Talk Cancer

Question:

Another suggestion —my onc told me to take a coedeine pain pill before going to bed the second night after my chemo. The discomfort seems to start then. Has anyone had constant discomfort in their hands? Mine started after the second Taxol bout.They are continuously numb and feel tight and swollen–much like carpal tunnel (I’ve had operations on both wrists.)This may be called neuropathy. Will it go away in time? Mara

Response:

Has anyone had constant discomfort in their hands? Mine started after the second Taxol bout.They are continuously numb and feel tight and swollen–much like carpal tunnel (I’ve had operations on both wrists.)This may be called neuropathy. Will it go away in time?

I’ve had that — the tips of my fingers & my toes (plus part of my instep sometimes) are numb (after 4 Taxol treatments).  The effect faded after the first treatment, came back with the second, and has stuck with me (at varying levels) since (last Taxol was last week — not long enough that I’d expect it to be gone, even if it were going to go). Of women in a support group I go to, some said that it went away after a period of time.   But I think that at least one had some long-term numbness or tingling (2-3 years after treatment).  Some had had Taxol, some Taxotere, but I don’t know whether there was a correlation between the side-effect persistence and the specific drug. Earlier in the thread, but after you posted your note about hand problems, Mara, I posted some things I’ve done to help with the hand/foot discomfort. Hope it fades fast, for both of us! Ann

Response:

I received Taxol in treatment for ovarian cancer (successful, I’m glad to say).  I had six sessions of chemo, the last exactly a year ago. I was in dreadful pain with my feet & legs, and my hands were also affected.  My oncologist advised me to take L-Glutamine powder, which relieved it somewhat. However, the tingling has not gone away from my feet, which are also painful at times.  Slight tingling has  also remained in the fingertips of my right hand. Many years ago I had remedial sugery on my feet and I assume that the Taxol enhanced the neurological damage done at that time.  I also think that the Taxol affected the areas where I  have  arthritis. Dodi.

Response: