Forum Discussion
Neuropathy and Numbness
For those of you further down the path and more experienced than me, I have 2 questions that I'm hoping I can get some info on.
1. Wearing bras and numbness under the arm post-mastectomy. I am really struggling with wearing a bra nearly 3 months after surgery. I got a new one a couple of days ago which is much better than others but it still leaves me feeling sore and bruised on my side under the arm. Does this get any better?
2. Has anyone experienced neuropathy in the hands and/or feet on AC (Docyrubicin and Cyclophosmamide)? I'm getting slight pins & needles sensations in my foot and possibly in my fingers, although the fingers might be imaginary. I thought it was taxol that was the culprit for neuropathy. However, the sensation could also be because I've aggravated a pre-existing lower back complaint. (I supervised my daughter and her friends on a hike last Monday because I thought that just because I could walk 5km on a gently incline, I could also do another 5km that day through steep terrain. Stupid! I thought I was going to get die. Did wonder whether I would need to call the ambulance or CFS to get me out which if I had, would have been the 3rd incident that afternoon in the same area! I did get back down but it left me feeling quite ill and with some back and hip pain which could be causing the sensation in my foot.) I will report it to my oncologist on Thursday but just wondered what others experiences have been.
1. Wearing bras and numbness under the arm post-mastectomy. I am really struggling with wearing a bra nearly 3 months after surgery. I got a new one a couple of days ago which is much better than others but it still leaves me feeling sore and bruised on my side under the arm. Does this get any better?
2. Has anyone experienced neuropathy in the hands and/or feet on AC (Docyrubicin and Cyclophosmamide)? I'm getting slight pins & needles sensations in my foot and possibly in my fingers, although the fingers might be imaginary. I thought it was taxol that was the culprit for neuropathy. However, the sensation could also be because I've aggravated a pre-existing lower back complaint. (I supervised my daughter and her friends on a hike last Monday because I thought that just because I could walk 5km on a gently incline, I could also do another 5km that day through steep terrain. Stupid! I thought I was going to get die. Did wonder whether I would need to call the ambulance or CFS to get me out which if I had, would have been the 3rd incident that afternoon in the same area! I did get back down but it left me feeling quite ill and with some back and hip pain which could be causing the sensation in my foot.) I will report it to my oncologist on Thursday but just wondered what others experiences have been.
21 Replies
- Thanks @Afraser
- I was advised that neuropathy can continue to progress even after chemo has ended, but mine started to abate pretty soon thereafter. I also started taking Vitamin B about the same time, which may have helped. Mine was fairly extreme in my feet (hands were fairly OK, just a bit numb at the tips) but actual pain in my toes subsided first and relatively quickly. Numbness has taken a long time to improve and I doubt will not get much better than it is now, but again I had quite an extreme case. It doesn't really affect much except sprinting which I never did much of! Most people seem to recover over a few months. My toenails took ages to clear but they too were badly affected and splitting. My fingernails had only light discolouration and a few ridges and grew out pretty quickly.
- I woke up today to find the intermittent numb spot on the top of my left foot has got bigger, is starting to spread into my toes and is no longer intermittent . The pain and soreness in my nail beds and fingertips has increased. It's now painful to type on my phone (I'm using a haptic pen) and the nails are getting crescent shaped discolouration. I had my final chemo (TC) last week. How soon can I expect these side effects to resolve? What are other people's experiences with this kind of thing?
- Good luck with the physio @sister, hope it goes well and helps the cording.
- I think it'll go when it goes - probably a few months. To be perfectly honest, I was so intent on the cording issue that I don't quite remember. But while he wasn't dismissing it, he certainly wasn't thinking it would be a long-term issue.
- That sounds pretty positive @sister. Did he give you a timeframe for bruised feeling to disappear?
- that is awesome to hear @Sister
you will get on top of these things and it will be another hurdle overcome. - Surgeon says I'm doing really well. There is some swelling along my side that is causing the bruised feeling. He gave it a name that I can't remember but apparently it will go by itself. Cording, which I knew about, needs treatment so I have an appointment at a physio specialising in lymph treatment next Thursday. I go back to see him in 6 months.
- I hadn't thought of changing bras during the day - that might be worth a go - or going for something bigger. I don't care about support - it's just to look even. It's good to know that it's not unusual for the nerve pain to still be happening. I do think it's probably sciatic pain in the foot and that I'm imagining twinges in my hand but I didn't know that it's normally even. so that reinforces it. I will mention it to the onc, though.
@primek The thought of wearing a bra 24/7 would have done my head in even before surgery. Now, I struggle to go for an hour!
Just realised that this didn't post last night - bloody phone. - @Sister, I'm 7 months post single mastectomy and axillary clearance. I still have numb areas under my armpit and shoulder blade, and chest . The only bras I find comfortable are the wire free ones from target and have removable cups. I but them two sizes bigger so they aren't tight. I still get days of rubbing but mostly tolerable now. All this Crap sucks. I used disposable nursing pads stuck to my bra on the areas that rubbed. It helped at the time.
