@msizzle160 - I was told that the docetaxel tends to ‘build up’ much more in the days following chemo, so unlike EC, where you start to gradually feel better, with docetaxel you feel progressively worse for quite a while. That said, I’ve just had my second dose and I feel better than I did last time. I had a bad stomach and diarrhoea from days 3-6 and now feel almost back to normal, Emma
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Wish mine was just cherries and strawberries - mine is carbs, sugar…even had a twirl during chemo 
the nurse said she would much rather I be eating as so many folk can’t x
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@belle1 - so glad to hear it went OK!
@gromit12 - fingers crossed that the omeprazole helps. I had it too this time round, and although I still got indigestion for the first two days, overall my stomach has been better and the diarrhoea has not been anywhere near as bad as last time x
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That makes sense. Did you get a skinny head with it at all? I had three days of feeling really out of it on EC which I hated, I just couldnt do anything.
Lovely swing from constiptaion to diarrhoea wo look forward to!
Thanks Emma x
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Spinny head! 
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No spinny head on docetaxel, not for me anyway. All of my side effects have been gastric / gut related as well as sore nail beds, which I’ve been able to treat with poly balm. I’m hoping the last session won’t throw up anything new!
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I’ve started kefir every morning to help gut symptoms - suggested by someone on here -hoping that’s helping too 
as live not usually recommended for chemo patients, but has shown to have benefits for for breast cancer patients…The cherry and the strawberry are ok! Laura
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I had a lump dismissed by two breast surgeons and then I demanded an ultrasound and it was a node left behind in my axillary clearance. It was biopsied and was negative luckily.
My oncologist was very not worried about it when we were waiting for the results since the chemo would stop it progressing which was reassuring.
I was really worried though which I think is normal. I’m so sorry about your bloods too. So close to the end too! X
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Docetaxel side effects are staved off by the higher dose of steroids. It’s once the steroids stop that the symptoms really kick in. I can’t emphasise enough to brush teeth 3 times a day and gargle Benzadymine Hydrochloride. That was the difference between neutropenic sepsis and getting through the last cycle.
Docetaxel attacks mucosa so it attacks from your mouth all the way to your bowels. It’s the inflammation from the mucositis that allows every day bacteria to get into the epithelium and cause infection in your mouth and gut. Anything you can do to prevent it is worth it.
I was neutropenic this time too but the obsessive hygiene made the difference between hospital admission and no hospital admission. My symptoms were the same but the diarrhoea resolved rather than going really wrong like the first cycle. I did spike a temp around the same time but it resolved.
I think I also worked much harder on hydration and have done 3L a day and sometimes 4.
Your liver gets hit soooooo hard as it’s metabolised in the liver. That’s why the fatigue is so brutal on Docetaxel. From Day 4/5 onwards until Day 12, I’m pretty much bed bound most of the time. Obviously it’s not the same for everyone but Elle and I seem to follow the same trajectory on it with all symptoms. @gromit12 puts us all to shame and runs half marathons! 
Do rest of you’re tired though. If it goes wrong they drop your dose and that the last thing you want. I hate that I’m on 10% less dose now and I wish I’d not been so active through the steroids phase on that first cycle as I think I could have prevented it if I’d been obsessively cleaning my mouth and resting more and will always kick myself for having sub-optimal treatment now. Xx
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It really is the best. It’s so strange on advice as both the pharmacist and my oncologist told me it was fine unless I had neutropenia. We’ve sworn by kefir for years and years. If ever I stop taking it, I notice I’m more tired and less happy. It’s quite profound stuff! X
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Thanks for the tips… that’s good as I’ve had issues since day 1 with EC mouthwise so was already religiously doing all of the mouth stuff you mentioned. I get oral thrush every time too so am also on Nystan and Fluconazole every cycle and getting that under control super quick defo helps massively too! I’ve also been drinking 3+ litres a day daily and swear by it as I honestly think it makes a huge difference:raised_hands:t2: totally agree with being neutropenic and all of the above as helping as I’ve been neutropenic since cycle 1 of EC and feel like by doing as much as I can I’ve still functioned and avoided sepsis! Fingers crossed it can continue. Not looking forward to the diarrhoea
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I’d never tried it, but after what you said I looked up some of the info and thought it was worth a try. So thank you @swk1981 xx
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I’ve taken the Nystan this time to prevent too and I think it’s helped loads.
I normally hate taking anything for diarrhoea but gave in on this cycle and took it on the really bad days and it seemed to help a lot.
Solid poop is literally the greatest thing ever on Docetaxel. 
Fingers crossed you get a great first cycle and it all goes well. I console myself with the fact that Docetaxel is really really beneficial in preventing recurrence. I still can’t quite believe that the message we received loud and clear of “EC is the hard one, Docetaxel is sooooo much better!” turned out to be the least accurate statement ever
I just don’t feel like I bounce back much at all. I’d say that on EC, I felt like I was 90-95% back each time I went for the next cycle. With Docetaxel, I feel like I’m 75% back each time I go back in. I’m a week away from 3rd Docetaxel now and the lactic acid in my muscles from the shortest walk outside to the car or around the house even just blows my mind. My body is so so tired and weak and I don’t remember ever having it so bad on EC.
I will say though that the joint pains weren’t as bad second time around on Docetaxel so, like EC, it does seem to be ‘first the worst’!
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So fingers crossed next week will be your last chemo @swk1981 big celebration!
Hopefully you got your holiday insurance sorted out and you can look forward to your lovely holiday.
I hope everyone had a good night last night especially everyone who had chemo yesterday, sorry I can’t remember all the tags/names
With regards to Neutrophils, is there a a way naturally you can try and improve your count?
Mine were at 1.6 yesterday, apparently the cut off for my chemo is 1.5 so she thinks next week it’s likely they will be too low for treatment. As I’m on a weekly cycle the oncologist said she didn’t want to just give me any of the injections unless I really needed them.
Now I’m panicking a bit as we gone to Cornwall next Saturday for 6 nights the kids are so excited and I know that a lot of you have been in hospital with low neutrophils so I’m scared of getting sick!
I think I’m just overthinking things as I didn’t sleep well! I’m due back in on Weds a day earlier than usual to have blood test and she said I would have an injection then if it was too low and my chemo would then go ahead for the Friday before we go.
I’m sure you guys are all thinking that I’m being silly as your neutrophils have been super low! I was lucky with EC and had the usual injections and had no problems.
Anyway rant over!
Helen x
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What do you take for diarrhoea? I thought I’d be buzzing with the steroids as I was up early yesterday but they gave me a big bag of antihistamines and something to chill me out for the herceptin jag so I fell asleep last night on the couch, went to bed at 930 and slept all the way through:joy: antihistamines for the win!
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@hc1973 There’s nothing you can do for low neutrophils except the jags I’m afraid. I just made sure I ate as healthy as possible ans I felt better doing so and looked after myself in general to stay well, also have been on top of my hygiene more so than usual (Hand washing, mouth hygiene stuff as above, masks in public spaces etc) just to try not catch anything. Mines have been between a low of 0.45 and high of 1.12 for the whole of EC and I haven’t gotten sick outside side effects with that routine so please try not to worry too much 
ironically when I had sickness and diarrhoea the other morning it was a random occurrence and when my neutrophils had finally got up to 4 after an extra 2 weeks off chemo with my delay 
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Thanks @belle1 here I am worrying about 1.6 when yours have been so low 
thanks for all the advice. I’m just being silly I know! Hope you feel OK today H x
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Honestly so long as you’re mindful of it and taking precautions that’s the main thing☺️ can definitely still enjoy yourself and I’d be asking about the jags again if any more issues rather than having to delay in future! Just thought that if you seen my numbers you’d hopefully feel reassured😉
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I wouldn’t be too worried. Neutropenia itself isn’t a massive issue as long as you stay safe and as long as you don’t spike a temp with febrile neutropenia.
I was told the cut off was 1.0 for my chemo but it may be different as yours is weekly perhaps. My consultant said the same about filgrastim not being overly useful if they’re low as it’s kind of artificially inflating them rather than your body actually recovering.
No idea on how to naturally increase them other than maybe rest, nutrition and hydration.
Will delaying the chemo then cut into your Cornwall trip? X
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That’s amazing that you slept so much!!!
I just took one Imodium when it hit. The consultant told me that it’s not to be treated like normal diarrhoea (where it’s better to let your body purge itself and get it all out) because it’s just irritated mucosa and not infection with Docetaxel. Therefore the focus is on preventing dehydration and lose of electrolytes so Imodium is the right thing to do. I also took some electrolytes to try and sort myself out. I only took the Imodium for one day but they said to take it daily if it continues and to do it first thing to prevent it becoming a thing. X
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