My next 4 chemos are docetaxel. Its side effects are really scaring me. Has anyone else had it and how bad was it? Does it make you loose hair as I have been doing the cold cap and dont want to waste all that time and stress. Also I've heard it can cause neuropathy, and some use ice to stop it. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Ican see me sitting there with a cold cap , and hands and feet in ice!😲👣🖐😨

I had 3 sessions of docetaxel. I also used a cold cap but only lost a strip of hair across the top where the cold cap didn’t contact properly. I can’t blame the docetaxel for that as it started before it. I did end up in ED & admitted after every session. However, I am apparently one of those people 🙄 So please don’t read too much into that. I actually was admitted to hospital 5 times out of 6 chemo sessions. The first 3 chemo was FEC.The side effects I encountered on docetaxel was severe sore mouth from the lining eroding, taste changed where I couldn’t handle anything even slightly spicy/tangy (plain 1950’s food was looking great), cordial in water was also really good as were the red jelly frogs ...... I did get neuropathy but I don’t think it was as bad as others have gotten it. My nails did change. I kept dark nail polish on my hands but not my toes. I thought they’d be safe as always in shoes. My fingernails have since recovered but not my toe nails.

@Hils I think Docetaxel is different for everyone. I’m day 14 after my first dose and I have been very lucky so far. I had a headache and sore teeth the first couple of days that I couldn’t shake. A couple of mouth ulcers that went away with coconut oil. Day 5 and 6 were the worse days as I had bone pain in my pelvis and mid spine. Insomnia was a problem. After that it’s been ok and I still haven’t lost my her. I know it’s early days but apparently some people tolerate it well. Good luck and keep in touch 💕

I was a lot sicker during TC than I was during AC, but I was also 10 years older. No mouth ulcers or hospitalisations, but I was one crook bunny on occasions. The colony booster injection given 24 hours post chemo gave me more trouble than anything else--same story in 2006-- I found out that Loratadine helped a great deal with the bone pain. Which not everybody gets--though if I was a horse, I'd be a clydesdale and every inch of my chunky bones was screaming on days 4-7.If you are offered frozen mittens, accept them. I didn't lose my fingernails or get significant neuropathy in my hands. My feet were a different thing altogether. I actually liked the mittens as the drugs gave me hot flushes during infusion. Hang in there. MXX

I had docetaxel too and the worst side effects were bone aches, terrible taste in the mouth and mouth ulcers. It depends what dose you are on and it's different for all I guess one thing to be aware of, as things tasted so gross I stopped eating & drinking as well and so then you become weak and dehydrated so watch that! I hope you have no side effects x

Hi @Hils I have had 6 rounds of docetaxel, finished this (for now) in January.I lost all my hair, eyebrows - most of my hair on my body. The first session caused the most side effects but the others were more manageable. Even though I rinsed my mouth 4 times a day, I got mouth ulcers (Kenalog was helpful), trush in my mouth, often got UTIs (antibiotics and Ural helped), indigestion and the anti-nausea steroids kept me awake - but I would just watch tv/movies in bed - comedies were good for me ::smile: The fatigue was a little more challenging and usually any symptoms occurred in the first week post chemo and the next 2 weeks of my cycle were pretty good. I stopped work altogether after the first round of chemo though. I was also told to drink 2 litres of water every day for the first week post chemo. Pukka make a lovely organic tea - lemon, ginger and Manuka honey which was great for any nausea. Also Gin.gins ginger lollies were helpful too. Fortunately, I didn't experience any neuropathy. Now nearly 3 months post last chemo my hair is about 1cm long and eyebrows half-way grown back :) Still on Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab. Wishing you all the best with your treatment - as @Beaglemum said, you may get some side effects, but hopefully you will get none xox Good luck <3

Docetaxel side effects | BCNA Online Network

25 Replies

Hils
Member
6 years ago
Thanks for the heads up! Idont think I'm going to like this at all! Hoping that I am one of the lucky ones with out many bad side effects. I'll have to find out about the ice gloves, they will match my cold cap 😂! That neuropathy doesnt sound good. Does it go away? And will definately try the dark nail polish! 💗
Katy_Sodapop
Member
6 years ago
I had docetaxel too and the worst side effects were bone aches, terrible taste in the mouth and mouth ulcers.
It depends what dose you are on and it's different for all
I guess one thing to be aware of, as things tasted so gross I stopped eating & drinking as well and so then you become weak and dehydrated so watch that!

I hope you have no side effects x
Zoffiel
Member
6 years ago
I was a lot sicker during TC than I was during AC, but I was also 10 years older. No mouth ulcers or hospitalisations, but I was one crook bunny on occasions. The colony booster injection given 24 hours post chemo gave me more trouble than anything else--same story in 2006-- I found out that Loratadine helped a great deal with the bone pain. Which not everybody gets--though if I was a horse, I'd be a clydesdale and every inch of my chunky bones was screaming on days 4-7.
If you are offered frozen mittens, accept them. I didn't lose my fingernails or get significant neuropathy in my hands. My feet were a different thing altogether. I actually liked the mittens as the drugs gave me hot flushes during infusion. Hang in there. MXX
YellowRobin
Member
6 years ago
@Hils I think Docetaxel is different for everyone. I’m day 14 after my first dose and I have been very lucky so far. I had a headache and sore teeth the first couple of days that I couldn’t shake. A couple of mouth ulcers that went away with coconut oil. Day 5 and 6 were the worse days as I had bone pain in my pelvis and mid spine. Insomnia was a problem. After that it’s been ok and I still haven’t lost my her. I know it’s early days but apparently some people tolerate it well. Good luck and keep in touch 💕
Scaredycat
Member
6 years ago
I had 3 sessions of docetaxel. I also used a cold cap but only lost a strip of hair across the top where the cold cap didn’t contact properly. I can’t blame the docetaxel for that as it started before it.
I did end up in ED & admitted after every session. However, I am apparently one of those people 🙄 So please don’t read too much into that. I actually was admitted to hospital 5 times out of 6 chemo sessions. The first 3 chemo was FEC.
The side effects I encountered on docetaxel was severe sore mouth from the lining eroding, taste changed where I couldn’t handle anything even slightly spicy/tangy (plain 1950’s food was looking great), cordial in water was also really good as were the red jelly frogs ...... I did get neuropathy but I don’t think it was as bad as others have gotten it. My nails did change. I kept dark nail polish on my hands but not my toes. I thought they’d be safe as always in shoes. My fingernails have since recovered but not my toe nails.

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Docetaxel side effects

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