Already a member? Sign in
What - Inspire is a place where you can connect with people who share your health concerns and find information and advice in groups sponsored by organizations you know and trust.
Why - As a member you can use Inspire to let friends and family know how you're doing, contact others who share your health concerns, receive personalized updates and information about participating in surveys and clinical trials, and more.
How - Joining Inspire is completely free and usually takes less than a minute. Join now!
I am about to start my 5th round of treatment, (on my birthday). I've been having tingling and numbness in my hands and feet. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for helping with this side effect. My Dr. told me to take vitamins B6 and B12, lowest dose available. It doesn't seem to help but then again it could be worse.
Taxol Exercise Cancer Gabapentin Arthritis Surgery Elavil Celebrex Breast cancer Pain Lyrica Neurontin Peripheral neuropathy Acupuncture Effexor Hydrotherapy
Acupuncture!
Glutamine 3x a day and glucosamine pills 3x a day. That's what I used. The results were minimal but better than nothing. The glutamine was more successful for my aching muscles than the tingling and finger numbness.
I had severe neuropathy and I also found that soaking my hand in warm water and massaging them helped plus squeezing a soft rubber ball at times was good. As I think back the more I kept my very sore, aching, tingling fingers moving the better.
Recently, I got ALL feeling back in my fingers 8 months after the last chemo treatment!! I'm happy for many reasons but mostly because I'm an artist by trade and can again hold a brush!
Hello,
I was taking vitamin B and I think it helped. In England where I went for a 2nd opinion they said that it does not help but I find that it alleviates symptons. The other thing that helped me was massage.
All the best
GEPI
Thank you for your post. I will all of the suggestions I have gotten a try. Anything to help.
Jan
My pharmacist suggested VitB12. Oncologist said its won't help but try it if you want to.
Took one tablet and could not sleep at all that night as every where was itching.
Decided not to take it the next night and I had no problems. I did go back to taking an anti histamine prescribed by my doc so maybe that was what helped and nothing to do with the B12!
JanP
Try vitamin B-12 injections, once a week, also vitamin
C, selenium, Vitamin E, alpha lipoic acid, and N-Acetyl Cysteine. I have heard they help a lot.
I finally went to a neurologist who had a specialty in peripheral neuropathy. She sent me for physical and occupational therapies, and prescribed Lyrica. All of those helped a great deal, including following up with exercises at the gym and yoga. Two years plus later I still have numbness, pain and some balance problems, but it is manageable.
I have neuropathy in hands and feet as well. This is my second go around with chemo and the neuropathy did diminish after a period of time. (after the first time) I had heard about vitamin B as well but haven't been diligent in taking it. I do try and walk each day when possible and I believe that helps. I have also heard that reflexology and accupuncture can be of help. What I do know is that you have to keep your doctor informed of any increase in neuropathy as they have a system of grading it and will reduce chemo as necessary. Taxol is the usual culprit and you do not want the damage to be permanent.
I have it in the left foot, ourside three toes and a little in the right. Shortly after chemo my hands and forearms would tingle!!
I take Glutamine 10 grams three or two times a day. WHen it is worse after chem, I take it three times but usually two times and it is miraculous,,it stops it dead. I put it in OJ but also in morning coffee. No taste at all.
BTW I have read Effexor 37.5 mgs twice a day prevents neuropathy but my oncologist hasn't given me that. I read it somewhere,,a small study.
BTW the FAGE greek yogurt is fabulous, fat free and each cup has 20 gms protein. Allduring my original treatment I ate 100 grams protein a day and it was hard but the greek yogurt is great.
Eating fresh pineapple might help. Low dose Elavil helped mine tremendously. It is a tri-cyclic antidepressant that has been around forever, but has also been found to help peripheral neuropathy.
I found that B complex helped me. Quite often b vitamins work better when taken in complex form, that is to say combining the b vitamins as opposed to taking just b12, or b6 etc. It sure helped the agonizing pain I had in my legs. My oncologist made me stop taking them now that I am back on chemo but so far Gemzar is not nearly as rough on me as was the Carbo/taxol
Acupuncture before each treatment.
Well.......Lyrica helped me tremendously. In 04 when I went thru chemo for breast cancer I could not finish the last two doses of Taxol because of the neuropathy and my nails were falling off my fingers and toes - the pain was excrutiating.
In 07 when going thru chemo for ovca the onc put me on Lyrica which allowed me to finish chemo and the pain was minimal.
To this day, on occasion, I still have some tingling in my toes and fingers. I don't know if it ever goes away fully, however, it is very tolerable.
But.....yesterday on the news there was a lawsuit about the drug Lyrica that it was not approved by the FDA. So, I don't know what is happening now with this drug. It did help me, however, if it was not approved - who knows if there will be any side effects to it.
Hang in there!!!!
Mar
I didn't take anything for the neuropathy.
Actually...I came out of the debulking surgery with some neuropathy in my right foot and right hand. I very vaguely remember the doc telling me beforehand that I might experience some neuropathy (either due to a spinal or the surgery or whatever...can't remember).
So when the chemo (carbo/taxel) caused further neuropathy it affected the right hand and foot worse. Didn't notice it until about the 3rd or 4th treatment. The left side is nearly free of symptoms, just tiny tingling in the hand and some numbness to the ball of the left foot. The right side is worse with the foot having more damage than the hand. My feet feel as if I am walking on clumpy cotton pads. My hands are 'almost' normal.
Even tho I did not take anything for it, I think one thing that helped prevent it from being worse was that I did considerable walking and kept my hands busy.
I do hope that I do not have to take future treatments that will make this worse...if so, I am reading all your recommendations and writing them down...just in case.
I finished my chemo (Taxol/Cisplatin IP) in April. I didn't develop the neuropathy until after I was done.
I started with Neurontin 300 mg 3 x day, but now I am taking Neurontin 600mg 3x day, a Bcomplex vitamin 1x day, and Glutamine 500 mg capsule 1xday (this I get at a GNC store).
I visited a neurologist, who suggested that I double up the dose on the Neurontin. When I remember to take all these pills I do feel better... at least it takes the pain away. He told me it will eventually go away.. that is the good news and I'm looking forward to it.
I agree that exercise helps.
Be sure to check with your doctor before taking any supplements while you are still going through your chemo. Best wishes to you in your fight.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
m 3 years out from chemo. Taxal and cisplatin. My neuropothy is a little better, but not gone. I take effexor .75 1x and Gabapentin 300 mg 3x per day.
I took myself off Gab to see if I really needed it. I do,
I guess its permanent. Im grateful to be here! Glad
that you ALL are here too!
I have heard that massage of the hands and feet can give some relief.
tomd
Hi All;
Acupressure WORKED!
I have had SEVERE!!! diabetic neuropathy in feet and hands for 15 years.
I've tried 1,000 mg Neurontin -- no relief for me, just knocked me out, and Lyrica -- same result.
I has CHINESE acupuncture (accupressure actually -- no puncture w/needles) with the little bebes on the ear. THAT worked. I got almost total relief for over a month.
I'm going to have it done again after my chemo on 9/15.
Hope this helps.
T2Y
This discussion is closed to replies. We close all discussions after 90 days.
If there's something you'd like to discuss, click below to start a new discussion.
About · Explore groups · Community guidelines · Our principles · Privacy · Terms of use · Start a group · Help · Feedback · Follow us on: 
Copyright © 2005-2010 Inspire · All rights reserved
Glutamine 10 grams 3 x a day for the first 3 days or so after chemo is what i did. you can get it in powder form at any supplement store and mix it into juices or whatever you like to drink. it worked wonderfully for me.