Nails

[KB-BHC]

I am 10 years out from chemo and my nails still have lines/ridges in them.  Occasionally a toe nail or finger nail will lift from the nail bed too.  I take a lot of supplements which have made my nails stronger than they were before cancer treatments (they use to be paper thin) but the ridges and lifting unfortunately remain an ongoing issue.

[Tralala]

I am so glad you got your treatment regardless of the covid. 

The rads is normally the easiest bit. It is rare to get really serious side effects or they pass in a year or 2.

I was told the s effects would appear after treatment and it was true: had rib pain in the area for almost 3 years but nothing I had to take pain relief for. (common according to this site)

On the other hand I had itching starting in the middle of it. I had had a mastectomy so there is sometimes

a flap of skin after the surgery: a bit like when your have a tight bra and the skin bulges. I was given

a cream and I spent most of the time on my bed with the patio door open (September) getting it in

the fresh air as much as possible. Strappy top pulled down covered in cream! The thing is NOT

to itch or scratch it as it can turn nasty Follow their instructions exactly and ask ask ask

It passed after a couple of weeks I have just been left with a dry patch where the boob was which

I cream as often as possible so not that bad really considering what could have happened to me

[Tralala]

According to my chiropodist this is very common. My big toe nails darkened and became loose a year later. It was 2 years before she agreed to treat me. In the meantime if you are afraid of making your nails worse use a large emery board rather than scissors to get them trim

[LouJP]

Hi LucyLump

Thank you for the encouraging email and I am glad to hear they can go back to normal - it's hard to imagine when you look at them all ridgy, brown and horrid - it really is gross isn't it and something not that easy to hide!

I am keeping them short now and just letting nature (or chemo) take its course - have decided that's all you can do with any of the side effects really.  Thankfully I only lost my tastebuds after one horrid dose of chemo (it was that dose that really kickstarted most of the worst side effects) and even more thankful I never quite lost the taste for Hagan Das salted caramel icecream - my go to treat!

My surgery is 13th July (lumpectomy and node removal) and then onto radiotherapy so as third of the way through and all through Covid and a lockdown.

Hoping you are keeping safe and as well as can be expected.

Louise

xxx

[LucyLump]

Hi LouJP, 

I finished my chemo in October last year. My nails were really painful and looked awful for several months. I remember them being bad in March. You could clearly see 6 lines on them. One for each dose of chemo. They are now back to normal though. I cut them this evening and even though I have never really been in to nails before I can't stop admiring them looking normal again. I am sure yours will get there too! Well done for finishing chemo. If you have lost your tastebuds hope they come back soon for you as well. 

Xx

[LouJP]

Hi

I had my last chemo of 6 on 2nd june 2020.

One thumb nail has already lifted and the other is going the same way so mine has happened quite quick.

I am finding it a little awkward at times as I feel bit 'fingers and thumbs' and it looks pretty horrid.

I am guessing my nails will never be the same.

Chemo really does leave its mark.

x

[LucyLump]

Hi Spud68, 

I finished chemo last October and thought I had got away with the nail thing but....Three months later nails  started breaking off and were really painful. Now back to normal so all good. Hope yours are getting better too. Xx

[Joemic]

Hi Jane

I finished chemo in Aug last year and developed deep ridges and my nails started lifting on a couple of fingers. I kept my nails short (to stop them getting snagged and lifting more) and massaged oil into them twice a day. My nail beds have fully recovered but I still have ridges although not quite as deep.

My 2 big toe nails were the same, although they didn't fully lift, they are still a bit of a mess because they take much longer to grow so can't cut the dead bits off very often.

Hope this helps a bit and hope yours recover quick.

Joemic x 😊

[Spud68]

I finished chemo in December and my nails were fine. I was told to wear dark nail varnish to help keep them strong. All of a sudden my nails have developed ridges and my thumb nail is lifting. I'm surprised this has happened so long after chemo has finished. Has this happened to anyone else and will they grow back as strong as they were. 

Many thanks