It’s good to see some postings here again and hear about everyone.
Julie,
I’m in the 2nd week after last chemo. It does take longer to get over that one. My mouth feels better and my taste is almost back to normal. To me, that was the most annoying side effect of all. I had an MRI yesterday and the nurse couldn’t find a decent vein. She had to call the vein expert nurse lol. Surgery is scheduled for August 21st or earlier during that week. Surgeon also said that surgery is a breeze after chemo. My husband will shave my head today :-). There is a layer of thin hair that never fell off and now growing in an ackward way. I prefer to have a shaved head than a fuzzy one.
wonder if you mind if I join you. I see you have been talking about the effect of chemo on nails and I think I should ask your advice. A bit of background first. I had WLE on 8 May with sentinel node plus 4 removed all clear but not clear margins so had mastectomy and reconstruction on 11th June (so Julie I will come back to you about the ops though not sure what you’re scheduled for. Let me know and I’ll give you the low down). I started my chemo last Friday, 5 weeks after mx. Still feeling pretty grim but that’s not the reson for my post.I had both my nails and toenails terated to a 3 week manicure/pedicure. Not sure if you’re familiar with htem but Nails Inc do these which basically are your own nails but with a gel (I think) based paint on them which is rock solid, they grow like mad and don’t chip. I thought thry would be brilliant for the upcoming chemo which I had vaguely heard about affecting your nails. My problem will be, I think, that they need to be replaced very 3 weeks which involves scraping at the varnish which has been soaked in acetone. This might be a bit aggressive for the state of the nails.
What do you think? Should I have it removed as soon as I feel up to heading to Guildford. Can’t believe I’m prattling about something so trivial as nailvarnish when we’re going through what we are. Apologies if anyone is offended!
By the way, my chemo will be 4 x ec followed by 4 x taxol but at 2 weekly intervals where they give me a neulasta injection to bring up my white blood cell count in time to go at it again. This has caused it’s own special problems such as flu like symptoms.
Hi Lee - sorry about your diagnosis and treatment, but you are very welcome to join us. I don’t think there is a problem with nails on the EC bit of your chemo. I’ve certainly not heard of anything. It is the tax that can affect the nail bed. My nails have been sore but have stayed in place. With chemo you don’t want to risk breaking the skin and letting in an infection, which the scraping might do. Any chance you can leave the false nails in place and they will just grow out? Sorry if that sounds stupid, but I don’t know much about false nails. Oh and no-one will be offended, nothing is trivial on this journey.
I think that if I didn’t have anything done to the nails they would just become very grown out, if you can imagine it. They’re not exactly false, just my nails with a superstrong polish on top. In fact, thinking about it, it’s probably best to leave them a little longer as then they will grow well away from the nail bed and there is less likelihood that the bed would be affected adversely.
You won’t have any problem with EC on the nails… I’m not even sure if it applies to Taxol either… Taxotere(docetaxel) is a bit harsher than Taxol. They are both Taxane chemo’s but I think Taxol(paclitaxel)doesn’t have quite so bad side effects as is more soluble in the blood stream.
I have read a few information leaflets on nails with Tax and dark nail varnish is advised to prevent UVA penetration through the nail to the whole nail bed. False nails, gels or acrylics aren’t advised due to the harsh removal and possible damage to the nail, and even when using nailvarnish remover it should be acetone free.
Sorry I can’t help on the nail issue since the Tax did not affect mine very much (just a little sore). I’m having surgery on August 21st. Any advice on that would be greatly appreciated (from anyone who have been through it too!). I will have radical modified mastectomy with most lymph nodes removed.
thanks for the help with the nails. Not entirely sure if I should ditch hem now or wait until I’m nearer the taxol, I hadn’t quite appreciated the difference between the two taxanes, not quite there yet I suppose.
Sonia I am just over 5 weeks past a mastectomy with immediate LD reconstruction, nipple retained and no flap. (Cutting edge surgeon…literally!) so my case sounds a bit different to yours perhaps? If I can be of any help please ask anything. The reconstruction threads are full of good advice.
I finished my chemo 25th Jun,had lumpectomy last week,get stitches out & results this Friday then it’ll be on to rads.I’m grade 3,triple neg.Had SNB in Feb,nodes clear.
My chemo was 4xEC 4xPaclitaxel.I was worried about my nails too,I painted them with dark polish during chemo and so far the only differences I’ve noticed are some discoloration,from halfway up on each nail looks abit yellowy orange,almost like a heavy smokers(and I never have)and some of my nails have more pronounced ridges vertically.Nails felt abit tender for a while but I still have them all,nothings dropped off!..as for my hair(or should I say lack of hair)that’s a different subject!
I wonder if trying to remove the nail gel would weaken your nails too much,you might be better off leaving it to grow out,it might even offer some protection.
I noticed you’re in the Guildford area,I’m near Esher but go to Guildford quite abit,prefer it to Kingston.Hope you’re well enough to make the London meet in August.
LGFB was FAB! Just the tonic I needed. Recommend it for everyone! Hubby took me out after as well, cinema - Harry Potter - and a meal.
Hello Lee, hope you can work out what to do with your nails. I tried using nail varnish but once my nails started detaching from the nail bed it just got too painful to use nail varnish remover.
Well there weren’t crowds where we went! Even the bean bags at the front were empty.
I agree, the goodies were brilliant. A real booster.
I am just about picked up from last chemo, it takes longer to get over each time. Still waiting to find out if I am having 7 and/or 8 or going straight to herceptin only. I may also start having treatment at home. I was quite worried about it at first, but think it will be okay. I guess it depends on the nurse that comes out and how good your veins are. I usually need a heated pad, so may have to use a hot water bottle instead!
Good to hear you’ve picked up a bit since chemo… when do you find out about how many chemo’s? it must be a pain not knowing!! I think it sounds a good idea having herceptin at home, I know what you mean about having a good nurse…but it saves you having to vist hospital every 3 weeks…I’m not looking forward to it, I get queezy driving up to mine. I just have had enough. It seems a long time till next June till I can say goodbye!!!
I have last FEC on Tuesday… Getting quite down about it already. I don’t think they’ll be able to help me with sickness, I just can’t keep anything down. So it’s doctors out to the house with injections. I just keep saying it’s my last one and I’ll feel better this time next week!!!
Fiona, sorry the FEC has been so harsh for you, nausea and sickness are awful to deal with. As you say, just tell yourself it’s the LAST one, you’ve come so far. All the best to everyone Pat x
Should find out a week Tuesday about how many more chemo. It is a pain because the children are on school holiday and we can’t make definite plans. If I have more chemo I know I won’t be up to much, but if I don’t then hopefully we can plan days out, etc.
I have quite warmed to the idea of having the treatment at home, I would still have to go to see the oncologist the day before for bloods and a consultation to make sure he is happy for the treatment to go ahead, but that won’t take as long as going in for the treatment itself.
I know what you mean about getting down. Each time my chemo has been harder to get over, mainly just the complete physical low. Where parts of my fingernails are dead they have started to break off, just leaving a small area of ‘normal’ nail. I guess I am lucky that they haven’t ripped off completely like my toenail.
I would have been on the same schedule as you but my last treatment was delayed a week because of my toenail ripping off and needing a week of antibiotics. Hope all goes well on Tuesday. Forgive me if you have said this before, but are you on Herceptin only after that?
Thought i would pop on and say hello. It seems so long since i had my last taxotere. I start rads finally this thursday (took a long time) so i got a holiday in last week to Isle of Wight with OH and kids. Weather was not too brilliant but we had a good time anyway.
About the nails, i have lost one on foot, just dropped off, didnt even feel it, looked down and it was gone. Two hand nails have broken off half way down and now appear to have two nails growing. They are a bit uncomfortable but bearable. My oncologist told me i was likely to lose the majority when she looked at them. I have been putting nail varnish on and think this is keeping them in place for longer. We shall see. i still have tingle fingers and toes.
Sorry the FEC hasnt been good for you Fiona but i think it is just cumulative and the build up of toxic substances in your body is the culprit, mine got worse right up until the end but now you are there you will start getting better gradually.
Glad you enjoyed lgfb day Snoogle, i loved it and still using the cleansing stuff. Make up not getting much use especially eye stuff. No eyelashes means that any bit of make up makes my eyes really sore the day after. I am praying they grow back soon but cant see any sign as yet.
Been for bloods today so hopefully all well for chemo tomorrow. The nurse is going to speak to doctor and pharmacy to see about getting better anti sickness onboard for me tomorrow. I can have a driver fitted, under the tounge meds or bring stronger stuff home for the doctor to administer. Still feel crap about the whole thing!!!
I’m on herceptin only after this and will start on 7th oct, till sometime May next year…I’m on the sold trial so my chemo has been back to front with fEC and Tax, don’t know if that has contributed to my sickness.
Linda, good luck for rads, I start 1st Sept. It’s good you got away on a wee holiday, makes such a difference. All my friends have jetted off to the sun, which is good for them but makes me wish it was me!! My favourite saying “there’s always next year!!”
well girls I’m off to enjoy whats left of a normal day before “the demon!!” going for a run to the coast to buy icecream and get my wig blown off (the joys of living in Scotland!).
Not had FEC so don’t know how that is for sickness. I guess you have tried all the usual suspects; ginger tea, plenty of water, etc., etc. I have two type of anti sickness tablets for the days after as well as two different antisickness infusions whilst having the chemo, one lot for the taxotere and one lot for the carboplatin. The one for taxotere I take throughout the day for three days (metaclopramide I think) and then when I need it, which is quite a lot!
I wondered why you were on herceptin for a set time period, I guess its part of the trial.
Hope you enjoyed your drive and your ice cream. A friend has just taken the kids for a couple of hours and will be giving them their tea. I would put my feet up, but I have a huge pile of ironing to do!