Diclofenac for neuropathy/HFS caused by Xeloda

[Lna21]

hello everyone

I suffer from hand and foot syndrome and neuropathy so I have been looking for ways to ease the pain. I have been on Doxil (IV chemo every 4 weeks, Doxorubicin) since June 2023 and the pain has been hard physically and emotionally.

Yesterday my oncologist’s nurse practitioner mentioned Diclofenac helps with neuropathy/HFS caused by Xeloda (which I already had in 2021). I tried to look up if it was the same for Doxil but couldn’t find any info. Have any of you found anything please?

here find enclosed an article:

breastcancer.org/research-n...

Helen

[fancydog]

Very encouraging! Thanks for sharing👍😀

[PJBinMI]

Thanks for the link to that article. It mentions Celebrex as something that can help the pain. I've been on Celebrex for years, decades really, and if I have to stop it for a few days, I get more pain. It was prescribed for me for arthritis pain in my left wrist after a fall. Ask about trying it. My cardiologist is okay with my use of it. aI take 200 mg in the morning. I also sometimes need to tale acetaminophen (Tylenol) later in the day. It's the OTC pain med my onc is most comfortable with my using. I hope you find something that helps! We don't need pain on top of all the other stuff that comes with cancer!

[Split]

The article talks about preventing to some degree HFS but it does not mention it can help us who already have this syndrome which after taking xeloda never went away only improved to a greater or lesser degree.

[awesome4ever]

Helen the effectiveness of using topical diclofenac (Voltaren) for neuropathy has been known for years. It has just really hit the news again recently when it was tried on patients taking Xeloda. So absolutely it can be beneficial if you have neuropathy caused by any chemotherapy drug. However of course with all things it doesn't work for everyone so it is not a miracle treatment. Voltaren is an NSAID so it makes sense that it would work. Always check with your oncologist though as not everyone can use NSAID's. Personally when I move on to an agent that can cause neuropathy I will be including topical Voltaren as part of my routine. Here's a few links to it being studied by anesthesiology leading back to 2015 and there have been clinical trials completed studying the effect of this gel/cream on knee pain and the neuropathy that is associated with it. There is tons of literature to support it's use. Take care.

pubs.asahq.org/anesthesiolo...

consultant360.com/story/top...

[Widdershins3]

I use the gel twice daily, but the redness and open cracks on my fingers and feet continue. They're less extensive than they were when I just used a 40% urea cream, but I'd say 4-5 days out of each week, I have quite a bit of pain. The only way I can stand it is to also apply a 4% lidocaine gel.

What's odd is that at first the cream and later gel worked--the foot/hand syndrome disappeared completely. But when it returned, it was awful.

My oncologist has reduced my dosage a bit, but today I have 2 deep, bleeding cracks--one on my heel and one on my right thumb. I'm not sure if I can live like this, but with the lidocaine the pain is controlled. Mostly.

I'm beginning to hate Xeloda.

[awesome4ever in reply to Widdershins3]

I'm sorry you are experiencing so much pain. Please be advised that Voltaren gel should not be applied to areas with broken skin though. It should say that right on the instructional pamphlet. It is probably what is making your skin so angry. Sorry.

[Widdershins3 in reply to awesome4ever]

OMG-- I did miss that completely when I read the long instruction sheet! So thank you for the heads-up. I really appreciate it. I'll get out the 40% urea cream and use it until the cracks and irritation heal. Have you heard of anything that IS healing for inflammation and open sores? I've read and read online, but no luck so far....

[awesome4ever in reply to Widdershins3]

What I would recommend is to keep it simple. Buy some gel socks and apply Vaseline liberally to the areas that are broken. Avoid friction to the areas and then when you get back to using your 40% urea cream(great choice) apply the cream to feet and then wrap in saran wrap before putting loose cotton socks on and sleep with them on during the night if you can. I would also use the urea cream on the hands and again wear cotton gloves during the night. Avoid hot water but soak your hands and feet once day in cool water for 20 to 30 minutes. Remember Xeloda is usually a marathon not a sprint and can be a long term treatment so we have to find ways to make it work for us. Take care.

[Widdershins3 in reply to awesome4ever]

Thank you! I just found some soft silicone fingertip covers and I'd gotten some gel low socks for my feet that I wasn't wearing. I'll get 'em out today. Also, I found that Aquaphor closes those nasty heel cracks even faster than plain vaseline. Need to stock up on that plus other kinds of flexible bandages. I've got to get healed enough to walk again. I miss my walks so much! That's always been my favorite form of exercise.

And thank you for the way of looking at Xeloda. I literally cried when a potentially fatal side effect took Enhertu away from me. No other side-effects, real hope for a future and my cancer numbers just plummeted. It was terribly hard giving it up. I've got to adjust to Xeloda.

[awesome4ever in reply to Widdershins3]

You are most welcome. Aquaphor is wonderful and it has the Vaseline but also other oils like mineral, lanolin and glycerin. It also contains a small amount of alcohol which can be drying but it's low on the ingredient list. Seems like you are all set to kick these side effects in the butt and embrace Xeloda. I hope it works a long time for you. I understand how you feel about having to give up a treatment that had no side effects. I felt the same way when my Ibrance and Letrozole failed a few months ago after being on it for 5 years. My current treatment hasn't been as easy to adjust to but I am finally getting into a good routine of it. Good luck.

[PJBinMI in reply to Widdershins3]

I've found cheap cotton gloves on Amazon. I wear them to sleep in, after gooping up my hands alot. I launder them in the mesh sacks that I have to launder bras and other things that can get tangled badly or damaged in the washing machine. I hang dry them. I think they cost under $10 for about six pairs.

[PJBinMI in reply to Widdershins3]

Decades ago. one of my very conservative doctors told me that vitamin E oil helps skin heal. I've used in on healing incisions, and cracked skin. It's worked well for me. It's available on-line as well as in some drug stores. A little goes a long way!

[Widdershins3]

I'd forgotten vitamin E oil--! Will pick some up today. Thank you