By CL

After hearing others experiences of Taxotere and ‘googling’, I knew that 6 cycles of Taxotere would be challenging.

I had most side effects going but not all every cycle and some only once...

I didn't get the bone ache or muscle pain but did get:

Hair loss – totally gone after 3weeks (before 2nd cycle) – washed head in aqueous cream

Insomnia due to steroids – was prescribed sleeping tablets for days 1-6 each cycle

Palmar Planter syndrome hands and feet (quite bad) but it's bearable, feet feel numb all the time and hands very sore and skin peeling - cycle 4/5/6 –prescribed steroid cream and kept them moisturised -

Diahorrea - cycle 1/2/3/5 and 6 – prescribed Loparamide

Constipation - cycle 4

Thrush in mouth and under arms, bottom and under breast prescribed Nistan and Difflam for my mouth, Canestan and Bepanthan nappy cream for all other areas – it worked!!

Fatigue - every cycle but mainly when my immune was low

Lack of taste...or even worse salty/metallic taste - every cycle

Ridged nails - from cycle 1 onwards – no nails lost but I do have them painted a very dark colour which is said to help

Oedema - of feet and hands - cycle 4/5/6 - on water tablets

Bad reflux - cycle 1/2/3 but given tablets and it's been gone since cycle 4

The best thing to do is to be prepared for the worse and then it may not be that bad.

I had no sickness and no mouth ulcers