Hello everyone
I hope you are all doing well, at whatever point in your journey you are. This is my first post and I wanted to ask about experiences with docetaxel. I had my first round last Wednesday, after three cycles of FEC, and wondered if everyone experienced the awful SEs of joint and bone aches, especially in the feet, and how long they lasted for? I thought today I had made progress and it had subsided but this afternoon it has hit again and I find it difficult to walk. I am popping a lot of nurofen! FEC seemed easy compared to this and I am already dreading my next round.
Many thanks… x
Dear JoJo C
Welcome to the BCC forum. I’m sorry you haven’t had any replies to your post yet. It may be seen by more people if you posted in the Undergoing treatment- chemotherapy section of the forum- you’ll find it in the menu down the left hand side.
You may also find our fact sheet useful. Here is the link:
www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/sites/default/files/bcc35_docetaxel.pdf
Very best wishes
Janet
BCC Moderator
Hi JoJo…exactly the same happened to me this time last year. It should improve next round…part of the reason (so my Onc told me) is that you still have FEC in your system which exacerbates pain for first TAX and if you are having the white blood cell injections this also contributes. For 2nd TAX I started taking pain killers as advised … 2 para every 4 hours and 1 ibuprofen every 2 hours…from days 2 to 7. The trick is to keep a level of painkillers in your system so that your body is prepared! Your Onc can prescribe something stronger if the pain is moderate or severe. This worked for me, hopefully it will for you. Take care x
Whoops just realised I must still have chemo brain as typed the frequency wrong!!! 1 x ibuprofen every 4 hours (2 hours after para works well) checking for max doses…apologies!
Hi JoJo - I had probs with my feet as well- very sore heel & toes, had to have dressings on, so they reduced my dose for the last 2. they said it would be ok cos in Leicester we give a bigger dose compared to somewhere else(can’t remember, still have chemo brain 2yrs on!). I still have sensitive days with my feet even now. I was dx May 2011. I took painkillers as well. Hope this helps. Good luck with your treatment x
Thanks so much for the advice Maryland. I will definitely keep the painkillers topped up next round. I am on the injections as well so that will contribute like you say - even they seemed manageable whilst on FEC compared to doce! I guess part of me didn’t really think I would heave any side effects on doce - or I just managed to convince myself of that - as I coped pretty well on FEC so when I got the aches and pains it was awful. I know I am not alone in it but it is still good to hear from others to know that it is all ‘normal’ in this un-normal time in our lives. Take good care, x
I was triple negative double mastecomy and reconstruction in Oct 2011. I took Taxotere/Docetaxel and had feet hurting all along. Nearly lost one big toe nail. Finger nails lifted up on ends. not easy to deal with.
Hey JoJo are you an Awesome Angel? (Check the thread under Active Topics)- They have been starting T so will have experiences to share and one of the tips I picked up can’t remember which thread was the relief some people get from wearing crocs. I went right out and got some so I could wear them in in plenty of time (I am a May Moonbeam, week 2 of FEC-T 2/6). My swollen feet just went “ahh” but it might be a bit much for yours just when you are in the most pain. I haven’t reached T yet but I have arthritis in my feet normally and massage them regularly with arnica massaging oil which also sorts out the dry skin issues and because it has lavender in it helps with relaxing and incidently with fungi between the toes. Hope this helps.