Hi bill Ben, I saw your other post about going onto docetaxel after letrozole has stopped working. Have just got back from holiday so haven't replied sooner.
I see you will be on a dosage so that you have it every week so I don't know how that will affect you overall, maybe similar to the ladies on taxol who are/have had it weekly?
However I had the 3 weekly dose of docetaxel last year and, apart from the first cycle, found it OK, I'd say 'better' than FEC which I had 7 years ago. The first cycle floored me with really bad aches and shooting, nerve like pains so much so I was prescribed oramorph for the next cycle, but didn't need it. The big fear for me was nausea which I had badly on FEC but I didn't have any at all on docetaxel. The steroids floor you a bit as you come off them, and keep you awake whilst you're on them but that seems the norm. I did have a gradual build up of muscle fatigue over the four months, especially leg muscles but this eased once I'd finished the course. Mouth ulcers were terrible the first cycle but as I learnt from reading some threads in the main section of the forum about chemotherapy, sucking ice cubes whilst actually having the infusion worked and I didn't get another one. It's meant to help like the cold cap does for hair in case you wonder why it works. Hair will no doubt fall out, but maybe a bit further on as your dose is lower each time. I didn't paint my nails dark, as is suggested to do, and I had about 3 damaged ones but the rest held on although a lot thinner that they were. Hope this helps and ask any other questions. There's also other (primary) ladies experiences and tips in the main part of the forum that I found useful to read as there's not so many of us secondaries on these chemos at the moment. Oh, and make a diary of your days that you are affected by the side effects, it will help you to know what to expect each cycle.
Nicky x
