Hi Donna, Docetaxel has a number of common side effects. I will tell you what I experienced, and what I stocked up on to be ready for the problems and cure them before they could do much damage. I wish you well. We are so lucky to have access to these cancer treatments, to have a good chance to get a longer and better life after or before breast cancer surgery. It is worth the discomfort. And by golly, you can do it!!!
The most serious is that your white blood cell count can drop very low. So they monitor you on your first couple of rounds, and you have to be very aware of any rising temperature, or any symptoms of infections, and avoid anything that could give you an infection. Gargle with saline or Biotene several times a day. Use hand sanitizer. Avoid close contact with people with colds or flu. If your temp goes over 38.5 get to the hospital urgently. If you get a really low white blood cell count (Neutropenia) in the first cycle or two they can then give you Neulasta, the wonderdrug that makes you make new white blood cells in half the time, an injection into the stomach the day after Chemo. It costs $2000 normally, but once you've had neutropenia they can give it to you free. They will teach you to inject this yourself if you ask, and give you a cute pack to take it home in
You will probably be given Dexmethasone, a steroid, to take for 3 days from the day before your docetaxel infusion. This reduces the chance of bad allergic reactions to the two chemo drugs. And reduces nausea. It also hits the system like speed and hypes you up so you get heaps done and feel too perky to sleep. It also makes you pack on weight and causes significant water retention. Watermelon juice/watermelon is great for water retention.
Your gut is stripped raw by the treatment, so you may head into either constipation or diarhoea and also have trouble with indigestion and nausea. So you need gentle meds to switch direction quickly whenever it goes wrong. Movicol is great for constipation, and Imodium for diarhoea. Gaviston is good temporary help for indigestion/reflux. I got onto Somac for really troublesome indigestion, and it really made a difference. Your Oncologist should give you something for nausea eg atavan.
You make get small anal fissures, and there is a good cream to have on hand.have alo vera tissues. Also there are some very gentle moisturised wipes that are designed for babies that can be a godsend: keep them by the toilet
Your mouth loses its sense of taste, everything tastes like oily phlegm. I found lemon strepsils or sugar-free fruitflavored lollies helped. Biotene or saline mouthwash hourly helps too. Your tongue may get very tender so you only want to eat mushy stuff like Delite creme caramel custard, or quiche, or yoghurt and fruit, or stewed apple, or farex. Even soup seems to be coarse textured at the worst of this. Mouth ulcer treatments like bonjella can help.
Your nose may bleed and get dry and clotty, and also , because you lose nose hair, it will run and drip at the least provocation. Fess lavender nose spray is lovely for these problems.
Skin gets sunsensitive, so slip/slop/slap, keep up the sunblock. Skin can get a rash, get it checked out and treated.
Hair falls out after 2-4 weeks. Sorry, but that is it. Much of the hair on your body will fall out as well as most of your head hair, and eyebrows, nose hair, eyelashes. Get a very short haircut. Then shave it.. The good news is that it always grows back, and it feels wonderful to get it back, and convinces you that in all ways you are getting better!
Insomnia happens when any of the other things become too bad, or if you are feeling too bad or too scared or too lonely through your treatment. There is good free counselling for people with cancer. Restivit (one sixth of a tablet) saved my sanity a few times to get me through long uncomfortable nights. Have a good book handy right through your treatment months.
Fatigue is not just tiredness, it is being absolutely unable to do everyday stuff you have always managed to do. It is being unable to think straight. It is being full of despair and frustration. Fatigue, curiously, is helped most by getting enough exercise and getting it every day. Preferably at least 30 min a day every day, a minimum of 150 minutes per week Get a friend to walk with you, even if you have to stop every 100 meters. It is a vital part of the chemo process.
Food loses its appeal, what you want to eat one day is not right the next day.
Make sure you have understanding people who will cater for your whims at a moments notice. Make sure people around you understand that for a given period of time, you really need lots of tender loving care, and need what you ask for when you ask for it. You may still want to do what you can for them, but let them know you may suddenly not be able to do anything,because you have run out of go Give them this post to read.
And when you are done, you will find it is wonderful to NOT have any of these symptoms for weeks, months on end. You will appreciate things you always took for granted.
best wishes
