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Holding the Makers of Taxotere Responsible

Sacramento Taxotere Canalicular Stenosis Lawyers

If you experienced any unusual side effects while treating cancer with Taxotere, you might be entitled to significant compensation. Taxotere is a drug used during chemotherapy to treat different types of cancer, such as cancer of the stomach, neck, prostate, head, and breast. Sanofi-Aventis is the manufacturer that sells this drug to doctors and patients. However, there are adverse reactions that they failed to disclose on warning labels.  The Taxotere attorneys at Hotze Runkle are ready to review your case and help you get the compensation and justice that you deserve.

One of the most common symptoms associated with Taxotere is excessive watery eyes. Patients typically notice this while they’re still undergoing chemo treatment. This results from the drug interacting with a person’s tears as it travels from the tear ducts to the nasal cavity. Inflammation causes watery eyes and other debilitating symptoms. It can significantly affect someone’s life and lead to a serious medical condition.

If this has happened to you, don’t wait to take action. Call our Sacramento Taxotere attorneys at (800) 763-6155 or reach out to us online. We have extensive experience helping people just like you in Northern California get justice when they’ve been hurt. We’ll be ready to put our skills and experience to work for you.

Common Symptoms Canalicular Stenosis Causes

The first side effect of Taxotere is usually epiphora, excessive eye-watering. Tears are supposed to travel from the tear duct through the canaliculus and into the nasal cavity. However, an inflamed canaliculus can lead to obstructions that prevent tears from getting through, causing them to buildup on the eye’s surface.

Canalicular Stenosis forms when chronic inflammation leads to further obstruction of the canaliculus. If you don’t seek immediate medical care to manage your symptoms, the condition can progress and become an irreversible problem.

The most common symptoms you might experience include:

  • Headaches
  • Dry eyes
  • Swollen eyelids
  • Eye infections
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Central vision loss
  • Excessive eye-watering
  • Blurry vision
  • Clouded eye lens

Each case of Canalicular Stenosis is unique and can affect each person differently. Some experience minor symptoms, while others have severe symptoms that impact their daily activities and reduce their quality of life. Canalicular Stenosis a debilitating condition that affects someone not only physically but also emotionally.

The Interaction Between Tears and Taxotere

You can receive Taxotere treatment intravenously or orally once a week, every other week, or once every three weeks. It depends on what your oncologist recommends based on the type and stage of cancer you have. Although it can be useful in treating different types of cancer, it can also lead to a range of symptoms.

As the chemo drug travels through the body, it interacts with different bodily fluids, including tears. The direct contact leads to inflammation of the canaliculus. Chronic inflammation causes infections, and if left untreated, it develops into Canalicular Stenosis. Damage from the obstructions that form can be so severe that the canaliculus can start to close. Once it closes, it’s permanent.

Canalicular Stenosis Is Manageable But Not Curable

It’s not possible to cure Canalicular Stenosis. Doctors can’t open the canaliculi back up after partial or complete closure. However, there’s a way to treat symptoms so they don’t progress or interfere with your daily life.

Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) could redirect your tears around the damaged canaliculus to the nasal cavity. The surgeon uses adjacent structures in the ocular cavity during the procedure to create a passageway for tears. The surgeon might also place a stent to keep the passageway open and prevent recurrent symptoms.

You might not qualify for DCR if the damage to your canaliculus is so severe that there aren’t available structures to use as a passageway. Instead, the doctor could perform conjunctivodacryocystorhinostomy (CDCR). During this type of surgery, the doctor can place a Jones tube, a small glass tube, over the damaged canaliculus for tears to travel through to the nasal cavity.

Both surgeries could help manage your symptoms and prevent them from getting worse than they already are. However, many associated risks could be just as debilitating as the symptoms caused by Canalicular Stenosis. It’s critical that you weigh your options and discuss them at length with an ophthalmologist.

Holding the Drug Company Liable for Your Diagnosis

Doctors and patients weren’t aware of the side effects of Taxotere. Sanofi performed initial tests that confirmed a potential risk of developing Canalicular Stenosis but did not provide adequate warning labels on their product or notify the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Their negligence led to cancer patients and survivors experiencing side effects that would not go away. If you required medical treatment for your symptoms, there are multiple losses you likely suffered. You have the legal right to hold Sanofi liable for their actions and pursue compensation to cover these losses. They include:

  • Medical bills
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Physical impairment or disfigurement
  • Pain and suffering
  • Out of pocket expenses
  • Lost wages and earning capacity
  • Mental anguish

There is a timeframe for filing a lawsuit against a pharmaceutical company for the harm they caused. This is known as a statute of limitations. The statute of limitations in California is two years. However, if you didn’t notice your injuries were from Taxotere before the two years had passed, you would have one year from the date you discovered its harmful side effects to file a lawsuit.

Take Our Quiz to Determine If You Qualify for Compensation

We have a team of dedicated and experienced Sacramento Taxotere Canalicular Stenosis lawyers who can hold Sanofi accountable for their negligence and recover the maximum compensation you need and deserve. You already suffered enough due to a dangerous drug and shouldn’t face the consequences of someone else’s actions. The drug company hid their chemo medication’s side effects and should be financially responsible for your resulting medical bills, lost wages, and other losses.

At Hotze Runkle, we’ve seen how harmful Taxotere can be. When you’re dealing with the physical, emotional, and financial effects of cancer, you shouldn’t have to also face treatment to recover from another diagnosis. It’s unfair and something we aim to remedy. You can depend on us to guide you through the complicated legal process and fight for justice.

We offer free consultations and take cases on contingency. You won’t have to worry about upfront fees or costs to receive the legal representation you need during this difficult time in your life.

If you developed Canalicular Stenosis during or after your chemo treatment with Taxotere, take our evaluation quiz to determine if you might be entitled to compensation from the pharmaceutical company.