Docetaxel v paxitaxol

I am so glad you have asked this, as I have had one  cycle of EC Then cycle 5 will be docetaxal. I get the impression it's tougher than EC I was going to ask oncologist at review if any chance of swapping to paxitaxol x

I’m thinking of asking this too as it’s worrying me , although I’ve no idea when I will get to speak to my oncologist again. How often do they do reviews? 

I'm still new at this but at my hospital...they do a face to face review just before 2nd cycle to see if anything needs tweaking and to get results of any scans....I've had heart scan and mri...after that he said it may via telephone.  but everything is subject to change.. I'm on day 9 now of ist ec chemo. how did you find it. I haven't been tired I thought it would knock me out..but I can't sleep can't turn mind off. apart from flushes I have caught the most horrendous cold n cough but no temp. this seems worse than the chemo! x

Hey, I have just finished chemo.....3 EC and 3 Docetaxel. The oncologist said Docetaxel was worse so I had been dreading it but honestly I found EC much worse. Iv had no sickness with Docetaxel, though I havnt had an appetite and have had recurring thrush each cycle - nurses ensured I had antibiotics after first flair up. I'm tired and not sleeping due to steroids but didn't feel quite so exhausted as I did with EC. I have cold capped and it has worked really well for me. I do think you lose more hair with Docetaxel,  my brows and lashes are non existent. Stay strong you can get through this!!! Xxx

Oh dear , I do hope you soon feel better, it’s always a worry picking anything up whilst on chemo. 
I had my first infusion on 28th jan so probably about same time as you. First  2days had headache but think that may be after effects of cold cap, felt a bit nauseous for one day but other than that just feel a bit weak at times so been lucky so far . Oh and a bit of constipation which the nurse warned me about . Keeping my fingers crossed regarding other side effects.just mastered the art of self injecting, which isn’t much fun. My oncologist rang today but it was regarding having a pic line fitted as the first attempt failed . 

just shows no one really knows how they will be affected.  no hair loss yet for me and no taste changes but expecting anything and everything  x  personally I think my brain is still processing everything but I'd like it to stop! I've always been a sensitive worrier even though gets me nowhere x

Hi Lfc74

So pleased you had good results with the cold cap, my hair isn’t very thick to start with and I don’t think the nurse wet it enough, I’ve read it has to be more than just damp so am worried I will get the big loss soon. 
Sounds like you had it pretty bad with Doxetaxel . I’ve not been too bad with this first EC but it’s early days so best not count my chickens yet .

Hi. Sorry to hear you have got such a rotten cold - chemo on its own is enough to deal with. Hopefully you’ll feel better soon. 
I finished 3 x EC and 3 x Docetaxol, end of October. I definitely found the Docetaxol a breeze compared to EC and even it was nothing like I was expecting. So hopefully you’ll be the same. When discussing Chemo with my oncologist she, very abruptly, told me I could cold cap - ‘but it won’t work’ - I was devastated as at 74 I still had luscious shoulder length natural dark red wavy hair. Obviously I therefore didn’t cold cap. Towards the end of my Docetaxol my red hair started to grow back again and I was so chuffed, however at end of December I started on letrozole and within a week my hair all fell out. Now coming back in very slowly and white at the front and dark grey at the back. Eyebrows and eyelashes growing too - as well as copious amounts of hair all over my face - and eyelids! Pity hair on head wouldn’t grow as quickly. 
Reading what I have on this site. I definitely feel we should be getting more information and given choices. 
Keep your chin up! Xx

• I’m also a worrier and overthink everything so I know how you feel. I think a lot of this chemo stuff is worrying what could or might happen. Hopefully we will get through this without too many bad side effects. Hope you have someone looking after you hev999.

I wasn't offered a choice but my understanding was if I couldn't tolerate the three weekly docetaxel then I would have weekly pacitaxol. Everyone is different and I tried to take each day as it came, some days I felt bad but then woke feeling great! I'm glad it's done and it will pass quicker than you think. I saw BC nurse on Wed as I have more surgery end of Feb and she said she would of thought I was several weeks further on as iv kept most of my hair (and put make up on). Today hasn't been so good but hopefully tomorrow will be better xxx