would need to evaluate your situation completely, through history and physical exam. Based on the interpretation of this evaluation they would make recommendations, there may be some trial and error process of finding what will work for you to relieve your discomfort.
I had the same chemo therapy regimine and it started in the fall of 2001 and here it is July 2002 and it's still affecting me.
I called the doc and they said that it probably wasn't from the Taxol but I am not so sure.
It was good to hear someone else is having same symptoms.
Thanx
DarDarDar
It is a intense sharp pain that comes and goes. And the more I excersise the more it hurts. And now my heels feeling like they hurt, like colapsing feeling.
Sorry to complain but curious if it was the taxol. Before my treatments I never had pain like this.