Toenail!

[Vic1970]

Hi all,has anyone got any tales of toenails?My big toenail is a bit wobbly and I have a bit of infection underneath,I phoned my cancer centre to ask what to do and they don't seem to think it's a big problem.I can go to my gp on Monday,just wondering if you ladies have any thoughts? I have been soaking my feet but it's probably too late,it doesn't hurt that much but it definitely doesn't feel right,I keep looking online at foot problems and I have made myself feel sick by looking at horrible pictures,yuk!I'm booking myself in for a pedicure as soon as I finish my chemo!best wishes to you all.Vic. xx.

[vwel]

Hey, sounds painful! During docetaxel part of my chemo I was advised to wear dark nail polish at all times on fingers and toes...it seemed to really help but they were still super sore. If you're still on chemo, is it advisable to go to a&e/ a walk in centre today to get it looked at if its infected? Know prob not the places you want to go on such a sunny day! Much love,xxx

[Vic1970 in reply to vwel]

Yes I did think of walk in centre but I don't feel well enough for a 3 hour wait which is the norm at my local centre,it's not too painful yet,I'll try and wait till monday.I just finished my 4th round of fec and start docetaxl next Tuesday, I very had a bad time with sickness so I hope the next treatment not so bad but different effects they tell me,how did you find It?

[vwel in reply to Vic1970]

hey, if you go to a&e they have to see you immediately (just flash your red book and the doors will open) so that you're not waiting. i don't know if it's the same for the walk in centre. I found that there was no nausea with docetaxel just a bit achy from day 4 of each cycle. so in some ways easier than fec (good that you can now tell it to fec off). it was docetaxel that I was advised to paint my nails for. take care my lovely and wishing you all the best for tuesday.xxx

[Vic1970 in reply to vwel]

Thanks,I'll try that at walk in.Me and my sister who takes me for my treatment think it's hilarious how the nurses say fec all the time with a straight face-we re always sniggering-very childish for 40 somethings!☺

[vwel in reply to Vic1970]

I guess try and if it doesn't work then you can decide if you want to wait it out there or wait til Monday. Ha ha! Yep, I just think of Father Ted! Xxx

[Hedgesaw in reply to vwel]

I wore black nail polish on my finger and toe nails throughout my entire chemotherapy treatment. My nails were great and although some of the nail beds had lifted by the end of my docetaxal phase I was feeling smug and pleased that I had "got away with it". Anyway, one week after end of treatment I reverted back to plain nail polish. I used a quality product from OPI called Nail Envy and was pleased with the results for a few weeks. However, chemo being so invasive my problems started after that. Over the course of a couple of months I lost all my finger and toe nails. My feet became so painful with neuropathy and the nails took ages to grow, especially toe nails. I was devastated as I coped with hair loss but really felt the impact of nail loss. Anyway, I actually wonder if this happened because I stopped wearing black polish too soon and had not appreciated just how long the chemotherapy would take to clear my system. One of life's unanswered questions I am afraid but I do wonder if I had protected my nails with black polish for a further couple of months if I would have got different results. I was so relieved to have "finished" chemotherapy and get back to normal but if I had to do it all again, I would certainly consider extending the use of black nail polish well beyond chemotherapy end date. Hope this helps but even now my nails have grown back they do flake a bit and I still can't clear the neuropathy from my feet. Overall, I am still pleased to still be here and be able to "complain" about drug side effects!

[Vic1970 in reply to Hedgesaw]

ooer,sounds a bit grim.I have never worn nail varnish on my hands because I am a chef so it's all new to me this nail thing.my fingernails look ok so far and it's only my big toe that's bothering me.Iv got some dark varnish on the way from next door Avon lady.To be honest now I don't feel sick all the time I am not that bothered about anything else (I'm on my ok week before next treatment),but thankyou so much for the info.Fingers(and toes) crossed!good luck and best wishes.luv Vicky.☺

[Maz1965]

Hi, I had Fec-t and was advised to wear dark nail polish. Unfortunately i still lost all my finger and toenails. I kept them covered up as they started to get wobbly. I also kept them clean and used savlon on them to try and keep them infection free. My fingers looked like a rack of lamb with the frilly paper hats!!!!! 😀

Phone your breast cancer nurse or go to your doctor.

Good luck with the rest of your treatment. You may need to get approval from oncologist to get a pedicure as some beauticians will be wary.

X

[Vic1970 in reply to Maz1965]

Thanks,we have a fab wig and beauty salon at North Staffordshire cancer centre,it's a charity run service called fresh hair and is run by lovely glamourous ladies who are all proper beauticians many of them are expatients.They are all volunteers and do a fantastic job of matching and fitting you with a wig,they also give you free treatment with your wig,and only ask for a donation.

sorry I have gone on about it a bit but it is an absolutely amazing place just like a normal salon,dead modern and they sell great stuff that is all fine for cancer patients (cosmetics and stuff),anyway I have given them a plug.

I will wait till next lots of chemo is done before I go for a pedicure there,just something to look forward to eh?luv Vicky.☺

[Maz1965 in reply to Vic1970]

We all need things to look forward too... Now is the time to look after yourself. We have CLAN and a Maggies Centre in aberdeen... They do a fantastic job. I go regularly yo Clan for reflexology and that is my time to forget about it all.

Good luck with the rest ir your treatment xx

[rebeccatd_4]

I've just finished chemo & have the same- bathe feet in water with tea tree oil as its antibacterial, use oncolife nail drops, take biotin vitamins for hair & nails, & eat jelly cubes which are good for nails. I picked all these tips up, but my toe nails which were bleeding & painful & starting to lift off have massively improved. GP was useless. Chemo nurses had no clue.

Tips from those who have been through it are the best!

Good luck

[Vic1970 in reply to rebeccatd_4]

thanks,nails still hanging on but not for much longer I don't think.I'll get some of that stuff you suggest though thankyou.You're so right about gp mines bloody useless too just asks me how I'm coping with it psychologically when I ask for help,I say I'd cope a lot better without the side effects!Thank god for sites like this,☺ xx

[Hidden]

My big toe nail on left foot is giving me grief at mo, my nails got all ridges in them with chemo and became loose, lost a few, anyway, 9 months on from finishing chemo and as the ridges have grown out this one nail has grown and inbeded right into the toe and is so painful with shoes! Can't win, a year ago if someone else had been moaning at me about an in growing toenail, I would have quite happily swung for them,lol! Think my husbands fed up of having to hear about it!!