I’ve finished my chemo (last one 15th June) and had my mx (5th August), about to start rads soon. I had a lot of the usual SEs during chemo but the one that is hanging around and causing me a lot of problems even now are painful feet. Not the underside but the instep, especially where ankle straps go. It’s excruciating at times and, although I take ibuprofen and paracetamol, they only take the edge off the pain.
When I go to stand up having sat down for a while, I hobble like a woman in her 90s might. If I walk for 10 minutes of so it wears off slightly. It’s affecting my work (teaching assistant) so on my feet a lot during the day.
I was wondering if anyone else had this problem and how they managed it.
Hi FJ - Did you have taxotere? Because that can affect your feet.
I had the same problem but not as painful as yours sounds.
Just like I’d been shopping for the whole day and my feet burning.
The Instep was particulary sensitive, so have only been able to wear sensible shoes the whole time.
Nothing much you can do I don’t think. Except wear sensible shoes.
Taxotere is the brand name, Docetaxal is the generic name.
I bet your bottom dollar it’s the tax that’s doing it.
I walked like an old woman for days, all my joints were really painful too, I had to take codeine or morphine to ease the pain it was causing me.
If it is this then theres not much they can do other than give you painkillers. I found that hot water bottles on the aching parts really helped to ease the muscles up. Or if you have a heated blanket that might help.
My advice would be if you are allowed ibuprofen to exchange the tablet form for a gel that you can rub directly into your feet.Don’t take tablets and use gel together tho because the gel gets into your system through the skin so mind you count that the same as tablets in the dose you take.
Another thing that may help is arch supports, some soft gel ones may be worth a try to support those bones from underneath.
Also, one of my patients (I’m a chiropodist), was given a cream by her oncologist, sorry I dont have the name of it as I’m not at work at the moment, but apparently it costs £60 a small tube, this was a great help she said for the burning sensation you can suffer after chemo. So may be worth enquiring about that at the hospital.
Hope that may help a little,
Jude xx
Thanks again, El Katrano. I’ll definitely try a hot water bottle, I’ll try and get one tomorrow from town.
Jude, thanks for replying - I’ll get some ibroprofen gel and try that tomorrow too. I have arch supports (for plantar fasciitis) but haven’t been wearing them in sandals. I visited a chiropodist last Saturday and she did a great job sorting out my toenails which have really suffered with all the chemo. I will def ask my oncologist about the cream - thanks for the tip.