Hi ladies I’m about to start Docetaxol and getting scared , just finished EC. Would welcome any advice. Inc any tips on what to eat or not eat. I’ve read not to eat high fibre or fruit. ( opposite of EC!), advice on side effects etc. Thank you 
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Hi
I finished Docetaxol in October, having also had EC before. My hair has grown back & is thick & curly.
I found I got joint pain on it around 4 days after the infusion, but Dexamethasone helped with this. Mouth was also quite sore and lost taste for a bit at the end of the first week, but then came back.
I had some cold feet thingies- and did not get neuropathy.
First week after was tough- but then settled down & was ok.
I also was really nervous before Docetaxol- so writing this as was trying to look for some stories where it had been ok. And it was-
Hope it goes well & all the best
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I’m day 8 after my first Docetaxel. I also iced my hands and feet and have been ok. I felt ok for a couple of days after and just had a sore mouth. After that I had severe joint pain which I then took codeine for. After that I’ve had a mix of nausea, diahorea, headaches, sore throat but I’ve had my first better day today. Just make sure you contact your team if you feel anything and they can adjust your meds. They’ve already said with mine they feel my dose was too high and they are going to reduce it next time.
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I had 12 weeks of Paclitaxel and it is a taxane like Docetaxel.
I avoided anything with live bacteria, I suffered with diarrhoea and took loperamide (Imodium), I found fresh fruit and salad made it worse especially apples and pears. Good excuse to eat cake 
. I remember the nurses suggesting eating a ‘brown’/plain food diet, white bread, white rice, all the food were are supposed to avoid. I couldn’t drink any alcohol, it upset my stomach and didn’t taste good, haven’t had any since. Advised if I had lost my taste to eat small amounts of pineapple, it did help but don’t each too much!
Take care with dental hygiene, salt water mouthwash helps with mouth and throat soreness. Not sure about EC but I had a few bouts of oral thrush.
I don’t know if you have already joined one, but BCN have a monthly chemo starters group. I found reading some posts from previous months helpful in the management of side effects and what to look out for.
You are strong, you’ve done EC you can do Docetaxel.
Take care 
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Hi @strawberrytart29
I also had EC, and I’ve had 2 out of 3 Docetaxel.
Although I was prepared for diarrhoea, my digestion wasn’t really any different to after EC.
My main issue is joint pain. With the 1st dose I only had paracetamol available at home. I found that pillows under my knees and raising my feet helped to relieve the pain.
I was given codeine for my next session, and advised to get ibuprofen so I could alternate them in the day and take codeine at bedtime so I could get a few hours sleep before pain woke me. I make sure I have paracetamol and water within grabbing distance for when I wake.
Second time around this went on from 1st day of injections at home and started to ease after about 3 days, to not needing pain relief or pillows within a week.
Look after your nails too. Keep finger and toe nails short. They’ll be vulnerable. Use a bottle opener or something for ring pulls.
More hand cream. The lose skin between my fingers, and my thumb and side of my hand went dark and top layer of skin peeled.
My final dose is Tuesday after Easter. Not that I’m counting!
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Oh no do I have to inject myself aswell?
I don’t think I can do this anymore :’’((
Hi, I also did EC then Docetaxel. I found the effects of the latter to be longer and more pronounced. Felt a bit tired for the first few days then got loss of taste, muscle aches and spams (these usually only lasted 1-2 days but were the worst), diarrhea and fatigue. You can more certainly get through it, but theres likely to be a couple of days where you feel pretty poorly each cycle.
With regards to the injections, I have a needle phobia so the district nurses came every day to give my my jabs.
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Hi, I also had EC then moved onto Docetaxel. I finished my final chemo treatment just over 2 weeks ago. The main symptom I got was diarrhoea and the first time I wasnt given any immodium type pills in my chemo goody bag and I was scared to take anything over the counter. So this first one was the worst for me. After that I made sure they gave me something to take if I needed it and this made all the difference. So make sure you ask them for this. I also got a sore mouth and dry cracked skin at the side of my mouth but I just moisturised and avoided anything too hot or spicy for my sore mouth.
You got this! Xx
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Hi 
!
Breast Cancer Now has a very good pamphlet in PDF format that you can just read from sn electronic device or print out if you prefer.
It is best to talk to your oncology dietitian before starting treatment as he/she can help you. Eat very healthy with fresh homemade food, whole grains, lots of vegetables, at least 2 pieces of fruit.
NO grapefruit or green tea because it interferes with the chemo, nor St. John’s Wort! 
If you take supplements, show them to your oncology dietitian. Those with antioxidants should not be taken, as the cancer may come back! You also need a lot of protein. The best is Mediterranean Diet.
Don’t forget to drink 1.5 or more litres of water a day! (It depends on each person’s height and weight.) Also… exercise, if possible go out for a daily 30 minute walk.
Taxol can damage your nails. Before you start chemo get Meme nail strengthener and the nail remover. They are made for chemotherapy patients.
Best wishes!
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I hot joint psin from filgrastim injections, self administered, to boost white blood cells. No self injection with docetaxel x
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Hi. Everyone seems to be different. I had three cycles of EC two weeks apart starting in November, then four cycles of Docetaxel three weeks apart and my last one was at the end of February.
I didn’t get any nausea with the Docetaxel but I did get a horrible taste in my mouth most of the time so food wasn’t very enjoyable. Just as it was wearing off, I was onto the next cycle! Also had a dry mouth and was drinking a lot of water.
After the first Docetaxel I developed sore palms and fingers and skin was peeling a little. Also had some neuropathy in fingertips. My dose was reduced slightly for the remaining cycles and I was fine. Used lots of Eucerin hand cream.
The worst thing for me was nosebleeds. Nothing too bad but it was annoying and nose felt blocked. Inside of nostrils was sore and after the last cycle I had to get some Naseptin cream prescribed by GP as I had an infection.
Didn’t get any aches or pains and tried to go for a walk most days. I had to inject with Filgrastim for five days after each cycle (it was seven days for EC).
Didn’t get diarrhoea. In fact I was a bit constipated for a few days after each cycle so bought some bran flakes. Drank lots of smoothies made with fruit, fresh ginger and oat milk. Didn’t receive any advice on what to eat or drink.
Lots of luck with the treatment and as I say, everyone is different so don’t worry and just focus on getting through it and dealing with any side effects as/if they crop up. x
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Hi. So if you get mouth ulcers buy difflam oral rinse, I wish I had used this straight away it was brilliant.
Also used anti nausea bands. Really good.
I got really bad joint pains and used paracetamol.
Drink plenty of water .
Hope all goes well 
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Ladies thank you so, so much for all the help, advice and support xxx
Is that you half way through? Well done, what an accomplishment-you absolutely have this.
Some people find EC worse, some docetacel worse so may not be as bad as you fear. And my experience, what worked cycle 1 didn’t necessarily work cycle 3. Be prepared to adapt and just do what works for you to get thro each day.
Your experience may be completely different than anyone else.
For me, wrote off first week, second started to improve, out for walks every day, ate better and third was even better.
M and S ready prepared mango, white choc milk shake, fever tree flavoured tonics worked for me.
Horrible coating/taste at back of mouth, I brushed my tongue with toothpaste.
Difflam helped greatly with sore mouth but only needed for one cycle and I gargled with bicarbonate of soda in water to help the taste/coating.
No diarrhoea for me
I was very tired with several naps during the day
Ticked off the days til I felt better
Get thermometer if not got one and monitor temperature/call your team if temp.
I got my husband/daughter to do my injections-only 5 nights then done. Made very achey so hot water bottle was good as was paracetamol.
It was hard but so was EC and you managed 3 of them. Just keep thinking what nice things you’re going to do when through this…
Big hugs
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Hi I’ve had doxetaxel, and ate a healthy diet including fresh fruit and vegetables, these help with bowel activity and Side E. Other key Side E, On the arm used for the infusion don’t worry if you see a Red line forming, this is the tract of ‘the poison’ and will remain long after treatment. Other red lines will be in your nail beds and can take up to 12 months to grow out. Your toe nails may fall off, but that isn’t too scary they just lift like small saucers and are not painful. Big toenails can take over 12 months to fully recover.
Apart from the usual loss of body and head hair, irrespective of doing Cold Cap, although I’m glad i did cold cap because i only lost 50% total of my hair, and it then grew back wavy, for some that was curly, better than any perm creates.
Further blood tests can be taken from you other arm, unless you already have registered lymphodema, that was a worry for bloods needed for treatment following chemo and radiotherapy, as you may discover, your body says " leave me a lone, haven’t you done enough" thats said jokingly of course.
My tastes for food did change, but if you know what you like, then simple keep eating it so your memory taste is not forgotten.
Following chemo i just ensured i had either a ready meal to hand or prepared meal to eat then straight to bed and rest when i got home.
Embrace your treatment with positivity, it is removing the nasty from your system and you will walk out the other side free from Cancer. and then join the rest of us in remision. WE in the forum love you and support you on this journey. Always ask until you feel confident and there is much experience and knowledge to guide you. Love and light Moonsox xx
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Thank you all xxx
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I had 3 EC and 3 Docetaxal, and thought I’d be the same, but I struggled a bit. I didn’t change eating habits, had no nausea with either regime, but had constipation with EC, but no bowel issues with Taxal. By rounds 5 and 6 my joints ached when on the filgastrim injections (delivered by community nurses who were brilliant). Keep your temperature monitored, at round 4 I had an overnight stay (first ever at 54), my neutrophil level had dipped, but rallied in 24 hours, and antibiotics. I never felt ill, I ate and drank normally. I didn’t get much sleep, but I did run 3 miles the day after, so the context is I was ok. Rounds 5 and 6 I had 7 injections rather than 5, this added to the muscle aches. I did get advice and took ibuprofen for 48 hours. Once the jabs were done the aches were ok. The accumulation of chemo probably contributed to the muscle tightness which for me only eased after a massage (checked at radiotherapy this was ok, so was probably 2 weeks after last round). Try to stay active and busy and you will get through this. Take it one day at a time, and listen to your body, and as a friend wisely told me ‘not everything we read, will happen to all of us’ X
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