Hi @natbel sorry to hear you’re having a rough time with Paclitaxol. I don’t have any experience of this or zoladex, but maybe you can ask on the October thread, they’re a bit more active AND have a month more experience!!
Sending positive thoughts x
Thank you nib32 
Hi, how’s everyone doing? @Kara how are you?
@zebramoon how are things with the picc line/dvt?
@nib32 I think your hair looks great and not too much thinning!
@natbel im on paclitaxel fortnightly and I have had two doses now. I get bad joint /muscle aches from it and this time it seems more around my back and hips- I got a codeine prescription. Maybe ring and speak to someone if you can.
I’m feeling rubbish today as my backs hurting, my bottom eyelashes have decided to fall out, my eyebrows have definitely thinned and I’m just fed up! Counting down I’ve got two more sessions left - Was reading side effects of tablets the oncologist wants to put me on after and now I wonder if my hair will come back at all as hair loss is side effect of those too😢 I know it’s only hair but having a down day ….
Hi @mummyk good to hear from you but sorry that you’re feeling so rubbish. 2 left to go, though!!! There is an end in sight!
What are the tablets you are starting after? I’ll be taking bisphosphonates that also have alopecia as a side effects. Maybe should get a bit more serious about sorting out wig fitting , but I’m preferring to stay in denial. Thanks for saying hair not too bad, well… it’s ok as long as you don’t look down on me from above . Sadly, I’m short! I’m expecting another larger shedding in the coming week or so, as I didn’t cold cap last time.
Feeling ok ISH now, on the up from the worst of the EC side effects , and trying not to think about new side effects that lay in wait when I start the Docetaxel. Hope weather brightens up so can make the best of next weekend.
Hope you start feeling a bit less rubbish soon. So far my eyebrows and eyelashes are thinning but still there, but like you I know I’ll feel horrible when they go. And I’m rubbish at makeup! I might book one of those LGFB workshops…
Take care and be kind to yourself , Nic xx
Sorry for radio silence, docetaxel dose 1 really did a number on me! Had three nights (4 days) in hospital. Was almost cleared to go on the Sunday, but monster diarrhoea plus some blood bought me another night. Poor male nurse stood patting my shoulder awkwardly while I bawled when he brought me medication … was just so exhausted . Thank fully the extra night I did get some sleep.
I have just spoken on phone to a doctor from oncology department, it’s a go for this Friday for next dose. In consultation with my main oncologist, they will reduce dose to 75% as I had such a rough time. So I am gulping down some deep breaths of courage to face dose number 2. He did describe docetaxel as “very toxic” which at this stage felt oddly validating! Hoping the decrease makes it all a bit more bearable.
I’ve been a bit Reluctant to share how hard I found it as I don’t want to scare others, though I know the reality is we all respond differently and I certainly wouldn’t want any of you to censor yourselves so maybe i should apply the same reasoning to me?
I still have my eyebrows, if somewhat depleted. My eyelashes have thinned out considerably, but I started with thick long lashes so I still have some remnants… One eye has less than the other!
@nib32 treatment is letrozole, abemaciclib, goserelin and zolendric acid. He said he will discuss them with me when I see him in a months time. All of it sounds rubbish😢 the lgfb workshop goody bags are great! I’m still crap at eyebrows though🤣
@Kara Sounds like you’ve been having a rubbish time. Like you say it’s all so different for everyone. I thought EC was meant to be rough but I seem to have had minimal effects with that and now struggling with the paclitaxel🤷🏻♀️ Good luck for Friday hope it goes wellxx
Oh hi @Kara , so good to hear from you. I’m so sorry you’ve had such an awful time, and I really hope the reduced dose will work better for you. What horrible poisons we are having to endure! But if they work, then bear them we must, it seems. Please don’t worry about worrying others. Censorship is not helpful, forewarned is forearmed and all that, and as you say we have all experienced such different experiences of the same drugs.
Hooray for your eyebrows and eyelashes still holding out. Sadly I’ve not been blessed with bushy eyebrows or thick lashes, especially post menopause, so I’m not sure they’ve got too much fight in them. Ah well, I’m going to have to develop my makeup skill set. 
Wishing you all the best, Nic xx
@mummyk I’m on the zolendronic acid, but not the others as I’m HR negative. Had an initial dose via infusion with last chemo, but then I’ll move onto tablets
Mummyk ty for you reply i hope things will get better with you soon
Same …i was told AC is the toughest however, my 1st paclitaxel was horrible.
@Kara sorry you’re having a rubbish time. Here’s to things being easier on the next one. x
@Kara sorry you’ve had a rough time your first docetaxel! Hopefully the dose reduction helps. How many doses are you due in total?
I’ve also been reluctant to post, but for the opposite reason. Part of me feels bad for not struggling very much 
now I’m on paclitaxel the fatigue has lessened a lot and only having a few niggly issues with dry eyes and skin.
Though the pac has seen of the remnants of my hair and the majority of my eyebrows and eyelashes. Just enough hanging in there at the moment to give the illusion of them being there but not sure how long that will last!
My bloods however are keeping the oncology team on their toes - my phosphate levels which have been low since the start have been steadily decreasing over the last few weeks despite being prescribed increasing amounts of supplements. Even had a 12h infusion after chemo last week - didn’t leave the hospital until gone 1am (husband had to work next day and I preferred my own bed and a lie in to staying the night)! Unfortunately even that has only increased levels by a tiny amount so they’ve now roped in an endocrinologist to help figure out how they can get levels back up safely before they start causing any significant issues. Hopefully should hear tomorrow what the plan is I’m very much a researcher so have been deep down phosphate rabbit holes and now know far more about how my body works than before 
Hope everyone else is hanging in there! Sending much love to all 
we’ve got this!
Hello lovely people in my phone - I’ve just had a surgery planning appointment through. So I was wondering whether there was anything you asked about that was particularly useful, or whether there is anything you wished you’d asked before surgery?
Hi @kcim great to hear from you!! .
I understand where you’re coming from. I’ve also had that survivors guilt kind of thing, thinking that I’m not suffering as much as everyone else, and probably they don’t want to hear me saying my symptoms are mild and I’m worrying about a bit of heartburn when others are sitting in A and E . But I’m sure they’re not thinking that at all. It’s also good for people newer to chemo seeing that people’s experiences differ and there are some positive stories too. But anyway, we all deserve space to offload no matter how big or small our pain. And this is a nice place just to chat too, with people who can relate.
So what’s going on with your bloods misbehaving,? Hope they work out a plan for you soon.
Re surgery questions, I can’t really think of anything much. I only had a lumpectomy and single node so wasn’t too traumatic, what are you having? But honestly it’s pretty straightforward compared to chemo. Just make sure you have help with chores/driving for the first couple of weeks, heart shaped pillow is great comfort , make sure you have button down shirts and front opening bras, keep doing the exercises, and practice them before surgery so you can compare range of movement. Xx
I have 3 doses of docetaxel left, including tomorrow, 3 weekly.
Always feel able to share - whichever way if goes! I shall try and enact this too! It shows how diverse the experiences are/can be which is important, and keeps it balanced too
Random question - those who have joint and muscle pain from docetaxel… or indeed from filgrastim, what are your hotspots? My ribcage is the worst, but I have lost track of what causes what. I get chronic pain anyway which can hit that areA and the stuff I would do to ease it is much more tricky at the moment (yoga, swimming, saunaetc) with PICC line and fatigue. So it could be that too.
Just curious. The pain is front of rib cage but very bad in sides and right round the back and into shoulders. I always have to qualify when asked about chest pain …!
I have had a bit of relief from the other symptoms past few days but still got the pain plus weird sour taste in mouth. So feel I am not really out of side effects but due next dose tomorrow
Suzzipads in freezer. Taking in a freezer lunch bag thing with additional freezer packs in hopes the coldness is retained enough… I can but try! The burning fingers were awful the first 10 days tho thankfully I can now use my hands again!!
Wishing you all the best for tomorrow, hope the Suzzipads will make some difference, but glad at least that the finger pain has been temporary so far. No experience of the bone /muscle pain to compare , as yet… will prob let you know when I start the Docetaxel….. xxx
@nib32 Crossing my fingers for you while I can haha (apologies that’s my sense of humour 
)
Drink lots of water and factor in plenty of time to be gentle with yourself
Thanks! And that’s ok , I share your sense of humour-especially needed in these times!
@Kara I’ve had pain everywhere! It feels like a pinball machine, stabbing, aching spasms everywhere. I had a few days respite while the poonami kicked in, and then yesterday mid-lower back pain has been plaguing me. My next infusion is next Thursday.
Thankfully, my onco has agreed that I can be reduced to 80% dose which is an absolute blessing as I don’t think I could go through another session like that. Good luck for tomorrow. xxx