Boots and Mitts for Chemo to Prevent Peripheral Neuropathy

[wcochranbond]

I have read several posts here that recommend using cold pack boots and mitts to help avoid peripheral neuropathy in the hands and feet. Does anyone have recommendations regarding brands to purchase and/or how to use them?

[JamesAtlanta]

I simply put on surgical gloves and then the doctor’s office gave me a plastic bin filled with ice to put my finger tips in. You might want to just bring a small cooler of ice to use. Just keep them in the ice as long as you can...then take them out for a little bit...and then put them back in when you can. Do this for the duration of your infusion. My infusions lasted 1-hour each.

Not sure what people use for balls of feet and toes. I heard about it after my chemo - wish I’d done that, too. I had no issues with my fingers. But have some neuropathy in my feet. It does get a bit better with time.

If this is your first round of chemo, you will also have very dry skin. I recommend using a moisturizer - like Lubriderm. I read that the skin is actually our largest organ (never thought of it that way) and it makes sense to take good care of it, too.

Good luck with your treatment!

James

[BigM62]

Im on chemo round 7. Had some initial Neuropathy symptoms on round 4. Told my MO and he started giving me weekly B12 shot. Somehow that works. No more issues. I never ice, etc.

[Hazard]

I start chemo next week so this is very timely - I will look forward to seeing any other advice on this.

[Hidden]

I never used these and didn't get peripheral neuropathy.

[Sisira]

I would like to add some more things to James' recommendation. If you suck on small ice cubes during the infusion ( start 5 minutes early ), you can prevent getting mouth sores. You may keep your feet on ice pads. Some keep ice pads on the head to prevent hair loss too.

Hope you will go through well.

Sisira

[BrianF505 in reply to Sisira]

I used frozen grapes!

[vandy69]

Good Morning wcochranbond,

I just had 5th chemo on Tuesday with Docetaxel and Carboplatin and have iced my hands and feet for all sessions.

My wife and I now have our routine. Bring a wheeled ice chest full of ice, 4 frozen ice packs that you use in coolers, 4 plastic boxes that women use to store shoes,

and coverings for both hands and feet so that they do not have direct contact with ice.

On Amazon I bought mittens and foot covers that each came with insertable frozen inserts, but after first chemo session we learned that they thaw too fast and now use them without inserts only for protection of skin.

Before chemo starts, on go booties and mittens and my wife fills up the 4 containers with an frozen ice block, water, and ice cubes and the fun begins! Add ice cubes as needed and come out after Docetaxel, as Carboplatin does not cause neuropathy. Med Onc recommended daily oral 100mg of B6 as another preventive, so have been taking it for months.

So far, no issues.

Best wishes. Never Give In.

Mark, Atlanta

[summer2018suck in reply to vandy69]

thanks for the explanation. Does she wear gloves or socks so her skin doesn't have direct contact with the ice. Is it hard to tolerate the cold?

[tarhoosier]

My wife had chemo for ovarian cancer and used the Elasto-Gel gloves. They can be used on feet also as they are mitten shaped. She used on hands. withdraw from freezer and place on hands. Have another pair in freezer as gloves lose chill in ~30 minutes, replace with another pair from freezer, put first pair in freezer and continue cycle. She did not use on feet and her hands were much better than feet and she says she would use on hands and feet if there is another time.

[j-o-h-n]

to wcochranbond

I've been taking 1 Neurontin / Gabapentin 600mg (twice a day) for my peripheral neuropathy (feet), long before my Pca and I haven't received Chemo (yet).

Good Luck and Good Health.

j-o-h-n Saturday 12/23/2017 12:28 PM EST

[AlanMeyer]

As I understand it, icing works by slowing down the blood flow in the chilled area. With less blood flow there is less docetaxel or other drugs flowing through the chilled area and less damage done. You shouldn't ice any place that has suspected cancer, but areas that are often negatively affected (hands, feet, tongue) and are typically cancer free would be good targets for icing.

If I've got that right, then it really doesn't matter a bit what sort of gloves or pots and pans you use. All that matters is that the affected areas are kept cold enough for the duration of the time that the chemo drugs are active.

Sisira mentioned hearing about ice packs on the head to preserve hair. I never heard about that before but it sounds intriguing.

Alan

[tallguy2]

I never used these...just used ice during the chemo treatment.

Good luck and good fight!

[Battle_on]

We bought hand, feet, and head gel pack type units off Amazon for under $100 for all of them. Hubby had no neuropathy and most of his head hair after 6 rounds of docetaxel. The oximeter wouldn’t read his oxygen levels until his hand warmed up, so slight delay after chemo if the nurse is picky about recording a reading. I think every cancer center should provide these or at least tell patients about them.