twink
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,582
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Aug 16, 2007 04:20 PM twink wrote:
I believe the effect on the nails is related to what is called hand-foot syndrome. I got it from Taxotere. My baby toenails fell off, the two adjacent toenails are loose and one big toe looks as you describe yours. I also have ridges on my finger nails (probably coinciding with when they took the Taxotere hit), several finger nails are discolored (orangish) and two have black smudges under them. On the bright side, my hair has come back in full force! Ohhh..the indignities we suffer.
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Aug 16, 2007 07:33 PM Marie853 wrote:
Not sure if this actually works, but I read somewhere that soaking in vinegar is supposed to help nails during chemo.
I am still on AC and no problems yet. I think it may be more of a problem with taxol/taxotere. When I start that I think I will try the vinegar soaks.
AO44
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 125
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Aug 17, 2007 05:37 AM AO44 wrote:
Marsha,
I have the exact same problem. In addition to the lifting big toenails, mine have black streaks on them. I went to a podiatrist who said it was negative for fungus. So, with that, I'm thinking the chemo has a lot to do with the situation. I'm currently on Doxil. The podiatrist cut off the raised nails as they were snagging on rugs, etc. Now I have tiny, tiny big toenails. Oh well, small price to pay.
Annie
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Aug 17, 2007 06:31 AM sharebear wrote:
Oh it's the drugs they're giving us. I'm on taxatere. I have one black toe nail. I also have a few black streask on my fingernails. They are mostly an orangish color. Taxanes do these things to your nails. They may or maynot fall off or just change colors. Ridges are common. I asked my dr. if it was O.k. for me to polish them, he said yes.
Like Twink, my hair is coming back in pretty quick! My eyebrows are back and my eyelashes are almost long enough to curl with mascara. Oh, and I now have to shave every day again.
Sharon
StefH
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 135
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Aug 17, 2007 09:23 PM StefH wrote:
The same thing happened to me - my nails got weak during A/C, and then during Taxol, they started to lift up. It's a side effect. I lost my two big toenails and my two baby toenails, and believe me, it's a relief when they finally fell off! I also lost one fingernail, but it's grown back. All of my fingernails lifted up, and I almost lost my thumbnails, but they hung on. All of my fingernails turned black, and after they lifted up, I found a bunch of dead tissue underneath them, so I scraped that all out with manicure scissors. Probably not the best thing to do, but what the heck.
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Aug 18, 2007 06:11 AM abbadoodles wrote:
It's not just Taxol and the like that cause these nail problems. I only received A/C and I have nail problems. My two thumbnails turned pretty yellow, the other nails less so. Also, the ridges across my thumbs are very pronounced. The area of nail growing while I had chemo is quite white now but growing out.
I also have tiny, black streaks on all my other nails.
One big toenail has that spot where it looks like it isn't attached underneath.
Another thing is that I lost my eyebrows/eyelashes a few weeks after finishing A/C, never had Taxol. So, that is another thing they blame on Taxol that was, at least in my case, from the A/C.
I think it may be assumed certain side effects are from the Taxol because they present themselves while on Taxol, after the A/C is finished. I can only say for myself that I definitely had them from the A/C.
It's a pip, isn't it?
Tina
maxgirl
MD
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 435
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Aug 18, 2007 12:34 PM maxgirl wrote:
Funny you should ask -- half of one of my big toenails broke off this morning, and earlier this week I had the other one taken out because it bent straight up.
My fingernails got really soft and shaped weirdly because I'd read that not cutting them back too much would help keep them from falling out. About half the nail length on the thumbs and first two fingers are orange with a little black.
I had hand/foot syndrome with A/C, and I'm still having these nail problems 2 months after ending Taxol.
Now where is that hair everyone is talking about? I've got salt-and-pepper stubble on most of my head, and longer gray hairs around the edges.
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Aug 19, 2007 07:13 AM Methusala wrote:
more good information, thanks. I see the dr.s have failed to mention nail problems lol
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Aug 19, 2007 10:49 AM erika-canada wrote:
HI:
I'M 3 MONTHS AFTER MY LAST DD OF TAXOTERE. RECENTLY, STARTED LOOSING THE DISCOLORED NAILS. BUT, IT DOESN'T HURT AS THE NEW ONES GROW UNDER THE OLD ONES, AND THEN THE OLD ONES DROP OFF.
SO FAR LOST 4 TOENAILS AND 2 FINGERNAILS. HOWEVER, CAN SEE I'LL BE LOOSING ALL TOENAILS AND MORE FINGERNAILS. INFACT, THE BABY TOENAILS...NEW ONES WILL BE REPLACED ANOTHER TIME. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO END TO THIS HORRID JOURNEY.
CONSIDER MYSELF AS AN EXPERT OF FALLING NAILS, LOL
SENDING A HUG AND POSITIVE THOUGHTS,
ERIKA /CANADA
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Aug 20, 2007 01:22 PM marsha2664 wrote:
So far my fingernails are hanging in there, though they are kind of yellowish and brittle. My big toenails are separated from the bed about half way up but not high off the nail bed...I'm hoping I can keep the nails and just let them grow out with good nails behind them.
Does it hurt when your nails fall off?
Ivylane
NY
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 540
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Aug 20, 2007 04:35 PM Ivylane wrote:
I also had the nail discoloration and the nails lifting. My onc told me to expect it. One of the nurses suggested that I soak my nails in Tea Tree Oil. It worked wonders on the discoloration. I kept my nails short and wore nail polish. It's been 4-1/2 months since I finished treatment and nails are all fine now. Good luck ladies...this too shall pass...but what a pain...
mthomp2020
Loveland, OH
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,932
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Aug 21, 2007 01:30 PM mthomp2020 wrote:
I did the neo-adjuvant chemo, and had dd AC first before surgery, which was Aug. 3. Last treatment was on 7/9. My nails started discoloring after the 3rd treatment, and my thumbs hurt quite a bit for a week or so. Also, my eyelashes and eyebrows started going within the past 2 weeks. At least I haven't had to shave my pits, though! So the nails and lashes thing can be the AC. I'm going to be doing dd Taxol - possibly x8, plus Herceptin. My first treatment is on Monday, and I can hardly wait to see what happens to my nails - oh boy! Guess I'll have to start polishing them, huh!