[Louise O'Brien]

I don't want to sound like a wimp because I know some of this has to be tolerated - I'm just wondering if this is normal.

I just had my first dose of docetaxel four days ago - and I am feeling spectacularly lousy. I was told this drug would be easier to tolerate than the FEC I was on (although I was also told everyone is different.) I tolerated the first FEC treatments reasonably well although days 4 & 5 were no picnic. I never got sick.

I have the worst headache and and the worst case of muscle aches - in my back, legs and especially in my neck. It's a really stiff neck and it's brutal. I can barely move my head. I don't have a fever - and so far don't have any symptoms of neuropathy. I have some shortness of breath but it is not severe and for the first time I am experiencing overwhelming fatigue. I have no fever and I am not nauseus although I have stomache pain. Maybe I was spoiled before - for the first three treatments - my blood counts remained normal.

I'm going to call them tomorrow - and again, I'm sorry. I don't mean to sound like a complainer when I know everyone has gone through something like this. I just don't know when the norm crosses over into something that might be more concerning.

I have a hseet that lists all the side effects - dividing them into more common, less common and rare - and it seems like the muscle aches fall into the latter two.