Hello ladies,I am starting chemo next week. AC (4x every fortnight) and then Taxol (12x weekly). I have been using the search and came across posts shared by @shs14 and @poodlejules about ice gloves during chemo for PN preventative measures. Have literally just placed orders to purchase socks for the feet and plan to DIY with fingers ( using ice cubes and plastic container).Unfortunately, the socks will not arrived in time for my first Chemo next week.Can anyone please help me with what other feasible DIY ideas are there for the feet. P.s. I spoke to the oncologist nurse and she said it isn’t ‘standard of care’, 😭 and no evidence it works. But if I don’t do it, I will totally regret not even trying taking preventive measures.once again, thank you in advance! xxGin

Hi GinGin, really glad to hear you are trying this. There are trials that showed it works but no money in it so not supported well. your comment came up in my emails. You could try ice bricks to rest your feet on. we brought an esky to every chemo and I have no residual neuropathy. A friend going through chemo had bad symptoms and started icing the next week and has kept feeling. Good luck!

My ice mitts treatment at home was 'overall' the whole hand and foot, not just fingers and toes.I must add; many people undergoing chemo have very few side-effects. I hope you are a lucky one! Another tip: keep a diary, maybe in an exercise book, of all your side effects and questions. I found this helped greatly in talking with nurses and doctors.

Thank you for the tips, @jennyss. 😘.

Hi @gingin I had the same chemo treatment as you. I used two pairs of the blue gloves the nurses wear on each hand and i took 2 plastic jugs from $2 shop into hospital that we filled with ice cubes. I left my hands in the ice jugs for most of the time. Each chemo session the nurses were supportive of me doing this. I had a friend loan me her fabric socks that we put freezer blocks in for my feet. I was cold. My feet were not totally covered but I honestly feel this treatment saved me from PN in my hands. I did have some in my feet but I feel it would have been a lot worse if I didn't do this treatment.

Ice gloves - ideas needed please

shs14
Member
2 years ago
Hi GinGin,
really glad to hear you are trying this.
There are trials that showed it works but no money in it so not supported well. your comment came up in my emails. You could try ice bricks to rest your feet on. we brought an esky to every chemo and I have no residual neuropathy. A friend going through chemo had bad symptoms and started icing the next week and has kept feeling. Good luck!
shs14
Member
2 years ago
Ps I gave another post with tips for chemo. You’ll go well, walk! X
GinGin
Member
2 years ago
@shs14, thank you for writing to me.
I have read your posts very thoroughly and make notes of them. 🤗
With the ice bricks, should they be on top of my foot nails as well as under my foot?
shs14
Member
2 years ago
I think the socks mostly keep the underside of the foot cold. My husband reminds me we bought soft ice packs, in kind of fabricky material from the chemist I think. I’m in transit just now, till tomorrow, but I’ll see if I can find their name. So glad my tips have helped.
GinGin
Member
2 years ago
😊 thank you @shs14. Look forward to hearing from you.
jennyss
Member
2 years ago
Dear @GinGin,
Five years ago I believe these home made ice mitts, and similar funky footwear, helped to prevent loss of nails, and also may have helped to reduce blistering on my feet and hands.
Best wishes from jennyss in Western NSW.
shs14
Member
2 years ago
Perfect 🙌🏻 @jennyss
GinGin
Member
2 years ago
Thank you @jennyss, @shs14.
Can I confirm how I should be doing this? do I sandwich my fingers between two cold pak, similarly with my foot, I should sandwich between two cold paks focusing on my nails? Or my whole hand?

I saw another lady(in this forum) where she had photos showing that she only dips mainly her fingers in bowl of ice.

P.s. We plan to bring esky with ice to ensure the paks stay cold.
jennyss
Member
2 years ago
@GinGin, I was having a problem with the skin on my hands and feet blistering, as well as hoping to prevent nail problems. I used an 'overall' method, and treated at home. I seem to recall that after a few chemo sessions, the staff at the centre provided hand ice-packs during chemo. See, I have forgotten the details - Good old time!
GinGin
Member
2 years ago
Good to hear your centre subsequently provided hand ice packs. Mine has confirmed they don’t provide as it’s not proven to be effective.
@jennyss, out of interest, what is the ‘overall’ method that you used at home?