When on treatment 4 of my toenails went discoloured and brown ( glad it was not on my hands) I am now 8 months past treatment. I had expected them to possibly grow out and be back to normal by now. It does not seem to have happened yet. Although I knew this was a side effect of chemo I cannot see anywhere where it says it is permanent or not.
If anyone has had this happen did you get them back to normal and can you remember how long it took if they did. Not vital i know but am curious.
Tia
Fay
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Petrolhead
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It’s white and hasn’t addeared to the nail bed halfway up. I have jel nails on it to cover it up. It doesn’t bother me and it’s not loose. I’m sure in time yours will grow back. Unfortunately we are left with scars from OC. Xx
This happened to my mom with Taxol, and it made all her fingernails discolored too. I think the discoloration lasted several months, slowly resolving itself. It takes a while for the nail to regrow, etc..Everything I've read suggests these aren't permanent changes, the time just varies depending on the person, and I guess the dosage they were given.
I wonder if using something like Biotin, which promotes new hair, and nail growth may help speed up the process?
Thanks for the reply. I guess I was lucky that my fingernails were not affected. I am not very good at doing slowly 😂 I did manage the full 6 treatments and only reduced Taxol by 20% on the last one so had a hefty dose.
Unfortunately, my bad nails were both my thumbnails😳
I am 3 years after chemo and they are only just getting back to normal, but, hey ho, I am still here, living and NED. Can’t complain, have other side effects, but liveable, just trying to get on best I can,
Hi Fay my toenails are discoloured but Ihave had a few chemos, I nearly lost one by banging my toe off something but a sticking plaster for a few weeks did help me solve that, I don't really know if there is any answer but in the end I really don't mind because the bigger picture is that I am doing okay for now
Fingernails fine, but 'big' toenails still discoloured after nearly four years (and assorted) pedicures. Have to use dark polish if I want to wear sandals - not much of a problem in winter! Deb xx
My toe nails are still really odd, I finished chemo December 2014, my finger nails are ok though which is more important as they’re more visible, I think it’s just one of the many side effects of the chemo but it is possibly random as it doesn’t seem to affect everybody. I hope yours recover but there are some lovely nail polishes out there that hide a multitude of sin. ❤️Xx Jane
Four of my toe nails have gone very red as if there is blood underneath them but they don’t hurt. I cut one of the big toenails right down at the corner to see if I could squeeze it out. It wasn’t really like blood, I could only get a tiny bit out even when I poked a piece of tissue in. It was more like a liquid that happened to be a slight red. I’m hoping they don’t fall off. I’m wondering if I should drill a sewing needle in one of the others to see if I can release it. It migh help to keep them. All my fingernails have gone a slight orangey-colour a bit like nicotine smokers, but the bases of the nails have now got big white half moons, more straight lines than half moons really. Only five more Taxol to go, including one today.
What symptoms did you have before they went brown or did it happen suddenly?
I did not actually have any symptoms. I had read that it might be a possibility when researching treatment. As I usually wear polish on my toenails I do not know exactly when it started. My treatment started at the end of January (2017) and being winter did not renew it as often as I would have in the summer months. I don’t like the sound of drilling into the nail unless it is tender due to swelling under the nail.
I might do some more research to see if I can find the reason why it happens.
Very best wishes your treatment today (and in fact every time) and hope it goes well.
I know, I thought of drawing attention to the unattended pun but got side-tracked. Possibly because I thought the chemo nurse was calling my name, but alas it was nothing like mine.
HI Helen......just noticed your post about drilling a sewing needle in the affected toe nail......yikes! I would consult a podiatrist before doing that. We have to be so careful about infection, etc while our resistance is low on the chemo. Just a suggestion!
PS....maybe you were just kidding, in which case......never mind!
Hello Judy, I was serious until I realised how very little I managed to squeeze out of the one I cut down the edge, less than a pin head however hard I tried. I would have put the needle into a lighted flame to sterilise it, honest!
I've inspected them carefully this morning after yesterday's dose and they haven't got any worse. Since they don't hurt, I guess I'll leave them alone, maybe do some Internet searching for cures. I did read somewhere about not going on very long walks to protect the nails, which would disappoint me greatly but I guess it's a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.
My finger nails were like Helens, very red as if there was blood underneath them when it first happened. I had my last chemo on 14th December 2017 and up until a few weeks ago that is how they remained. Gradually over the last few weeks they have gone brown and have started lifting in a few places. I think I'm going to end up losing some of them, it's a small price to pay though in the grand scheme of things.
Gozo is lovely, it's such a shame that the Azure window collapsed, still beautiful though, hope you have a wonderful time and fingers crossed for hiking sandals!
I have my map, walk book (with the Azure Window on the front cover), bus passes, puppy booked into kennels, everything at the ready. I’ve never been to Malta but I planned it around the end of this weekly chemo without even realising Easter fell in between. We will see traditional Good Friday processions in the villages and Easter Sunday celebrations. If parts of the rocky coastline are too much for the old toenails, we can divert in land.
We had a great holiday in Malta and Gozo, we went for a week and spent most of the week on Malta, then took our hire car over on the ferry to Gozo, that was in February 2009. In February it was lovely and sunny, warm enough to get away with wearing a light fleece, but by the end of March I'm guessing it will be a bit warmer.
I bet you are really looking forward to your holiday, you must be counting the days, it'll be fantastic to see the Good Friday processions and Easter Sunday celebrations - a great time to go! Enjoy your walks.
Hi Fay, I was on Caelyx and some of my toe nails went black my big toes were the worst, one of my little toe nails fell of and has not regrown.
I did get a infection under the nail so my GP suggested Tea Tree oil in water and I socked them with good results.
My toe nails have been quite ugly for over a year now, it has been suggested on here and by my oncologist to paint the nails black, this helps to keep the sun off the nail.
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