Did you develop watery eyes after undergoing chemo treatment with Taxotere? Did your doctor diagnose you with a serious medical condition that resulted in medical expenses and physical suffering? The Miami Taxotere watery eyes lawsuit attorneys from Hotze Runkle PLLC might be able to help you pursue a financial award from the drug manufacturer. Researchers found a link between Taxotere and excessive and uncontrollable watery eyes.
Sanofi-Aventis initially marketed Taxotere as a chemotherapy drug effective in treating various forms of cancer. The drug works by shrinking cancer cells and stopping them from spreading to the lymph nodes and other areas of the body. It’s most commonly used to treat breast cancer, but it can also treat other diseases, such as lung cancer, prostate cancer, neck cancer, and stomach cancer.
Despite Sanofi-Aventis’ success with Taxotere, cancer patients started noticing a strange and unexplainable symptom. They had watery eyes that wouldn’t go away. Although a seemingly minor problem, it turned out to be a sign of something more serious. The excessive tearing was the result of Taxotere reacting with the patient’s tears and causing irreversible damage to structures in the ocular cavity.
Lawsuits filed against Sanofi-Aventis allege that the drug company was aware of the adverse effects but failed to disclose them to consumers and doctors. When a manufacturer sells a product they know is dangerous to users, it’s a form of negligence. You have the right to hire a Miami Taxotere watery eyes lawsuit attorney for help.
Take our Taxotere Quiz to learn more about your options for pursuing a lawsuit.
Watery Eyes and Other Symptoms Caused by Taxotere
If you’re on a Taxotere regimen at Miami Cancer Institute or another hospital in the area, you might have watery eyes that you passed off as a side effect of chemotherapy. The condition of having excessively watery eyes is called epiphora. Epiphora occurs when chronic inflammation in the canaliculus, a vital structure in the eye, leads to an infection that interrupts the flow of tears.
When someone suffers from epiphora, it’s an issue that impacts every area of their life. It can prevent them from driving, performing job-related duties, and running errands. Something as simple as applying makeup becomes a difficult task.
Is There a Cure for Watery Eyes Caused by Taxotere?
When the common cold or seasonal allergies cause epiphora, the inflammation will go away on its own, and the watery eyes will stop without medical intervention. However, symptoms related to Taxotere chemo typically indicate a severe condition that requires treatment from an ophthalmologist.
If you don’t do anything to address your watery eyes, the infection in your canaliculus could get worse and develop into canalicular stenosis. This permanent medical condition occurs when the canaliculus in one or both eyes close, blocking tears from funneling into the nasal cavity like usual. Once they close, it’s permanent.
The symptoms you might experience when you develop canalicular stenosis include:
- Excessive watery eyes
- Blurred or clouded vision
- Headaches
- Light sensitivity
- Cystoid macular edema (loss of central vision)
- Eye infections
- Dry eyes
- Eyelid swelling
If you notice any of these symptoms while you’re on a Taxotere regimen, you should notify your oncologist and make an appointment with an ophthalmologist immediately. You can continue your chemo treatment at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center or another treatment facility in Miami. Your doctors will monitor your health for any signs of worsening symptoms.
Why Does Taxotere Cause Canalicular Stenosis?
You can undergo Taxotere treatment once a week, every other week, or every three weeks depending on the type and stage of cancer you have. Whichever regimen you’re on, Taxotere can disrupt the natural flow of tears from the canaliculus to the nasal cavity.
Researchers who performed studies on the effects of Taxotere on patients’ tears discovered that the drug interacts with bodily fluids while it travels through the body. The direct contact between the drug’s secretions and tears cause the canaliculus to become inflamed.
That interaction leads to a blockage of the canaliculus, preventing the tears from flowing through the eye structure as intended. The blocked structures cause tears to buildup on the surface of the eye and get released when the patient blinks.
When the medical condition progresses, it results in the complete closure of the canaliculus in one or both eyes. Unfortunately, when it closes completely, it’s something doctors can’t reverse. An ophthalmologist might be able to manage symptoms, but the procedure is invasive and expensive.
Treatment Options for Canalicular Stenosis
Canalicular stenosis is permanent once the canaliculi close, but you can attempt to manage your symptoms with a procedure called DCR. Dacryocystorhinostomy is an ocular surgery performed by an ophthalmologist. During the procedure, the doctor uses structures around the eye to create a new passageway for tears to travel through regularly. Sometimes the surgeon will have to place a stent to facilitate the flow of tears. The stent allows tears to pass around the closed canaliculus and into the nasal cavity.
If the damage is too severe to perform DCR, the doctor can try to manage your symptoms with conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR). CDCR is for patients whose eye structures can no longer serve as a new passageway for the flow of tears. The surgeon has to place a small glass tube called a Jones tube where the damaged canaliculus was to help move the tears towards the nasal cavity.
Because of the invasive nature of these surgeries, they come with some risks, such as:
- Eye infections
- Damage to the nasal structures or tissue
- Significant facial scars
- Partial or total blindness
- Sinusitis
- Uncontrollable hemorrhaging
Like any other surgery, DCR and CDCR require a thorough medical exam to determine eligibility and if any current health conditions might increase the risk of adverse side effects. Your ophthalmologist will discuss the symptoms that could develop after the procedures and if either of them is right for you.
How Will a Jury Determine the Value of My Case?
A jury will review the expenses you incurred as well as a variety of different factors to decide the monetary award you deserve. For example, they will consider:
- Your total damages
- Recovery time
- Type and severity of symptoms
- If you underwent surgery
- Disfigurement or disability resulting from your diagnosis
- Evidence proving Taxotere caused harmful side effects
- The impact canalicular stenosis has on your daily routine
Hotze Runkle PLLC and our Miami Taxotere watery eyes lawsuit attorneys will attempt to recover full and fair compensation for your expenses and any suffering you had to endure. The economic and non-economic damages you might incur because of an accident or injury may include:
- Medical expenses
- Emotional trauma
- Lost income
- Loss of future wages
- Disfigurement or disability
- Pain and suffering
- Out-of-pocket costs
Every state has a statute of limitations for defective drug cases. In Florida, the statute of limitations is four years. If you want to sue Sanofi-Aventis for your economic and non-economic damages, you’ll have to file your lawsuit within four years from the date you noticed that Taxotere caused you harm.
Why You Need to Hire a Miami Taxotere Lawsuit Attorney from Hotze Runkle PLLC
Cancer is a disease that impacts your life in many ways. Chemotherapy causes unpleasant side effects that make it difficult to go about your normal routine. It can prevent you from returning to work, negatively impact your relationships, and cause a great deal of financial strain. If you add an additional diagnosis because of the dangers of Taxotere, the feeling is overwhelming.
We know you want to file a lawsuit against the drug manufacturer, but you probably don’t know where to start. The burden you’re feeling can cloud your judgment and cause you to miss an important deadline or forget to submit a vital piece of evidence.
Let the Miami Taxotere watery eyes lawsuit attorneys from Hotze Runkle PLLC take care of everything for you. When you hire us, we’ll handle each step of the legal process from start to finish. Your only job will be to focus on your recovery and try to manage your canalicular stenosis symptoms.
We understand what you’re going through. The effects of chemo are difficult enough to deal with without the additional problems associated with Taxotere. Your oncologist was likely unaware of the risks because Sanofi-Aventis hid them for years. Whether your symptoms are minor or severe, you deserve to seek compensation, and we will help you do so.
Find Out if You Qualify for a Taxotere Lawsuit
You deserve justice for what Sanofi-Aventis did. You thought you could trust their chemo drug, but it ended up causing you financial, physical, and emotional strain. At Hotze Runkle PLLC, we believe in holding pharmaceutical companies responsible for their careless actions. You can depend on us to fight hard to get you the maximum compensation available.
We offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation to all prospective clients. If you developed canalicular stenosis or any unexpected side effects from Taxotere treatment, one of our Miami Taxotere attorneys will meet with you to discuss your case and review your options for seeking a financial award.
Take our quiz to find out if you’re a candidate for a lawsuit and how our dedicated team can help.