Forum Discussion

shereejoy's avatar
shereejoy
Member
15 years ago

Pain in chest area?

Can I just ask any of you other ladies if it is normal to have terrible chest pain during Taxotere though....

I am finding my mastectomy wound very sore to touch but I also have this stabbing chest pain (middle of my chest area) when i breathe, and it takes my breathe away the tight uncomfortable feeling I get.... does this sound normal, I just don't want to run to the dr if I am just being paranoid.... I am really worreid that my cancer has progressed, but if you say it is a side effect of the taxotere I will breathe alot easier. thanks in advance ladies.

9 Replies

  • Hey Sheree I know exactly how you feel but I think mine was a little more severe as I ended up in hospital on two occasions. The first just scared as the pain was soo bad. They did a million tests and all came back as good. My oncologist said it was a side effect but I had it worse than she had previously seen. My second visit coincided with my 3 rd dose of Taxotere and they kept me in for a few days as the pain was excruciating and my heart rate and temp went up as well. It took 2 weeks and a lot of Oxycontin to relieve it. It was then decided to cancel my 4 th dose as it was doing me more harm than good. So don't stress but do get it checked out each time just to make sure it is a side effect and not anything related to your heart. It is a horrid drug that one!!
  • Oh I so remember the heartburn........I suffered really bad with it when going thru my chemo that my oncologist put me on Nexium which helped. When it was really bad I'd also chew thru a whole packet of chewable quickeze to try to ease it, reckon I was contributing to the Quickeze Company's staff pensions I went thru so much of it. LOL

    I am just so glad that I no longer suffer it like that

    However........if u are at all concerned u should at least be contacting your onco team and ask them - do not leave it in the hope it will just go away. Even if it is only heartburn or such, at least your mind will be eased.

    Wishing u all the best as u progress thru your treatment

    Cheryl xx

  • I had slightly different, but really tight pains around my chest, where the lymph nodes are, right down the centre and around the rib cage, 

    mine was the taxotere going thru the lymph system - which then kicked in the cording again in my arm - so off for laser treatment each week to keep that under control.  thank goodness its nearly over, one more dose !

    cheers B

  • I almost forgot. I found that when I finished my chemo my lumpectomy wound and my axillary wound under my armpit have become quite sore. I am seeing my surgeon on Monday just to check if this is part of the healing process.

  • When I read your blog it brought back bad memories.  Yes I had the bad chest pains too.  I woke up during the night because it felt like a big rock had landed on my chest and was pushing through to my back.  I thought I was dead and tried to find a pulse - got nothing on my arm and finally found one in my neck.  So I thought I'm still alive and went back to sleep!!  I don't know what I thought of this but I was still alive in the morning so on I went.  The next course did the same but not as severe.  I then read a blog from Josie that she had had the same and ended up in A&E and I thought "I should have taken this a bit more seriously"  but....when it went away I just got on with the next issue.  Anyway I told my medical oncologist about it - after chemo finished - and he said if it happens again get it checked it.  I haven't had it again so I have to put it down to Taxetore.  Maybe I should have sought advice at the time but it did go away.  If it persists, might be a good idea to have it checked.  Is there a good GP near you? XLeonie

  • Hi Sheree,

    I had 6 months of taxotere along with dexamethosone steroid meds..severe heartburn can be a side effect from the steroids so i would take 1 nexium every day to help, which it did for the most part. Occasionally i would use quickeze or mylanta if it was bad..didn't seem to make a difference what i ate..

    perhaps try some mylanta and certainly speak to ur doc about it and they could do a script for nexium which can help on a more long term basis..

    good luck and i hope u find an answer 

    sam  :)

  • Get it checked out cos it's not listed as a side effect.Taxotere tends to amplify pain in all your old injuries(and everywhere else too!)Don't panic though cos it could be bad heartburn.I've taken my husband to emergency twice with that- he thought he was having a heart attack. I know how you feel.I got a severe headache for 3 days on that chemo-thought I was having a brain haemorrage. I rang the onc unit and they just said go to your gp - not very helpful on that occasion.So I took panadiene and hid under the doona and it went away.It's very scary when you get a pain that's not listed so just ring your onc unit.

                                               Tonya xx

  • Hi i havent had that medication , but do get chest pains where i had radiation. but i agree with hb, get it checked out , and if a side effect they may be able to change something for you. i was on tamoxefene and for twelve months had horrific side effects then after finally having enough i told my oncologist and they put me on a different tab and i am alot better still got side effects not half as bad.

  • it sounds like a side effect, but definitely NOT one you should ignore. Ring your team and report it -- anything that involves chest pain and breathlessness needs to be looked at as a matter of urgency. Don't panic, but do call right away.

    I experience something very similar with docetaxel but not quite as intense, so it's more likely to be side-effect than anything else, but sometimes side effects are serious. Get it checked out sheree.