Can Taxotere Be Passed to My Family?

Taxotere is a chemotherapeutic agent that works by disrupting a network inside cancer cells that is essential for cell division. By interfering with these microtubules, it causes the cancer cells to die. The drug is given intravenously through an IV placed in the vein.

How much you get is determined by your size and the type of cancer being treated. As with all chemotherapeutic agents, there are side effects (hair loss, problems with nails). One of these side effects that you may not have been told about is canalicular stenosis.

This condition causes the tear ducts to be blocked, and chronically watery eyes may result. The condition is irreversible, there is no cure, although there are a few treatment options and ways to manage symptoms.

Taxotere has been found in the tears of people who have been prescribed the medication. As it drains from the eyes, it can damage the tear duct, which may cause narrowing or permanent closure. The attorneys of Hotze Runkle PLLC are fighting for the rights of patients who have taken Taxotere and did not receive sufficient information to give fully informed consent before using the drug.

If you, like many patients across the country find yourself in this situation, you may be able to hold the manufacturer liable and recover compensation for your injuries and suffering. Take our online case evaluation quiz to find out if you are eligible and a member of our legal team will contact you with next steps.

It’s Important to Keep Friends and Family Safe

All chemotherapeutic agents are hazardous for people who meet them or handle the medication. The drugs are meant to damage or kill cancer cells. But this means they may also hurt others who are exposed to them. That’s why there are safety rules for pharmacists, nurses, and patients who handle the medications.

Chemotherapy agents are metabolized inside the body and excreted through a variety of routes. On the day you’re being treated, the treatment facility usually only allows the patient into the infusion room, so no accidental exposure can happen to your friends and family.

Your oncologist and infusion team should talk to you about the precautions you can take to keep yourself and your friends and family safe. Cancer is not contagious, but the chemotherapy agents are strong and may pose a risk to family and friends who are exposed to them.

Steps to Take in the First 72 Hours

How long it takes the drug to break down and be excreted depends on several factors. You will want to speak with your pharmacist or doctor about how long you should take precautions at home.

Most of the drug waste that is excreted by your body comes out in bodily fluids. This includes your tears, sweat, urine, stool, and vomit. The waste products may also be in your blood, semen, and vagina. Once these waste products are outside your body, they can harm or irritate the skin.

This means other people and pets who are around you in the 48 to 72 hours after receiving Taxotere could be harmed by any bodily fluids they come into contact with. The American Cancer Society recommends taking these steps to help keep your visitors and pets safe.

• If it’s possible, have a dedicated toilet just for you. Flush the toilet twice after using it and keep the lid down before flushing. You may not see it, but most toilets spray a fine mist during flush.
• If it’s not possible to use a separate toilet, put on gloves to clean the toilet seat after each use.
• Men should sit on the toilet while urinating to cut down on splashes.
• When you’re not using the toilet, keep the lid down to avoid pets drinking the water or young children accidentally playing in the water.
• After using the toilet, always wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Use a paper towel to dry your hands and then throw it away.
• Any time you vomit, clean the area carefully, wearing gloves and using a paper towel. If you vomit into the toilet, clean off all splashes and flush twice. If you vomit into a bucket or a basin, carefully empty it into the toilet without splashing, and flush twice. Use hot soapy water to clean out the bucket or basin and rinse it well. Empty the water you use to wash and rinse the bucket into the toilet and then flush it twice. Dry the bucket or basin with paper towels and throw those away.
• Caregivers who are helping must wear two pairs of disposable gloves if they need to touch any bodily fluids, including sweaty bedsheets, vomit, or blood. Even if they’re wearing gloves, they should wash their hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds afterward.
• It is important to take extra care to prevent caregivers from coming in contact with bodily fluids, such as vomit, urine, or stool. Should a caregiver come in contact with any bodily fluid, let your physician know. The caregiver should wash the area very well with warm soapy water.
• Your clothes and bedsheets should be washed in the washing machine and not by hand. Use warm water with regular laundry detergent and wash them separately. If they cannot be washed immediately, place them in a plastic bag. Your bed sheets should be washed 72 hours after you have received your treatment.
• To dispose of sanitary pads, adult diapers, or underwear, they should be sealed into plastic bags and thrown away with the regular trash.
• It’s also important to practice safe sex with your partner. Use a male or female condom to protect your partner from bodily fluids that may also contain chemotherapy metabolites.
• It is the responsibility of the adults to ensure that babies and children do not come in contact with the bodily fluids of someone receiving chemotherapy.

Contact Hotze Runkle PLLC Today for Help with a Taxotere Injury

The experienced and skilled Taxotere watery eyes lawsuit attorneys from Hotze Runkle PLLC understand the financial, emotional, and mental burden that comes with a diagnosis of cancer. We believe you should spend your time on recovery and not worrying about or experiencing significant side effects from the drugs you’re taking.

With your permission, we may speak with your doctor to inform them about the drug and the case against the manufacturer. We will also advise you on how to work with your doctor to document your medical history, including pre-existing conditions, and gather the documents you need to support your case. We have created a Video FAQ page to answer some other common questions receive about the lawsuit and our firm.

If you believe you’ve been injured by taking Taxotere, we encourage you to call our office at (800) 763-6155 or take the online case evaluation quiz to find out if you are eligible to file a lawsuit against the drug manufacturer.