Forum Discussion
Ice Therapy Success - No Peripheral Neuropathy, All Nails Intact & No Mouth Sores
I have just finished 12 weeks of Paclitaxel without dose reduction. I am very happy to report that I have no peripheral neuropathy, my finger and toe nails are undamaged and I have no mouth sores.
It is thanks to the information on this website about ice therapy (cryotherapy), and in particular to the generous advice of @shs14, that I finished this chemo last week relatively successfully.
I decided to write all the information in one place as it may be helpful to others considering ice therapy.
Upfront I should say that you will need a helper to implement this and that at times it can be a little painful. My incredible twin brother, Tom, came up from Launceston and looked after me for 5 months - 4 x fortnightly DD - AC and 12 x weekly Paclitaxel. He's my hero.
Equipment:
1. Booties: I bought 2 x pairs of NatraCure Cold Therapy Socks on Ebay. These were a little expensive and from the US, but I found them effective. I used them for my feet and hands. (I read that other women have improvised, wearing regular socks and purple nurses' gloves directly into the ice).
2. Buckets: I bought 2 rectangular clear plastic boxes from Bunnings - they had lids, but not needed. They need to be wide enough to fit your feet and hands.
3. Ice: Every week we visited the bottle shop near the Kinghorn cancer centre, Darlinghurst, and bought 2 big bags of ice. These were carried, unopened, in a supermarket "chiller bag" until needed. Although the Kinghorn centre does have an ice machine, the amount of ice was unreliable.
I also used ice bricks on top of everything in the buckets - 2 for each bucket.
4. Socks and gloves: I wore cotton socks and used the purple nurses' gloves from the clinic. I brought a pair of woolly socks and knitted gloves to wear after ice therapy as my hands and feet were very cold.
5. Towels and a bath mat: the ice box for my feet was placed on a bath mat so that it didn't slip and the floor didn't become slippery. On my lap I placed a doubled over bath towel on which we placed the ice bucket for my hands.
6. Blanket and Cardigan: During the 5 months of chemotherapy I generally felt colder than normal. I used a a white blanket available at the clinic and always wore a cardigan during treatment.
Process:
1. The night before chemo I placed the booties with their gel packs in the freezer. It is very important that the booties are completely dry when they go into the freezer otherwise it's difficult to put them on.
2. The nurses got used to us, and by week 3 we were a well-oiled team setting it up and not getting in the way of medical staff.
3. You need to start the ice treatment 10 - 15 minutes prior to the taxol infusion. Tom would empty half a bag of ice in a bucket, then I placed my feet in the booties, then on the ice. Tom tipped in the remainder of the ice bag on top of my bootied feet so they were completely covered. A similar procedure was done for the hands.
(See attached photos).
The first and last ten minutes were sometimes difficult - icy pain. But I rarely took my feet and hands out of the ice during the entire 90 minutes.
4. My brother also popped ice cubes into my mouth during the whole time. I had no mouth sores whatsoever.
5. I did not wear dark nail polish. However, during the entire 5 months I applied a nail strengthener Revitanail. Starting with 2 coats on the first application, then adding another coat daily. I removed it the night before chemo and reapplied immediately, following the same procedure for the following week.
Although the studies on cryotherapy have been small and many medical professionals are not convinced, my own experience was positive and I am grateful to have avoided nerve damage and mouth sores and to have all my nails. Happy to answer any questions you may have.
24 Replies
- @Hils, - really glad to read your update and to know that you made it through another session and your hands didn't peel. From what I've read, many people have a dose reduction on Paxlitaxel as it can be quite a rugged treatment. Just take it session by session and I truly hope the cold packs help. xx
- @Hils, that’s great to hear thank you for posting an update! Good the cold packs for hands were at least bearable and sounds like were worth it despite it’s an ordeal keeping them going!! Fantastic work!I ended up with my 2 last sessions dropped by 25% each and the consensus seemed to be that was pretty good for paclitaxel, my reductions were for peripheral neuropathy in the end. I didn’t have an extra top up but I did have mild nerve symptoms by then.The facial reactions and rash I got settled over the first few doses, so I’m hoping yours keep going in that direction too.
lots of love Tinks xx - @Tinks. Well I survived another dose last wednesday, but the doc put the dose down by 25%. I also used cold packs on my hands, was quite painful but I just managed to get through it. My hands aren't peeling or painful like last time so I am very glad. And no new spots all over the legs and arms! Down side is I might have to have an extra session because he dropped the dose.😣
- I am so glad it is helping! It’s bad enough with the usual side-effects, never mind all the skin changes..my reactions did settle a bit and, off paclitaxel, this stopped quite quickly and I hope your does too.Lots of hugs Tinks xx.
- Hi @Tink, my hands are still peeling like a lizard today! I get a very hot red face the day after every chemo, looks like sun burn!
I haven't got any of that cresm so now using Moogoo and savlon. Seems to be helping. ☺ - Tinks said:@Hils, what a bummer 😖 I had a bad reaction to Paclitaxel, mine was on the face and chest areas. Night of the treatment, severe facial flushing except around the eyes, I looked like a reverse raccoon! Also little white spots and some swelling and generally itchy and tight.
When Onc saw it it was 7 days later, the rash not quite so red and spotty but now peeling all over the affected area. He advised 1% hydrocortisone cream and one simple antihistamine a day. It took weeks to stop peeling.
i didn’t have to have a dose reduction due to it but was kept on oral steroid and antihistamine before the infusion. I didn’t get it as badly on doses 3 and 4, hardly at all.Hope this helps.
Hugs Tinks xx
Hope you are feeling a little better now xx - Hils said:Hi @TINK,
Just looked that hand foot syndrome up and its quite possibly what I have. My hands have been peeling non stop today and I've been smothering them in vaseline to keep the moisture up to them. Luckily I didn't get it too bad on my feet. The oncologist wants to see me in person before my next chemo so I will show him my photos I took. I'm not going to have this strength again thats for sure, I dont think I could go through it again .😓
hope you are feeling a little better sending hugs x - @Hils, what a bummer 😖 I had a bad reaction to Paclitaxel, mine was on the face and chest areas. Night of the treatment, severe facial flushing except around the eyes, I looked like a reverse raccoon! Also little white spots and some swelling and generally itchy and tight.
When Onc saw it it was 7 days later, the rash not quite so red and spotty but now peeling all over the affected area. He advised 1% hydrocortisone cream and one simple antihistamine a day. It took weeks to stop peeling.
i didn’t have to have a dose reduction due to it but was kept on oral steroid and antihistamine before the infusion. I didn’t get it as badly on doses 3 and 4, hardly at all.Hope this helps.
Hugs Tinks xx - Hi @TINK,
Just looked that hand foot syndrome up and its quite possibly what I have. My hands have been peeling non stop today and I've been smothering them in vaseline to keep the moisture up to them. Luckily I didn't get it too bad on my feet. The oncologist wants to see me in person before my next chemo so I will show him my photos I took. I'm not going to have this strength again thats for sure, I dont think I could go through it again .😓 - Hi @Hils, what an awful way to start. 😧
I’m wondering whether you might have hand foot syndrome?
hugs Tinks xx
