Hi All 
I’ve started getting creeping black colour coming up from the nail beds on my 2 big toenails (nowhere else yet), this seems to have happened overnight.
I’m not too bothered about it looks wise really (apart from not being able to wear summer shoes now, on those rare days) but I’m concerned that they feel sensitive to the touch.
Do they end up hurting or making it hard to walk? I hope not! Please be honest anyone who has had this happen, I’d rather prepare for the worst than have things take me by surprise.
I’ve not taken my nail polish off on my fingers yet but need to today as they need re-doing, hope they aren’t going to be black, because they’ve felt more seneitive too over the last few days.
Only 2 more Taxotere to do then I’m through with Chemo - THANK GOD!!!
Hi el Kat
I had this with FEC, my two big toenails started going black, just around the half moon area. They hurt a little, but nothing drastic, and as long as I wore summer open toed sandals or flip-flops they were fine. I kept them varnished in a colour dark enough to hide the discolouration.
I couldn’t wear anything that rubbed against my toenails (plimsole type rubber-toed sneakers) though.
2 months on, and one of my toenails is still black, but doesn’t hurt. The other is black, and only attached to my toe at the base and sides of the nail, underneath is quite hollow. It doesn’t hurt at all.
I just have to be a bit careful with it as I got some kind of infection under the nail a while ago, so now I aim a squirt of antiseptic under the nail every morning. Seems to do the trick.
hi
I had tax July 2009 and am still suffering with both my big toes.They are both still numb and now a horrible grey colour,previously black.After treatment all my toes were numb.
I have spent a fortune on shoes in the last 2 years and the only shoes I know I can wear without problems are Hotters. half a size bigger.Problem is they start at £50.
Originally all my toes were like that,no-one told me about painting a dark colour (only read about that on the forum too late),but now it is just the big toes so things do improve.In my case seems to be taking a long time.I did paint them with antiseptic for nails which I purchased in Holland and Barrett and it did help a little-just did not persevere with it.
Hope yours improve soon.Other people I have spoken too found their toes improved quickly.Guess I have just been unlucky.As my finger nails were not affected it was not as bad as it could have been.
L x
Just remembered it was tea tree I used and it was quite soothing.
Hi Kat,
as always I will be totally honest about MY experience, but please keep in mind not everyone experiences the same ses,
I had my last tax, of 6, on royal wedding day, for about a week my fingernails just looked as if the half moon had got bigger, then ridges formed, my middle finger and ring finger on my right hand were the worst, so sore I couldnt bear to touch them, and they were swollen to about 3x the size they are normally, full of blood, I went to the hospital but they couldnt do anything because I was neutopenic and they wouldnt risk infection, they stayed like this for about 10 days and finally burst, thus releasing the pressure, which was a great relief I can tell you, all my finger nails and my thumb nails are now almost off, they are at present coming off from the nail beds and the tips, just last week I noticed my big toe on my left foot was numb, that toe nail is now falling off, turning like a dark bruised colour,
I find it odd when I first try to walk because it does feel really weird, at the moment it isnt painful,
I have spoken to a lot of ladies who have had tax, and as yet I havent met one that hasnt been affected in this way, thats not to say that everyone experiences this, but unfortunately it would appear that there are a fair few of us.
keep us posted, keep on in there,
love Liz xxx
Thanks Liz - I do always bear in mind that everyones different. I like to hear worse case scenarios as well as best case.
Sounds awful, you’ve not had any luck with SEs either have you! NOt fans of Taxotere are we? 
As long as they aren’t really painful I can “cope” with them looking ugly. Getting used to being robbed of all glamour!
I hate the idea of it being too painful to walk.
I just hate feeling so unfeminine at the moment, I’ve never been a flowery girly girl, but I hate having no hair, looking pale and pasty, having scarred boob and all that goes with this. I just don’t think I look nice at all at the moment, good job I’ve got high self esteem and confidence in general as otherwise it could completely destroy me.
I kept finger and toenails painted throughout chemo-when they needed redoing I did it in a very dim light and very quickly-just touching up the paint when possible.I lost one big toenail-it just dropped off about a month after last tax.All my nails became thickened and ridged but stayed on and soon grew normal post chemo.Now,over 4 years post chemo I still have slight but definite numbness in all my fingers and toes.It is not usually painful except after a lot of walking/standing.I also found that my eyebrows never grew back.
Good Luck
Valxx
hi elkatrano, i too kept my nails painted dark and have lost one big toenail, finished that chemo in march and just lost nail, other nails looked slightly detached and not black but taintd but are still holding on well xxx
I’ve been using frozen gloves/frozen ice for nails on hands and feet through TAX chemo sessions. One more chemo to go and so far so good. Little bit of blackness and tenderness in both big toenails but nothing too worrying so far, and no tingling/loss of sensation so far.
Ann x
Hi Elkatrino - I am like you and would rather have worse case scenario then anything not as bad is bonus - I def would rather have TAX than FEC - on both my nails are abs fine - I have finished chemo now, had 3 of each. Last tax was 2 weeks and 1 day ago (count down to next weds when would have next tax so when past that is a milestone for me and can get to week 4!) my nails are long an strong as ever despite tax - I have had some tingling in my finger nails not toes but only aftr tax 3 and nothing else re nails. i paint them dark, have taken polish off in between to touch up, always dark colour and in dim light - i moisturise them regualary throughout the day plus the excess oil that i put on my head (almond oil - hair growing good dark and strong) the excess i rub into nails, plus when having chemo put my nails in ice -used peas, ice pack whatever, dont know whether would have been ok without all of this but certaintly my nails are living proof that not all bad for nails - i know they still may go discoloured or something but so far so good - lots of love Shar xx
Hi Elkatrino - I am like you and would rather have worse case scenario then anything not as bad is bonus - I def would rather have TAX than FEC - on both my nails are abs fine - I have finished chemo now, had 3 of each. Last tax was 2 weeks and 1 day ago (count down to next weds when would have next tax so when past that is a milestone for me and can get to week 4!) my nails are long an strong as ever despite tax - I have had some tingling in my finger nails not toes but only aftr tax 3 and nothing else re nails. i paint them dark, have taken polish off in between to touch up, always dark colour and in dim light - i moisturise them regualary throughout the day plus the excess oil that i put on my head (almond oil - hair growing good dark and strong) the excess i rub into nails, plus when having chemo put my nails in ice -used peas, ice pack whatever, dont know whether would have been ok without all of this but certaintly my nails are living proof that not all bad for nails - i know they still may go discoloured or something but so far so good - lots of love Shar xx
HI Silvershar - that’s good news
I didn’t paint my toenails as I hate my toes and also because I’m too big to get to them - whoops
So far the blackness hasn’t spread any further than when it orginally came up, and no other nails been involved thank god.
I only exposed my toenails to sun for 1 day when it was boiling hot, I forgot about no UV.
My fingernails have been painted darkly and thickly for a month before Tax and I’ve had no probs with them at all except some soreness when touching them but no ridging, no blackening.
I’ve also so far not lost my eyebrows or eyelashes, the bottom row of eyelashes on one side is thinner but only noticable to me I think. I haven’t worn any eye make-up at all because I’m scared of putting chemicals on them an weakening them.
It’s all horrible isn’t it, none of us want to be here!
I painted my nails pink yesterday, not very well and it’s all chipped. Now they look like pink Mc Coys crisps!
Elttiks - Oh dear, ha ha, I’m the same with chipping mine all the time, I must have 4 coats of polish on at the moment as every time I chip I patch it up, I’m only stripping them completely and doing again once a week if that!
Are u putting a base coat and top coat aswell to help prevent chipping… just a thought xhugsssxxx
Oooh, it could also be that the varnish is five years old too, lol. You are chatting with the most unfemineine of females :o)
ah dont be hard on yrself ettliks, i bet if you get some more varnish, i used some collection 2000 up to max factor but def feel its the base and top coat esp to seal the varnish in place, it really is so worth it.lots of love and pos thoughts to u xxxx