What are other people’s experiences with nail problems?
My side effects leaflet just mentions nail ridges and brittle nails. However my nails have first discoloured (toe nails have dark red/brown patches, finger nails are brighter red) and are now turning white as they lift off the nail beds. All this is causing tenderness, such that I can’t wear some of my shoes as they press on my toe nails, and household tasks are harder as anything that involves pressure on my finger tips is unpleasant.
I had my last tax on September 14 - can anyone let me know what the likely progression will be? Will I lose my nails? If so, how long till they grow back?
Also, I started on FEC - after number two I developed a line on my thumb nail - like someone has taken a black biro and a ruler and drawn a line along the middle of my nail from cuticle to tip. This was in early May, but the line is still there. Has anyone else had this?
Join the club - we seem to have identical probs - my last tax was 21 Sept. Some days they seem soooo tender, and others not too bad, but starting to look horrible. Have been rubbing in moisturiser each night, but would like to know if its safe to put on nail varnish to cover them up when I go away in later this month???
My friends sister in law lost her nails but they have grown back. She said they appear a bit thick and ridged at the mo. Her treatment finished feb.
My BC nurse told me to wear very dark nail polish throughout treatment as it is the UV that causes the problem with nails. Our leaflets tell us that our skin is photo sensitive, so it does make sense.
I have acrylic nails on too. So i think this may give added protection. Just finished my 3 x fec with no probs and am about to start tax tomorrow.
This doesn’t help you much, if you have finished your course, I know. When I asked my onc at the beginning if I would lose my nails, she looked at me like I was mad, so I wonder how common it is.
I had read previously about the dark nail varnish. I asked my onc when I started tax and he rubished the idea. He may have something tho’ - my toe nails are also affected, but I rarely go barefoot as my feet get cold. I’m nearly always in socks or slippers so I don’t see how thay could be affected by UV.
ooh Roadrunner you just burst my bubble. The UV theory goes right out the window!!
When my friend’sfinger & toe nails grew back they were and still are thick & ridgy. However i do know for a fact that you can buff the ridges out and make the nails finer. After all they are only keratin.
I think most people loose their nails when on taxatere, my onc warned me it would probly happen and it did.Nails are a good indication to your health as often if someone has a heart attack it will show up as a ridge on probly thumb (or more) nail. I lost all finger nails but only one big toe nail.
I used micro pore tape to put round fingers when loosing mine and it made life alot easier - better than plasters , it stops you from catching them on everything when they are hanging off.
Bonjour, Roadrunner
My hands are a sight for sore eyes! Except at this mo they are covered in paint as I am decorating. I am having a weekly manicure from a beautician neighbour in exchange for an hour’s English conversation. I WAS in despair after chaemo and radio - they split in both directions, cahnged colour etc; then ALL OF A SUDDEN, about six months on they “growed and growed” till they were curving over finger tips. It was amazing. I had to trim them - then Emma appeared and provided a treatment for the ridges plus her expertise with cuticle trimming etc.
Toes - eight suffered mildly - grew a sort of second layer - but this has righted itself. Big toes were black and horny (! 'scuse the expression) and hideous. Swathes of nail fell off leaving bruises and bleeding underneath but now they are a normal colour and texture and SLOWLY growing in length.
My doctor at the Institut Curie, Paris recommended the opaque nail varnish thing but A) there was not much nail to varnish and B) did not understand this as toe nails are not exposed to UV yet show worse signs.
Bisous
Shirley inFrance
Thought would just join in - hope you don’t mind. Starting Tax on Wednesday next week - got 3 x Tax and just finished 3 x FEC. Read all the stories about nails and wondering how to protect them. I have actually just put on false French Painted nails (first time ever) and wondering if should remove before starting Taxotere, or whether might help preserve them … any comments gratefully received.
Hope everyone is well today and enjoying the lovely October sunshine.
RR
Just consulted my diary - what a shock! I can see from the handwriting how very LOW I got - sigh sigh - but did seem to have very bad nails a month after taxotere and VERY GOOD nails six months later.
Dawn
Courage pour le taxo - I had three doses. I used the most opaque n varnish I could find, massaged vaseline into cuticles - but nails still suffered. BUT, as I have recounted already they are now BETTER than they have EVER been
Bisous
Shirley
I am another shirley in France! Yes, bon courage for the taxatere, i found it a doddle after FEC and your nails coming off isnt as bad as it sounds. Dont forget the nails (as is the hair) are dead but underneath the nails the skin seems to blister so lifting the nail from its bed.
By the time the nail comes off the skin underneath is healed so its not painfull only when you catch the hanging nails on something. Thats why i found micro pore tape a godsend. I really cant rememeber the timescale for loosing mine. They grew back no priblems - just wish my hair had grown back.
Just had my first Taxotere 2 weeks ago, no sign of nail damage as yet, but then it may be to early to tell from what Shirley said.
Dawn - I had acrylic nails on until I started my treatment, my best friend does nails and I loved mine. I decided to have them removed as all the filing and messing about was making them weak and having read up on Tax, thought I would give them a fighting chance…I am confused now though as some people say paint them, some not and also Muddy (I think) says she has been having Gel overlays and she has no problems. My friend tried that for me, but they kept peeling off.
It’s just another ‘feature’ of this bloody BC isn’t it…hair, nails, boobs,all the things we love hey?
Hi
I have had 4 Taxotere and nails on hands and feet are OK. As Ali said I get a gel nail manicure every 2 weeks and my nails are normal - a bit brittle when the gel is taken off to reapply but I never had good nails. - now am wondering will it happen later as I still have 2 TAC left to get.The gel does peel off but I can manage the two weeks and then it’s time for the next go. It is a bit of an extravagance but at the moment I look forward to the time when I can pamper myself just a bit. I need all the help I can get.
The gel is hardened under UV light and they are still looking really good. Had a good poke at my toes when I read this thread and they too are fine. (the dog had a funny look at me)
Husband makes fun of me - false nails (technically they aren’t) , false hair, and false boob - I’m all the genuine article!!
The girl who sits beside me at chemo is getting the same treatment as me and her nails have gone - this is her second round of chemo and I wonder does that make a difference - also in the back of my mind I wonder does it mean the drugs aren’t working - you know how our minds always wonder the worst?
I had 6 x FEC followed by 8 X Taxotere, fininshed July 2006.
I too heard the theories re dark nail polish and kept my toe nails painted black throughout.
My finger nails, like Muddy’s, were manicured and gel polished, either French or black gel, throughout treatment too.
Nails were very tender, but didn’t lose any. They were a little brittle but survived.
I had them done every 3 weeks. Wanted something to look pretty while my hair gre back.
Did lose my eyelashes and eyebrows when on tax.
Salut
Am back from my siesta .
Roadrunner - I forgot to mention that I wore the frozen gloves during Taxo. Quite a challenge and who knows whether nails would have been even worse without them!
Pineapple - cannot b’lieve there is another Shirley in France.Have you been here long? Were you treated here? Answers not obligatory of course
Au revoir
Never heard of the frozen gloves. Shirley, i have been here for 8 years in Brittany, and i had all my fantastic treatment here and have the most wonderful onc. After my rads had finished and we had a family holiday in Tenerife about 2 days later, i sent him a postcard - when i got back he phoned me to thank me for it! how sweet.
How have you found your treatment here and where abouts are you and how long?
Are there any protective gloves or nail convering that can be worn to help reduce damage to nails? My nails on FEC are very brittle, top layer peeling off etc, but have not notice anything with my toenails
Just had first Taxotere so if this is set to change, maybe there is something that can be done to protect them? A layer of sellotape! Plasters!
Anyone tried anything?
Cecelia x (completely spaced out after first Taxotere!)
1st one down, know exactly how you feel. Re. the nails, was told by my nurses that dark nail polish would not help, but I did paint my toes and they have been tons better than my fingernails. Only one toe nail going funny colour and certainly not as tender as my hands. So in hindsight I think I should have painted my hands as well. Hope this helps.
Have just finished 4 lots of tax and coming out the other side - hang in there, it is doable.
Pineapple,
I am just North of CDG airport - my village is sort of stuck on to the airport so had my treatment at the Institut marie Curie in Paris. marvelous place, beautiful caring people. The gloves are offered at the same time as the cold cap. i refused the latter as a firend had tried it and it did no good. The gloves were ok - I used them as a sort of game during the chaemo sessions. (Must pause here and digress - just watched the final scene of Dead man walking and Sean Penn was strapped in a chair with tubes of liquid being fed into his system. Remind you of anything?) the game was "See if you can keep your hands right inside for longer this time, Shirl girl?
My favourite physician is the young dishy radiology consultant who speaks good English - his mum is English.he has been extra kind - I probably remind him of his granny.
I have been here - this time around - for a year. But lived in Roissy - the opposite side of the airport from1982 - 1993 with (French) husband and daughter. We left her here when we went back to England - he wanted to die there, oddly enough. Awww - it’s a long story.
Courage ma chère Cecilia. You are very brave, Anne
Good night all
A Bientot