Another newbie, wanting help about nails please

You could ask MacMillan about a Friends grant.  I think it’s a one off payment of £250.  MacMillan might know of other grants.  They are putting it against heating payments but you can pay for whatever you need.  They don’t want receipts. 

Hello again, and thank you very much again. I will follow up your suggestions, it does ease my mind to know that I may not have to spend out lots to get through this. It’s bad enough having cancer and treatment, without going into debt as well. Your advice and encouragement are very much appreciated. Regards, Chyebren

Thank you Cupcake, it’s good of you to take the time to let me know about this possible grant. It never occurred to me to ask about that sort of thing. Your support is very much appreciated, regards Chyebren

Thanks Grace  xx

You only need to send them a letter with your name and address and cancer diagnosis  they will send you an email address .I got £350 x

Hi Chyebren

I had 3 cycles of EC followed by 4 cycles of docetaxel. I didn't coldcap and started to lose my hair on day 17 after the first infusion of EC. I didn't lose it completely but was left with a few wispy strands. My hair started to grow back slowly about 8 weeks after my last infusion of Docetaxel.

After the second EC infusion I noticed that my thumbnails were starting to turn purple-black, which gradually spread from the cuticle to the tip and eventually all my fingernails turned purple. When I started on Docetaxel I painted my nails with black water based nail varnish and used acetone-free varnish remover from Tesco, but the varnish did not last very long (admittedly, I didn't use a base coat or top coat) so I used it as a first coat and then put a coat of Rimmel Kind and Free varnish and top coat on top of the water based. I don't know if the dark varnish helped, but they did make my nails quite dry. When I'd finished Docetaxel some of my nails started to lift off the nail bed. That was when I found out about Polybalm and ordered some straightaway and have been using it every day since. Again, I've no way of knowing if this has helped, but my nails are looking better and starting to grow out. None of them has fallen off, which I would have found more distressing than losing my hair. Yes, I know it's really expensive for what you get, two mascara/lip gloss size tubes, but if it has prevented me from losing any nails it was worth it. After my nails started lifting, I was much more careful, wearing rubber gloves for almost everything so as to keep my hands out of water as much as possible, and moisturising much more. I hadn't been very conscientious about this up until then. I have read that ice baths or frozen gloves during chemo can help reduce nail toxicity. I didn't try these but you might want to do some research and maybe ask at your chemo unit if they provide frozen gloves (I know that some units provide them). 

I had a dental check as advised ahead of taking bisphosphonates (my dentist is private). She suggested I consider having what's left of a molar out (it has a root canal and crown but the crown fell off and the peg that's left is worn down). She said she would refer me to an NHS maxillofacial surgeon to have the extraction, presumably because I am a cancer patient. It may be worth asking if you can have your extraction at an NHS hospital. There must be NHS facilities available locally, for pregnant women for example?

I'm sorry that you are facing all these additional expenses. There are organisations that supply "chemo gift packs" free of charge. Again, ask at your unit or check out the following. Every little helps.

https://cancersupportuk.org/cancer-kits/about-our-kits/

https://www.littlelifts.org.uk/

You should be offered a free NHS wig. If you've had a pre-chemo assessment, they should have given you details, or they will when you have it. In my unit, there is a basket of donated hats and scarves that are available free of charge or for a small donation. 

Hope these ideas are useful. I wish you well with your treatment. Do let me know if you need more information about any of the above.

Amy x

I hadn't heard about Macmillan grants before. I hope you qualify. Here's the link https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/financial-and-work/macmillan-grants

Amy x

Hi Amy, thanks so much for all this info.

It came as a real shock when I read on this website that my nails were likely to be affected by the chemo, nobody at the hospital had mentioned that at all. I have enquired about emergency NHS dental treatment but the centres in both Cornwall and Plymouth won’t look at an adult unless they have pain which keeps them awake at night. There are literally no NHS dentists left in the whole area, though some private dentists will treat children under the NHS. I’m so glad you’re able to get the dentistry you need under the NHS, I hope it goes well. 

Thanks tor the links to the gift boxes, what a lovely idea. I’ll wait until I feel really low then apply for one as a cheerer-upper.

The breast cancer nurse said I would have to buy a wig as I don’t receive state benefits, but I’m beginning to believe that these nurses want to reassure rather than to inform, and to give me their simplest answer so that I’ll go away. It doesn’t feel very supportive. Thank goodness for this site. I’ve had more help and solid information from people here than from any of the team at the hospital. 
I really appreciate your full and helpful response, thanks very much, Chyebren

Hi Chyebren, it would be a PIP (personal independence payment)you would need to apply for rather than an attendance allowance.

https://www.gov.uk/pip

I applied at the start of my treatment. It does take a while and you need to update it at every stage. I told them up front all the stages I would be going through but obviously you can only update how you feel when you reach each stage. After I applied I had 2 phone calls from them before finally receiving a monthly payment. It does get back dated but only so far. 
Hope this helps

Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x

Hi Chyebren, I think you will find EC affects the fast growing cells in your body not slow growing. Cancer cells divide quickly and that’s what the chemo attacks hence that’s why some loose hair, nails, eyebrows and lashes as these are all fast growing cells. EC didn’t affect my nails luckily but I did unfortunately loose my hair in all places . I’m now on Docetaxel and that has started to affect my nails but I have found something called polybalm that helps. 
Wishing you all the best for your journey.

Hugs from cuffcake x x x x x