Thinking Of Stopping Docetaxil

I’m on the dreaded Docetaxel and Carboplatin which I hate it with a passion.  I will also be speaking on Wed (2nd chem) to staff about continuing. For 12 days after first chemo I felt like a donkey had trampled on me!! indigestion, nose bleeds, tender head, diarrhoea, constipation, grim taste in mouth, to name a few BUT, the last 8 days have been ‘good’ (I’m still not ME) but it’s better. Next chemo on 4th May so I’m dreading the ‘here we go again!!’ Also my temp dropped to 35 degrees which saw me in A&E for the day while they diagnosed….constipation!! It’s all such fun..with a capital F!! Really hope you get something sorted soon.  Treatment is worse than the diagnosis I feel!

Oh no, poor you! It’s awful isn’t it! My next is due on 12th May, when I briefly spoke to breast nurse last week, she mentioned “reduced dose”, so that may be an option. I hope you fair better on the next one, I’ve heard that sometimes the subsequent ones are a little easier; who knows. Be interested to hear how you get on…..  best of luck and everything else xx.  Oooh almost forgot, are you on Filgrasim as well, that’s a whole new fresh hell on its own  xx

Hi Mazz My profile has treament diary on if you want to read just click on my name .

We all react differently and as such our plans are different so certainly discuss with your team about changing but be guided by your onco .

As soon as my onco saw my history of bowel problems ….diverticular resulting in a resection 15 yr prior …. With some colitis ,she changed my plan .

Original was EC x3 then docetaxil x3  it was changed to EC x 6 

EC was very cumlative SE with first 3 improvement would be around day 10 to 15 then a good week 10 days before next cycle . After no.4 SE lasted longer and a bit more disruptive .  I was offered a swap at that point to a 12 weekly course of anther chemo . I decided to continue with EC 

It did get tougher ie fewer good days in the 21 day cycle so no 5 delayed by week ( bloods were fine just felt rough )Onco offered to stop there but I’m stubborn …. no. 6 was also delayed by week . It then took about two months to feel like it was getting out of system .

As I said earlier this was my plan and how my body reacted it could be different for you . 
I had to drink lots of extra fluid as EC was very dehydrating for me causing problems with nails skin etc .

For me it was worth it and was tough but doable …so ask the question but it does depend on what is needed for you as an individual 

Do post the result of your discussion so others know 

best wishes with rest of treatment 

Thanks for you response, I will indeed keep you posted on the outcome. My tumour was positive for both hormones (8), HER negative, no nodes affected. I had a left sided mastectomy and am due 15 radiotherapy sessions followed by hormone pills for however long they decide. So I am just feeling that missing two rounds of chemo shouldn’t make too much difference to the outcome (wishful thinking). I am otherwise very healthy quite fit with a positive attitude and I want to stay that way and I feel like this chemo is taking more than it’s giving! Looking at the stats and my individual situation I run as much risk of creating health problems (due to toxicity) as I do of curing any that may or not exist……. It really is a mind blower! I know nobody can  tell me what to do, but it’s nice to have you ladies to vent t o and discuss with. Thanks  xx

Yes how much do I love those injections??!! If it wasn’t for the steroids I don’t know how we’d cope!  Bless you..looks as tho we’re currently travelling the same road…on 12th I’m having kidney check with the dreaded nuclear medicine..I love my social diary!! Will watch for you comments Mazz! X

Thanks Tavares, seems we are indeed in a similar situation! It’ll pass though . Kidney check with nuclear medicine? OMG that sounds like a whole new level of this nonsense! Hope it goes well and you get good feed back! Keep us posted  xxxx

Just quickly Mazz, what breed is your dog. I have a rescue chihuahua , my right hand girl!

He’s a husky crossed with a lurcher! He’s the sweetest thing. Got to love the dogs, they make us get up and move  xx

The main alternative you may get offered to docetaxel is paclitaxel, which can be given weekly in smaller doses.  It’s normally easier to tolerate, but does require you to go into hospital twice every week.  You should possibly discuss the relative benefits and bowel impacts of either more EC or the paclitaxel when you get to see the nurse, hopefully you can be given something that works better for you.

They might change you over to paclitaxel - a similar class of drug with its own "gifts" but you may well tolerate it better. You may have had the max dose of EC. I am sorry to hear that you had a tough time and hope you can find a drug you can tolerate better. If you give your chemo nurses the heads up, you should be able to see your oncologist asap to discuss changes. xx