anyone had/having Taxotere (docetaxel)

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I am on this at the moment. Wondering if anyone has had any good results?

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I have posted this on behalf of new user Sam
Kind Regards
Sam
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care

Hi fayjay

I have just finished my 8th (and last!) taxotere and I was surprised that it went quite smoothly. I can say this because I had 6 sessions of FEC in 2004 and thought that stuff was worse

I had various tweaking to do at the beginning. The chemo effects hit me like a train once I’d finished the steriods so I asked to spread the steriods over a longer period. I also found the steriods was making me buzz at night so I asked for some sleeping pills. Both of these ‘tweaks’ helped me no end!

Nothing helped the mouth problems and my appetite grew (and it really doesn’t need encouragment!) The problems I’m having now is my nails are painful, rising of the nail bed and oozing but after a little research I found that it only happens to 3% of people so I wouldn’t worry to much. I am also walking around like an old woman (I’m 38!) as my joints hurt but this is quite normal I’m told.

So all in all Chemo makes you feel crap but I found if I can sleep well and forced myself to take it easy after each session it became bearable.

I hope this helps

Good luck

Sam

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Hi fayjay

I had taxotere when I was dx with lung mets in Sept 05. Like Sam they gave me 8 cycles as when they did a staging scan on 6 it was still working and my bloods were ok.

It was a strange chemo as I never felt tired and it may have been to do with the sterioids that I had before and after. Unfortunately it does make you loose your hair but I had a friend who used the cold cap and her hair only thinned. I don’t remember feeling sick or nausea on it. In fact I bloated and put on a stone due to the sterioids.

Everybody is different on chemos and I know some people have reacted to it on the first or second cycle. Overall I found this one the easiest.

I will pray for you that everything will go well.

xxx

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I have posted this on behalf of new user Sam

Kind Regards

Katie
Moderator
Breast Cancer Care

Hi Ripleybn3

I’m glad im not the only one who has put on weight!

How long did it take to get back to normal? Did you ache at all? if so, how long?

The coldcap worked for me but it did thin

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Hi fayjay

Just come across your thread - there’s a load of us taxoteers chatting on “Starting Taxotere” (under undergoing treatment) - come join us.
Cheers
Anne

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Hi Anne,

I will take a look

thanks

fay :o)

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Hi Sam

I do not actually remember aching as such. I did get severe heart burn which rised up and really worried me as I thought it was the cancer growing in the lungs. They gave me some really good tablets for it and it did the trick. I had a twitchy eye. With regards to the weight I lost it fairly quickly after the chemo. When I look back at photos during that period what I notice more is my moon shape face which is made worse with my bald head!!.

Oh and I also like you had my big toe nail that rose from nail bed and to make it worse it became infected.

I shall pray for you that you get good results.

xxxx