I started my treatment for FEC-T back in July 4 Fec 4 T. I could not manage to see the whole treatment through :(. I was ok on the fec apart from the tiredness and nausea i could cope with that, but when it came to the T omg did i suffer. The first lot i ended up in hospital with neutropenic sepsis was in isolation for 5 days. Thought it would be a one off spoke to the oncologist and my bcn they told me that i should carry on which i did and they would give me a booster injection. Guess what ended back up in hospital with the same thing. After that i decided no more me and my family could not cope with it. My last lot of T was on 2nd November but i have found out my fingernails are falling off, my knee and hip joints ache, my toenails are curling up. Has anyone else experienced this?
Hi Angii, so sorry to hear you are having a rough time. I had treatment for primary bc in 2009 and lost all my fingernails & toenails due to Tax. It was horrible, so incapacitating, I begged them at the hospital to remove all my nails as it was the half-on, half-off that was so difficult, but of course, I just had to wait until they came off one by one and then was a little more comfortable.
This is how I coped - I was given Videne, an iodine solution to soak my nails in twice a day which dried up the nail beds (which were very smelly) and was soothing. I then had ready-cut strips of mefix (you can get a roll on 'script from your GP)which I placed over the top of the nail and fingertips. This stayed on better than plasters and was easily replaceable. I bought some white cotton gloves from the chemist and a box of latex-free gloves to use for other activities to avoid having to wet my hands too much (I got some funny looks in public loos but who cares?. It was a bit of a palaver but I used to get everything ready in plastic boxes (I had some clean takeaway tubs) and soon got into a routine and it stopped me knocking the damn things every 5 mins.
Eventually they were all off and new nails were already growing and it didn’t take long before they grew back again. Hang in there, you WILL get through it. Lots of support on here so use the forum as often as you need to.
Hi Angii, I too am so sorry for all the pain you are going through, me too re pain even though the TAX has finished for me but the pain killers are a help and hot baths to soothe the aching joints. I take paracetamol/co codamol 500/30 I call thm my happy pills but I do understand, my hands and feet and left elbow are suffering so just hang in there, it will get better. Nails ----- I kept mine thr the Tax and lost them afterwards but now they are all grown back and you wouldnt know they had gone. When they fell off the new ones were already half grown underneath… I was advised to rub my nails and cuticles with almond oil it softens them lessens the pain and encourages growth. Just sending you lots of cyber hugs and let you know you are not alone. You could also try ringing the helpline I have found them invaluable to me through my BC journey. Shar xxx
Thank you so much for the invaluable advice Happyfeet. My nails are also starting to detatch from the nail bed - I had 3 tax then 3 fec, just finished the fec last week. I had hoped to scrape through but they started coming away and I am just hoping I can hang on for a week or two to let the new nails grow. I realised I was washing my hands a hundred times a day and that didn’t help. I now use latex less gloves for everything in the house, and will get some mefix to try to hold them down for as long as possible. I’ve been rubbing almond oil in all through and they were long, strong and lovely but I cut them back on the advice of my nurse and that’s when it all started. Think I may have been scratching during the night too.
Ladies, keep strong, you will get over this hellish hurdle. Lots of big hugs. Bella
Thank you all for your replies. Glad it is just not me, and this cold weather is sure not helping. Did not mind the hair loss in the summer but well now lol. At least I know there is light at the end.
I finished Fec/T chemo back in May 2011, and it’s taken 7 months for my nails to regain their strength and stop breaking, and actually I can start opening food packets without the need of scissors again.
I never did lose my nails completely, though