Neuropathy — tingling or numbness in the fingers and toes — is a
distinct side effect of taxanes. According to Bhat, it is seen most
often in patients who receive this type of chemotherapy for longer than
12 weeks. Patients are asked to keep watch for this and report it to
their oncology teams if they begin to experience it, as the dose may be
reduced, or treatment may be stopped earlier to minimize the risk of
long-term neuropathy.
“I would really watch for neuropathy in these people, because, if it
goes beyond a certain grade, then it usually becomes permanent,” Bhat
says. “Once we know a patient is developing it, we dose adjust and cut
back.”
She also recommends managing neuropathy with anti-seizure medications
such as Neurontin (gabapentin) and Lyrica (pregabalin), which can help
with nerve pain. Patients can take B complex vitamins, too, although
this needs more study.
Short-term side effects of taxane chemotherapy use include rash and hair
loss, but neither is usually permanent. “For most of these short-term
side effects, we have more supportive care that we didn’t have 10 years
ago,” Bhat says
Neuropathy. One of the agents used in my chemotherapy, Taxol, is
known to cause neuropathy in the hands and feet, as well as nail
discoloration and loss. Dr. Litton suggested holding ice in my hands
during chemotherapy because it constricts the blood vessels, reducing
the amount of chemo drugs flowing into that area. And it helped. When I
arrived for treatment, I would ask my nurses to put ice in the rubber
examination gloves before giving me the Taxol. I would cup the gloves in
my hands while the drug was flowing until it became too cold and put
them down, then repeat the process until the infusion was completed. As a
result, I have only mild residual nerve pain in my hands. I also had
nail discoloration, which resolved over time, but no nail loss.
I've been preaching about icing your hands and feet during Taxol to avoid neuropathy for almost 11 years. In 2009 I did dose sense Taxol - high dose x4 every two weeks. #1 tip - don't do that, do lower dose x12 weekly - which I did in 2016, less chance of neuropathy. My first dose dense Taxol in 2009 my fingers went so numb I couldn't open a sliding door with them. My Dr had me do ice baths on my hands and feet for the rest of my treatments and I had no more neuropathy. What I got from the first dose faded over time. My second go round, the 12 weekly, I did the ice baths from first dose. I was doing fine. Neuropathy wise anyway, but I got quite chemo sick. Around dose 5 or 6 I got a nurse that said she didn't like messing with the ice baths, she did ice packs and it worked just as well. I was too sick to argue.... The bottoms of my feet went numb. Switched back to ice baths and no more neuropathy. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but it does work for some so worth trying, since neuropathy can be permanent. MD Anderson does it, as does my local outstanding facility UT Southwestern.
It is truly simple - no hassle for anyone especially the nurses. Fill a bedpan for your feet, and an emesis basin for your hands with crushed or regular ice and water. Put on 2 pair of Surgical gloves on your hands, two baggies over your feet. Don't start until they start the Taxol infusion (after the pre-meds, steroids, anti-nausea, benadryl) Plunge your hands and feet in the ice water until it starts to hurt, pull out for a couple minutes then back in. The infusion is less than 2 hours. It can really work!! Simple, if your nurse gives you push back demand another nurse - seriously. Good luck!
IDC, 2.2 cm, Stage IIb,lumpectomy 1/30/09 ACx4,Tx4 36 rads 6/1/16 Local recurrence same breast, same spot 1.8cm Carb.4x every 3 wks, Taxol 12x once wk. Dbl Mast. PCR!! Reconstruction fail, NED!
What helps me is wearing comfortable sneakers and keeping my hands and feet lotion. My doctor just stopped my treatment because of the tingling. I had 5 treatments, the lump is gone so the 12 treatments were not needed. I go for MRI next week, I meet with the surgeon afterwards.
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