Hi, not sure if my experiences will help you. I was diagnosed in Feb 2013 and had a rt mastectomy op in March. I was prescribed preventative FEC-T but because I was getting married and honeymooning in July, they decided to do the Taxotere first and cycle 3 was combined with my whole radiotherapy treatment. Cycle 1 was not too bad - aching legs and joints, lost toe and fingernails, numness in toes, soles of feet and fingertips,  sore mouth (had to eat and drink through a straw) and nausea. For cycle 2 I used a great mouthwash - Difflam and have had no sore mouth problems since. So would recommend this. I took nausea tabs even when I wasn't nausaus, but it made little difference. Worst effect in Cycle 2 and 3 was in lack of taste and the awful chemical tast in my mouth at all times. Drank gallons of water to try and flush it out. the feet problems still continues now and I have now lost all toenails and most fingernails - bu the important thing is that they looked great with fuschia Shellac for my wedding day and honeymoon! Had tummy issues mostly diarrhoea but managed to get a good stopper tablet.

I took Oestrogen suppressing tablets over July and August and restarted chem beginning of September with the FEC.

Have had one cycle of that and have the second next week.

It is so much easier than the taxotere, virtually no side effects at all. A little morning nausea for first week, a few headaches and sore lips.  And that's it!  Hopefully this will continue for the last 2 cycles.

It really helped me that there was a gap between the two sets of chemo cycles, gave me a chance to recover a bit from the taxotere before starting the treatments again.

I spent a week in hospital after the 3rd Taxotere + radiotherapy.

So I am sorry to confirm what you already know - the Taxotere is s*** and much more agressive than the FEC but you will get to the end of it. Try to get up and about rather than stay in bed - it was better for me to keep as active as I could and just didn't do anything at all on the really low days. However on week 3 of the cycle got more or less back to normal before the next onslaught.

Pineapple is good for helping the nasty taste and I know someone who sucked frozen pineapple cubes and this helped her a lot.

All the very best for the next treatment, I will think about you when I have mine next Friday.

Take care and chin up!

Roz x

In response to rosie cliff

Can I just say thank you so much for the great advise, I am going through Taxotere part of chemo at the moment and it is just horrible, my poor hands are the worst, they are burning like mad but have been prescribed Piriton and paracetamol to try and rectify overnight and have to go to hospital in the morning  that does seem to have helped. Leg pain also bad tonight, I am on day 5 after first Taxotere chemo so I suppose it's working at its height at the moment, hope it gets better in the coming days!

Will try the mouthwash as that is also a problem, I have a drink and seconds later my mouth is so dry again! And pineapple sounds a good idea too! Thanks again for all the useful tips, it's good to share problems, you dont feel so alone, hope you are very well! X

Hi everyone, I start taxatere in feb.can anyone please tell me If I have to have the horrid injections for bone marrow while having that chemo? I had them for for all 3 Fec. My poor hubby had to give them me.but they hurt and make me have achy legs.plus with the chemo sleepless nights.

Hi there

Yes you will have have to have the G - CSF  injections for the bone marrow stimulation after the Docetaxal chemotherapy - the same as the FEC.

I asked my Oncologist if there was any alternative as the side effects are so awful, but there isn't.

I am

due my third and and final Doxetacel next week, I am dreading it as it has taken me a whole 2 weeks to recover and I am still exhausted by 4pm!!

wishing you well 

Hi there

Yes you will have have to have the G - CSF  injections for the bone marrow stimulation after the Docetaxal chemotherapy - the same as the FEC.

I asked my Oncologist if there was any alternative as the side effects are so awful, but there isn't.

I am

due my third and and final Doxetacel next week, I am dreading it as it has taken me a whole 2 weeks to recover and I am still exhausted by 4pm!!

wishing you well 

Hello there, Two weeks to recover! No wonder you were dreading it. You will have got through it now though?

I've just had my first Docetaxel 5 days ago and boy am I suffering ...shooting pains in lower back, kidney area, legs and shoulders for two days now. I'm taking Codeine and paracetamol with little effect. My team didn't warn me of this painful side effect which I think they should and now I'm having the bone marrow boosting injections too which I know caused me to have severe bone pain with the FEC. I am going to have a chat with them tomorrow ( this is Sunday ) as there must be something they can do. Hope you are well now too.