Where to go for advice between treatments?

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I had to finish my chemo 2 sessions early at the end of last year due to peripheral neuropathy after my first session of paclitaxel and we ended on a last session of Ec. I'm awaiting to hear the dates of my radiotherapy but I need some advice on what I think I've now got is hand foot syndrome. 

I have no contact details for the oncologist and I don't want to bother the chemo helpline folks as I think I actually need someone to look at it.

I'm unsure whether the gp is best or will they just say can't help, talk to the oncologist! It's weird being in this in between phase to get advice.

Doesn't help it's flared up the eczema on my feet either so I'm m not sure if I can buy creams or if I'm still not allowed to use certain things in case the drugs are still floating about in my system.

Any advice on hand foot syndrome (particularly the feet rather than hands) or someone hopefully telling me the pins and needles etc do disappear eventually would be music to my ears! 

  • Start with your chemo nurse helpline - they’ll advise you from there. Mine referred me to urgent care same day appointment and emergency GP instead of a&e or family GP as it was quicker. 

  • Oh and I’m super sorry - my pins and needles went away in my foot and right hand but not my left - but it has decreased to the point it doesn’t bother me. I finished chemo in December: good luck! 

  • It's definitely got better but they drive me mad at night! When they get too warm it comes back so there's so much conflicting information about keeping them warm vs cold! 

  • Yes I know what you mean! I think my PN  exaggerated by poor circulation so I keep my hands and feet warm. I find walking everyday helps (5000 + steps a day). I’m hoping that the left hand pins and needles will fade but it’s been like that from day 1 of chemo - it’s mild so I can ignore it - it also gets stiff. The oncologist was sympathetic but didn’t offer any solutions or assistance which is a common theme I have seen on other forums. 

  • Yeah the lack of suggestions of vitamins, creams, exercises is really frustrating! I expressed my concern about getting PN because of my poor circulation at the beginning yet they seemed total surprised

  • I had bad hand foot syndrome with paclitaxel. I tried a cracked heel cream with 10% urea helped my and some brilliant foot cream from a small company called silvan. I also used voltoral gel 1.16%. Can't say which was best or whether it will help you as it's seems very individual. I was moisturising my feet like mad and they soaked it up.

    It has stopped now and I've been off the pax for 5 weeks now.  

    Hope yours improves.