Post chemo symptoms?

Hi Grahamthegreat

I hope you do not mind me replying as I had a different kind of cancer but I recognise the effects you are talking about.

My chemo finished in Aug2022. I had first signs of neuropathy from my first chemo and despite a reduction in doses it persisted. I am now a year post chemo and have been told that it is permanent. However this is not the case for everyone and from what I was told at the time, the neuropathy can improve with time. 

I did have some visual problems to begin with but by 3 months post chemo, I had a thorough eye test and no problems remain. I was given some eye drops during chemo that I continued for a couple of months after chemo finished and they did help. I can not unfortunately remember the name of them but it may be something you could ask about.

I did not suffer from any lymphoedema in my legs but again it is something worth mentioning.

Hope this helps. It seems early days for you and I can remember feeling fairly rough for the first few months but then gradually felt more myself- probably around 6 months post chemo. I did have radiotherapy however for 5 weeks which may have delayed any recovery.

My chemo was paclitaxel and carboplatin. 

Great news that you have had the all clear by the way. Hope that your other symptoms settle.

Jane

Thank you Jane

Hi Grahamthe great, I finished chemo last December and was doing reasonably well with my hands and feet and then from around April , the symptoms in my feet got worse. I have always moisturised my feet and used volterol which has helped enormously. I have made a GP appt to get the foot neuropathy checked out but when I first stand in the morning, the pain is bad but then after a move for a couple of minutes, thhe feet feel better, Never had eye issues from chemo except on infusion day where I had no control over eye movement, tand also no oedema . Hopefully we will move past this but it is a small price to pay 

Hi Graham

I completed my 12th and final cycle of Folfox chemo in July 2022, as treatment for stage 3 colorectal cancer following a low anterior resection to remove the tumour and a temporary ileostomy. The dose of oxalaplatin was reduced after cycle 5 and stopped after cycle 9 due to peripheral neuropathy symptoms in my hands and feet.

Numbness, tingling and pins and needles seemed to worsen from July to December 2022. Since then there has been some improvement in my hands but none in my feet. Compression socks do offer a degree of relief, as does walking, otherwise it’s just a question of trying to block out the symptoms.

I realise this is probably not what you were wanting to hear, but I’m of the view that it is a small price to pay for still being here. Ileostomy was successfully reversed in May 2023.And I’ve had three good CEA results, a clear CT scan and Two clear colonoscopies since my first operation in November 2021.

Thank you - I agree, it’s a small price to pay . Just seeking some comparisons to see what others have experienced.

Hi Grahamthegreat

About 6 months after last chemo cycle I found my extreme light sensitivity slightly subsided. This timing also aligned to slight eye muscle strength and thus eye sight recovery.

Neuropathy remains. Oncologist has warned me it may be permenant but I hope not. I'm trying a combination of TENS electrical shock device bought over counter, and nerve pain + thick moisturiser topical meds via GP prescription.

I've been considering acupuncture but not been brave enough to try it so far.