hi all, I am now 4 weeks post last chemo (all finished). The final round of chemo really hit me hard even though they lowered the dose by 25% due to nerve damage in fingers and toes. My temperature went up and would not drop ended up in emergency and hospital for 3 nites. I am still having problems with this nerve damage in fingers and toes, driving me nuts some days along with the fingernails which feel like they are going to fall off (I have cut them really short and painted them with dark nail polish). Any suggestions on how to deal with this? In 2012 I had 3 lymph nodes removed from left side under armpit and in 2016 had another 7 lymph nodes removed from left side again. After the final round of chemo I have been having problems left leg and left arm swelling. My whole left side feels like it is being weighed down with lead. Has anyone else experienced this and if they have any suggestions on how to get rid of the swelling. I am seeing a lymphedema physio who has shown me how to massage it all but it is not easy massaging yourself. The swelling and heavy feeling are annoying. I have read the swelling is a side affect of chemo. Will it go away?

Hi there The nerve damage can go on for a while after you finish treatment before it starts improving, but it will. My oncology nurse suggested vitamin B, and my hands and feet (my feet were really not good) started improving immediately - but that could have been pure coincidence. But unlikely to do any harm to try it. Not sure about nails - my finger nails were fine, except they went a slightly brownish colour, but hard to see. My toenails went black, brown, grey, white, and split but none dropped off. Took a long while to regrow but eventually all of them returned to normal. I do have lymphedema (left arm only), but haven't experienced that leaden feeling - I do have to keep working to keep fluid from accumulating. I massage my arm, and have a regular professional massage too, but I find exercises (your physio should be able to help) and a pressure sleeve are very effective. No-one wants a pressure garment if they can avoid it, but having worn one now for over three years, my arm looks good, feels good (no weightiness, pain or loss of strength) and so I feel it is effective at maintaining a good condition. Good luck, best thing is that chemo is over so things should improve, but it's hard to be patient!!

hi, Thanks for your advice. I have a sleeve for my arm that I got back in 2012 when I first had lymph nodes removed but was told I only needed to wear it when flying. Do you wear your sleeve everyday still? Personally I hate wearing it for the time I spend on a plane. I didn't have any problems with swelling after the first removal of lymph nodes and as I said only started to have problems after last round of chemo. Had the 7 lymph nodes removed on 08/04/2016. Didn't have any swelling what so ever just pain but then that subsided. I think I will ask my natropath as she would know if there is anything good to give me and I will mention the Vitamin B. I am seeing my physio on Monday so I will ask her about wearing the sleeve all the time and ask her about some exercises. I am thinking of getting a professional lymphatic drainage massage done but need to find a good one. I agree, it is hard to be patient and a patient person I am not. I feel like my body has been destroyed thanks to this breast cancer. I am feeling so yuk and unfit at the moment. I have more surgery this Friday to remove more of the area where the cancer is. This will put me back even more then I have 5 weeks of radiation therapy to look forward to.

Hi, I have been left with a number of side effects of chemo and radio that the onc's have told me are now probably permenant. I have neuropathy of the soles of my feet, problems with my vestibular system (ears) that cause dizziness and loss of balance as well as mild swelling of my breast and chest wall that causes pain in my shoulder and neck. I have found with the neuropathy, if I don't allow my feet to get cold or walk on cold surfaces that helps heaps. I had physio for the vestibular problems and although it's not fixed, it is better than it was and I have been given strategies for dealing with it. I also have exercises to help with the swelling and I also find good old cold cabbage leaves in the bra helps. Either that or electric soda from the shopping centre put in a cloth bag( I use an old pillowslip) draws the fluid out. It's a small price to pay to be cancer free I reckon. Good luck. Karen xox

I have upper body oedema with each round of taxol and my clearance side gets very tight. I wear a body shaper singlet when I can tolerate it as it seems to help. Yes the massage is difficult. I go to a hydro pool and just walk and do my arm stretches ...the movement and water pressure does help the fluid shift. I also try to watch salt intake but it's hard as evetything tastes awful. Lots of fluid seems to help the fluid shift away. Hope things improve for you soon. Make sure you let your oncologist know about this side effect next appointment. Kath x

Could you explain electric soda?

side affects post chemo | BCNA Online Network

18 Replies

Vinn2016
Member
10 years ago
I found that to, it wasn't until after last chemo, they started lifting, lost my second nail on Thursday nite. Thank you for the reassurance it gets better.
primek
Member
10 years ago
Aaah yes...it is bicarb but a diff consistency and cheaper. Great for ovens too.
Cook65
Member
10 years ago
It is in the detergent isle in the super market. As I say I just put it in a pillow slip and wrap it to to affected area with a tea towel or bandage. Leave it on for about a half hour to an hour. For breast swelling I just put it in a sock and insert it into the cup of my bra. It draws fluid away, not sure how but it will be damp when you finish using it. You can reuse it again and again. It comes in either a fine powder or granules. Either works but the fine powder is more comfortable if you have a bit of pain. It comes in a plastic bag and only costs a couple of bucks. It is not the same as Epsom salts or kitchen salts. It is actually called Lectric Washing soda. Hope this explains it a bit better
Vinn2016
Member
10 years ago
I lost my first nail last nite at work, didn't hurt when it came off. Broke off half way down the nail. Feet and fingers are still feeling tingly and uncomfortable. I have cut them back as far as I can with the nail clippers.
Brenda5
Member
10 years ago
The receding nail bed attachment problems only seemed to appear a couple of weeks after the last chemo. It stayed a concern for a couple of weeks after that and then started firming up again. Cutting the nails off very short is the best idea and then they can grow and repair themselves.
Vinn2016
Member
10 years ago
I can relate to the no scratching, so annoying, I usually have beautiful strong long nails and people always asked if they were fake (no they are not). They are so short now and ugly but I must say I am loving this dark nail polish. My problem is I need my right index finger to have a long nail for the work I do putting up Tickets in the supermarket where I work and I need my nail long to be able to pull back the plastic stripping to put up price tickets. I should have got nail on my right index finger insured LOL. Or any of my nails for that matter. I am now finding my job is taking twice as long to complete as I have no nails to pull back the plastic stripping. I kept the right index finger nail long but it has just about ripped off my finger completely (I have a bandaid covering the rip as I know it will be painful once it comes of completely and the underneath of my nail is exposed. Gave up on it today and cut it back as much as I could. OUCH
Brenda5
Member
10 years ago
*that should read, no problems with swelling.
Brenda5
Member
10 years ago
Yes, the chemo messes with you and lymphedema does get better once the chemo is gone. I still have an odd few days here and there with swelling but it comes and goes pretty quick so problems.

The nails take a few months. I haven't lost any and touch wood I am almost done growing the receded bits out. It takes ages and it is annoying not being able to use finger nails to even scratch myself for months. It will get better. I have lines and dents on my thumb nails now, one for each chemo dose. They will eventually grow out.
Vinn2016
Member
10 years ago
hi, where did you get the German one from? I have one, it is 2 pieces, one piece for the arm and the other piece for the hand, the hand piece is really uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time. I will talk to my lymphedema physio about it.
Vinn2016
Member
10 years ago
I've told both my breast oncologist and Medical oncologist but I will run it by them again when I see them next. I just hate this heavy feeling I have down the left side of my body now.