Docetaxel vs paclitaxel?

Hi Merlin1664 sorry no one has responded to your post yet.  I don't have an answer for you as I didn't need chemo but I do think that the best person to give this advice to you would be your oncologist.  

Also by responding to your post it will bump you back up to the top of the list where someone who has been in the same boat as you might see it this time.  It might be best to also post your question on the chemotherapy thread CLICK HERE

Hi Merlin1664,

So sorry to hear that you are going through all of this while taking care of your twins. It is not easy but hey, you are nearly half way through it now.

Ten years ago I was very fearful of the SE of Docetaxel, in particular that in 3 to 6% of patients, hair does not grow back or grows back very thinly. I know someone to whom this happened, (only one of the many I met, it is true).

Anyway, I asked my oncologist about alternatives and she said that if I was willing to come to the hospital once every week for treatment, instead of once every three weeks, she could give me Paclitaxel instead. I would have gone every day if I had to!

The SE are definitely more manageable, tiredness, constipation for a few days, damaged nails, changed appetite. I walked the 5km  to the hospital, had my treatment, came home on the bus and then went for a nap, had some tea and toast and was more or less dozy for the rest of the day but not too bad the following days, able to do a moderate amount of my usual activities and by day 3 able to do some sport and then fine again until the next treatment if I took care not to overdo things. 

Over the course of the treatment I developed neuropathy that took several years to resolve. I was told it would have been even more severe if I had had Docetaxel.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Take care

Miranda

I have had 2 cycles of docetaxel after EC and whilst I have had side effects I have found it easier than the EC so far, like you I have another 2 to go. I am fatigued, have some constipation, skin spots, watery eyes, taste distortion, nose scabs, my skin feels tender, some nausea some days but I’m coping pretty well, by and large, days 4 and 5 were very tough but otherwise manageable. My hair is starting to grow back oddly enough, didn’t expect that. Hope that helps 

Interesting, I was told and also read that paclitaxel was worse for neuropathy and docetaxel worse for neutropnia. 

I have had 3 cycles of docetaxel and have to say it’s manageable due to my dose being reduced due to side effects which including neutropenic sepsis after 1 cycle and infections after each one since. I’m glad mine are done, however I have to say the support from the oncologist team is amazing and they are able to prescribe medication to combat some of the side effects which are individualised to your own needs, for me they lasted about 10 ays after the cycle and calmed down after I finished the gcsf injections.it u is s doable but you have to speak to the oncologist as not everyone gets the same side effects. 
not sure about the other drugs as my other one was FEC before the docetaxel.

Goodluck 

Sorry to hear you are having to make this decision whilst caring for your twins. I have had 3 cycles of docetaxel and have to say it’s manageable due to my dose being reduced due to side effects which including neutropenic sepsis after 1 cycle and infections after each one since. I’m glad mine are done, however I have to say the support from the oncologist team is amazing and they are able to prescribe medication to combat some of the side effects which are individualised to your own needs, for me they lasted about 10 ays after the cycle and calmed down after I finished the gcsf injections.it u is s doable but you have to speak to the oncologist as not everyone gets the same side effects. 
not sure about the other drugs as my other one was FEC before the docetaxel.

Goodluck 

Thanks. Yes I think I might ask for a lower dose straight up. My AC was lowered by 25% so maybe I am just a sensitive type :) 

Hi Merlin1664, I was under the impression they were one and the same.  Try not to worry about the side effects, everybody is different and you will be very unlikely to get all of them, or even more than a few.  But, like I said, people react differently.  I personally had an allergic reaction to the normal Paclitaxel and needed to switch to the Albumin bound one, which has a different base to it, apparently.   I was ok on this one.

You might find your taste alters.  Are you having cold-cap? 

I would use cold gloves and socks to try to limit the peripheral neuropathy. I got a bit of neuropathy as my ice packs thawed the first time. Next time I was armed with cool bag, freezer blocks and a spare set of ice packs per hour of infusion. It should be roughly one hour if you have paclitaxel every week, or 3 hours if you have it every other week. I don't know much about docetaxel but the cold gloves, socks trick helps with PN from that drug too. Someone told me to wear a tight pair of latex or similar gloves under the mitts too. If you get PN, your oncologist might reduce your dose for you. I hope it goes well, whichever. you decide to go with. 

I think paclitaxel can cause joint aches so would have paracetamol and brufen to hand in case that is one of your things. I found I had aches on the first one, but none on the next 3. And I got my taste and my brain back with paclitaxel compared with EC. I hope you find it better than EC too x