Paclitaxel peripheral neuropathy

Hi cruisebabe 

I have peripheral neuropathy and I think mine is going to be permanent as I have been living with it for 3 years. In some people it improves in the weeks following treatment. I keep my nails short and rarely wear anything other than trainers or walking shoes. I don’t find it painful. It just feels odd.

Have you tied medication like gabapetin 

No, I haven’t felt the need as I don’t have pain. 

Hello cruisebabe, 

I wore cold gloves and socks that I bought on Amazon so my neuropathy is limited to one foot, but, like Coddfish, I suspect mine is permanent.  Luckily I rarely experience pain so I've gone no further than treating myself to wool socks,  warm covered-in slippers and (in an effort to move those toes) I try to play with a tennis or spiky ball while eating breakfast 

Hi cruisebabe I have peripheral neuropathy in both my feet.  Had it since 2013.  Sometimes I don't get any pain and sometimes it is so bad I have to hobble around.  I was offered gabapentin but refused as I don't want to take any more pain medication (I am on tramadol).  I have lived with it for so long, I just seem to deal with it.

Lee x

Can you drive with it. At the moment 3 weeks on from finishing chemotherapy I can't feel the pedals

Can you drive. I can't feel the pedals. 3 weeks out of chemotherapy 

Hello again,

yes, I can drive, but it was probably a month or more after the end of chemo before I tried because I was so tired.

Walking out of doors felt odd for a day or two, then it was fine (with trainers or sturdy sandals).

Breast Cancer Now had Dr Dan Monnery (Palliative Care) on a webinar last week talking about pain management and peripheral neuropathy both. He said exercise was critical for improving numbness (e.g. walking, weights). He made the point that we need to teach the nerves to do what we want them to do (e.g. yoga for better balance; exposing the foot to different surfaces and sensations (hard/soft; spiky/smooth; warm/cold, etc)).

and he said we should tell our oncology team what our priorities are (e.g. driving) and ask them (or the GP) to refer us to Palliative / Supportive Care or to Pain Management. Maybe you could access a physiotherapist that way? or through a cancer charity? As I don't live in the UK, I'm not familiar with the options but he's in Scotland so I imagine his suggestions are doable...

Best of luck!

Thankyou. I have no pain with PN in my feet I just can't really feel them from ankle down. Hope this improves. Take care 

When my peripheral neuropathy was at its worst I used  a massage gun on my feet and also various pressure point balls to roll my feet on. However I have never completely lost sensation, they just feel odd.