Boymam  

I didn't get chemo in the end with mine so sorry I can't answer 

good luck with your treatment just remember you are a strong beautiful lady you can do this soon it will be over and you will be back to normal 

big hugs love Lara ️

Hiya, my wife was on EC for 4 cycles, and docetaxel for 3. For the HER2+, she got thigh injections.

She tolerated the EC quite well. In fact, the first 2 were a relative breeze in the grand scheme of things. Chemo tends to have an accumulative effect and many people find the 1st ones ok.

It was the steroids that caused her the most issues. She struggled to sleep, and would take roid rage, lol. She'd just fly off the handle. But then was back to normal once the steroids left her body.

The docetaxel was a different kettle of fish. Even though she completed her 3 cycles, it was tough during the first few weeks. She had a weird response to it. Each and every time she landed in hospital being pumped with antibiotics as her temp would always spike around 5 days after the infusion. However, this was not the norm. No infection was ever found, so the docs were never sure what was actually happening, but had to give her antibiotics just in case. They think it may have been an immune reaction to the drugs or A drug within the chemo. But yeah, to this day they have no idea. She simply wouldn't have managed a 4th had she been pencilled in for a 4th.

Side effects. Her gums gave her the most problems outside of the temperature spikes. My advice, buy yourself a bona fide baby toothbrush. She struggled with mint toothpaste. It really stung her mouth something awful. So she had to use kids strawberry toothpaste.

You'll read stories on the net that kids toothpaste isn't that effective in adults. That's not true. Here in the UK  kids toothpaste has more fluoride in it than other countries as a way to tackle decay in kids.

Amazon sell a toothpaste called Oranurse. It's flavourless, and is designed for people who have altered taste, can't tolerate mint and chemo patients with sensitive gums. It's great. Seriously, do not underplay mouth issues. The first sign of them appearing, nip the problem in the bud. A sore mouth stops people from eating etc. Again, do not underplay the issue thinking it's minor. They all start out minor. And do buy a baby toothbrush so, unlike us, you're not running around at 10pm at night trying to find a tesco still open to buy one. Get one in advance in case you need one. At the very least, you'll be better using a soft bristled toothbrush, even if it's an adult one.Also watch out for the first signs of oral thrush. That too needs to be dealt with as soon as it rears its head. Not everyone gets these problems, but it's better to be aware of them than to be oblivious to them like we were.

Thank you so much for these tips I'm going to get the toothpaste and brush ready! 

Hi, Just wanted to wish you well for your first chemo this weekend. Everyone will tell you that each person has a different experience of chemo, even on the same regimen. I was on EC x 3 then Docetaxel and Phesgo x 4 and it was not nearly as bad as I expected. The worst side effects for me were altered taste and fatigue, a few aches and pains some days, but nothing really bad (and I have a very low pain threshold). Just remember to drink loads of water, especially on chemo days to flush the toxins out, and try to stay as active as possible as that will help with fatigue and general well-being. I have a blog on the Macmillan site where I talk a bit about my side effects and BC in general if you'd like to take a look community.macmillan.org.uk/.../carried-on-eagles-wings

The first account is a bit scary as I got an infection after the first infusion, but don't let that put you off. Just be sure to keep an eye on your temperature and don't hesitate to call the emergency oncology helpline if you feel at all unwell, even without a high temperature.

Hope it all goes well for you xx

PS: Tesco do an extra soft adult toothbrush that I found very gentle on my gums.

Thanks ill definitely check out your blog 

thanks so much xx