Peripheral neuropathy after chemotherapy break

Hi

I am sorry to hear about your peripheral neuropathy.  It’s understandable that you want to know where and how to access support, to help understand and manage what may be happening.

I am glad you have contacted us so that we can offer you advice and support around this.

CAPOX is routinely used for patients affected by cancer and can be very effective.  However, it has some common side effects and peripheral neuropathy is one of them.  There isn’t a treatment to prevent or reverse nerve damage caused by anti-cancer drugs. Studies are looking at various drug treatments to see if they can help protect against nerve damage during anti-cancer treatment. There are also studies looking into whether any treatments can reverse nerve damage that has occurred. But at the moment, there isn’t enough evidence that any of these drugs work.

The most effective treatment for peripheral neuropathy is to prevent further damage to the nerves and to manage the symptoms. Sometimes it can help to lower the dose of the drug that is causing the problem.  As you have completed your CAPOX and still have problems with neuropathy, it is always important to report these to your hospital team.  This allows them to make a full assessment and how best to manage these symptoms. They would want to hear from you and know if you are struggling so please contact them today, so your team are fully updated about your current peripheral neuropathy symptoms.  Likewise, as you are planned to commence CAPIRI it would be prudent to let your team know now of your current problems with peripheral neuropathy.  

If you are receiving active treatment such as chemotherapy, you should have been given a 24-hour emergency contact number for your hospital or chemotherapy unit.  This will be a helpful number to contact for further advice and support.  If you no longer have this number at hand you can also call your hospital’s main switchboard, and they can put you through to your chemotherapy team. You can also contact your consultant’s secretary to report any concerns/questions you may have. They can pass any questions or concerns directly on to your consultant or Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS). They can also give you the direct number of the CNS to allow you to contact them directly for advice and support. 

I am also wondering if you may find it more helpful to speak to one of or nurses directly on the MacMillan Cancer Support line? Please don’t hesitate to pick up the phone as we are always happy to help and talk through any concerns you are having. You might also find it helpful to look at our online community as often support from others who are going through the same experience can be invaluable.

I hope this information is helpful and I really hope you are soon back to classic car repairs which would be wonderful.  If you have any further questions, please get in touch by email or phone. The Macmillan Support Line offers practical, clinical, financial, and emotional support. You can call us free from landlines and from most mobile phone networks* on 0808 808 00 00, 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm.

Best wishes,

Kenny 

Macmillan Information Nurse Specialist

Macmillan Support Line