Did you lose your nails?

sweetvickid
sweetvickid Member Posts: 459 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My nails look really bad and I was wondering how to know if they are going to fall off. first they gat these dark (blood) fings across them and now they are turning white like they are no longer attached underneath. Should I start taping them down?
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Comments

  • Kathy09
    Kathy09 Member Posts: 99
    nails
    Nope just let them go, they will get worse looking I am still waitng on mine, it has been about since November they still look bad. cant get fake ones on because there is nothing for them to adhere to. Just another fun part of the process.
  • Sam726
    Sam726 Member Posts: 233
    yea
    I have a few that seem to be pulling away from the finger underneath and turning white at top of nail...I am just clipping as they grow. I had last treatment Dec 22nd..hopefully it wont get worse.
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    Nails
    My last treatment for chemo was late November. My nails turn kinda black & blue and they hurt. Then they turned white and have lines and split easy. My nails are still this way today. I have tried everything to try and get them strong again, but I have had no luck. I did lose 2 toe nails through all this. Toe nails are also white.
  • Deb1969
    Deb1969 Member Posts: 165
    Kat11 said:

    Nails
    My last treatment for chemo was late November. My nails turn kinda black & blue and they hurt. Then they turned white and have lines and split easy. My nails are still this way today. I have tried everything to try and get them strong again, but I have had no luck. I did lose 2 toe nails through all this. Toe nails are also white.

    I went to a Look Good Feel
    I went to a Look Good Feel Better class, they recommended paint your fingernails with clear polish to help hold in moisture.
    Deb
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    I've never had decent nails
    I've never had decent nails in my life - could never keep polish or strengthener on - would just peel off. At the Look Good Feel Better I went to they gave out a sample of Nail Envy by OPI. It has been fantastic for me - not only does it not peel off, it keeps the rough areas nice and smooth. So far I have lost rt. big toe nail and left will be gone soon. Both thumb nails are looking like they will probably come off eventually but 1 would be coming part in 'flakes' if the Nail Envy wasn't on it. I ran out of the sample given and 2 fingers started splitting back from tip so I bought some and though you can see where they split it is smooth and not getting worse. It's been 3 weeks since my last weekly Taxol and on rads now so don't know what the future brings.

    Good luck!
  • Skeezie
    Skeezie Member Posts: 586 Member
    Rague said:

    I've never had decent nails
    I've never had decent nails in my life - could never keep polish or strengthener on - would just peel off. At the Look Good Feel Better I went to they gave out a sample of Nail Envy by OPI. It has been fantastic for me - not only does it not peel off, it keeps the rough areas nice and smooth. So far I have lost rt. big toe nail and left will be gone soon. Both thumb nails are looking like they will probably come off eventually but 1 would be coming part in 'flakes' if the Nail Envy wasn't on it. I ran out of the sample given and 2 fingers started splitting back from tip so I bought some and though you can see where they split it is smooth and not getting worse. It's been 3 weeks since my last weekly Taxol and on rads now so don't know what the future brings.

    Good luck!

    Me too. I'm also using Nail Envy for
    sensitive and peelng nails. They have instructions on how to use it. My nails are full of ridges and some of the ridges are splitting and flaking all across. I just started using the polish and it's time to remove it and start again and I'm hoping the polish remover won't hurt them. The instructions say it won't, but they aren't dealing with this type of damage. They never turned black etc. But the bottom half of the nail looks whittish under the polish. The part of the nail past my fingers looks very white. My toenails are fine so far. I finished chemo 12-11.

    The Nail Envy does smooth out the roughness but you have to keep putting it on every couple of days or else the flaking starts coming thru.

    Judy :-)
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    Skeezie said:

    Me too. I'm also using Nail Envy for
    sensitive and peelng nails. They have instructions on how to use it. My nails are full of ridges and some of the ridges are splitting and flaking all across. I just started using the polish and it's time to remove it and start again and I'm hoping the polish remover won't hurt them. The instructions say it won't, but they aren't dealing with this type of damage. They never turned black etc. But the bottom half of the nail looks whittish under the polish. The part of the nail past my fingers looks very white. My toenails are fine so far. I finished chemo 12-11.

    The Nail Envy does smooth out the roughness but you have to keep putting it on every couple of days or else the flaking starts coming thru.

    Judy :-)

    Nail Envy
    What works for me is instead of putting 2 coats on after taking it off is to put 3 coats on the nails with problems - smooths them out/covers smoother.

    I've been using it since early Sept. 09 (before hair left LOL) and haven't had any poblems with removing it other than it takes a bit more remover and and time to get it all off as it builds up but then the directions say to take it off weekly but I take it every other week.

    Something that will help with smoothing more is to put a coat of it (or any other stregthener) on nail and lay tissue paper (or perm papers) on nail while still damp and then another coat or 2 over the paper.
  • Marlene_K
    Marlene_K Member Posts: 508
    I always got my nails done
    I always got my nails done before BC. My nail tech suggested removing the tips and then coating my real nails with a real thin coat of fill. My nails have held out real well. I've always had problems with my toe nails, but kept putting on anti-fungul liquid every night before bed. It would probably be a good thing if they feel off so I could start anew, but they same to be hanging in there as well.

    As an added note, they gave me my own set of tools to bring with me whenever I got my nails done. I've been doing that since surgery as to avoid getting infection and they never cut my cuticles.
  • teresa41
    teresa41 Member Posts: 471
    Marlene_K said:

    I always got my nails done
    I always got my nails done before BC. My nail tech suggested removing the tips and then coating my real nails with a real thin coat of fill. My nails have held out real well. I've always had problems with my toe nails, but kept putting on anti-fungul liquid every night before bed. It would probably be a good thing if they feel off so I could start anew, but they same to be hanging in there as well.

    As an added note, they gave me my own set of tools to bring with me whenever I got my nails done. I've been doing that since surgery as to avoid getting infection and they never cut my cuticles.

    never lost mine
    i never lost my nails it was strange mine grew really long when i started chemo and stayed hard and long for months after.


    wishing you the best!


    teresa
  • laurissa
    laurissa Member Posts: 773
    Mine are the same
    Turning white at the tops like there coming off. Big toenails too. But they're staying on, I just keep cutting and filing them shorter. My chemo has been over for a month now and I see healthier growth at the bottoms.
  • prv
    prv Member Posts: 107
    laurissa said:

    Mine are the same
    Turning white at the tops like there coming off. Big toenails too. But they're staying on, I just keep cutting and filing them shorter. My chemo has been over for a month now and I see healthier growth at the bottoms.

    mine too!
    I also had bleeding under my nails, the tops and more than mid way down are white and they are lifting off the nail bed. (finished chemo 12/8) i am going to dermatologist (next monday) about nails and radiated peeling purple skin (finishing rads - 7 more to go). Will let you know what she says.
    prv
  • bgant
    bgant Member Posts: 10
    Marlene_K said:

    I always got my nails done
    I always got my nails done before BC. My nail tech suggested removing the tips and then coating my real nails with a real thin coat of fill. My nails have held out real well. I've always had problems with my toe nails, but kept putting on anti-fungul liquid every night before bed. It would probably be a good thing if they feel off so I could start anew, but they same to be hanging in there as well.

    As an added note, they gave me my own set of tools to bring with me whenever I got my nails done. I've been doing that since surgery as to avoid getting infection and they never cut my cuticles.

    nails
    ok i get my nails done also, i lived in the salon but when my nails lfted frm nail bed i cut that part off, now they r growing but i really want my free forms back, shud i or shud i wait? im not on this site alot
    i feel outta place with my ugly hands, lol
  • BlownAway60
    BlownAway60 Member Posts: 851
    prv said:

    mine too!
    I also had bleeding under my nails, the tops and more than mid way down are white and they are lifting off the nail bed. (finished chemo 12/8) i am going to dermatologist (next monday) about nails and radiated peeling purple skin (finishing rads - 7 more to go). Will let you know what she says.
    prv

    Did not have this issue
    My onc was really suprised that with all the other side efects that I had that I did not have this issue with my nails. She told me that it was a side effect of Taxotere, which I had 3 sessions of.

    Hope it resolves for all of you soon.

    Donna
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member

    Did not have this issue
    My onc was really suprised that with all the other side efects that I had that I did not have this issue with my nails. She told me that it was a side effect of Taxotere, which I had 3 sessions of.

    Hope it resolves for all of you soon.

    Donna

    nails
    I finished chemo in May ... and my nails are still funky. I lost several toenails and they still aren't coming back the way they should ... and my fingernails are so brittle and splitting. I just try to keep nail thickener (like OPI Nail Envy) on them. Don't know if this is still from the chemo ... or maybe the tamoxifen ... but it is what it is.

    hugs.
    teena
  • bwlingatstarlite
    bwlingatstarlite Member Posts: 11
    I'm not going to lie, my
    I'm not going to lie, my nails did fall off but not all the way. It didn't hurt and they come back fast. Don't worry!
  • ppurdin
    ppurdin Member Posts: 1,181
    Nails
    I was lucky and did not loss my nails.They are dry and brake easy.Good luck.
  • Flakey_Flake
    Flakey_Flake Member Posts: 130
    I will get ten new fingernail from all this :)
    Hi Sweet

    My nails started growing in about a tenth the thickness they were at. So I ended up with a really thin nail coming in at the cuticle, and a big ridge where my thicker healthy nail was still hanging on. I got some nail strengthener, and kind of filled in the ridge, so they wouldn't catch on everything. Now that white part you were talking about has reached about the end of my fingernail. And the kind of teeter-tauter on the end of my finger, even though I have them cut as short as I can. I kept trying to use the nail strengther to sort of glue them to the thin nail, but that is now turning out to be more time than it is worth. So I use a bandaid, and put it on parallel with my finger, so the pad covers the nail and goes over the end and down the other side. Then I put adhesive tape around that, so it doesn't come off durring the day. Needless to say, you don't want to get your hands wet, so rubber gloves are my new accessory. I goes quite fashionably with my chemo hats. I take about an hour each day and remove all the tape and let my finger get some air, so they don't end up looking like petified prunes. I've had one come completely off, and there was a complete, but much thinner nail underneath. So I have one kind of normal finger. Not much good. Can't even give myself a good scratch with it. But it is there and will grow back. For now, I am the queen of klutz - between the tape and nuerapathy in my fingers I can't even hold on to a thought. Or is that the chemo brain? Oh well ... don't matter ... the sun was out today, melting all the Wisconsin snow. So brighter days are ahead. When your nails get so they are problematic, do whatever you need to fix it. Everybody has their own way that works for them, and you will find what works for you. I've heard that nail remover withouth keotone is much gentler on your nails, so use that. My guess is that you will eventually loose your nails. Just hold onto your hammer because your nail will grow back. Gosh .. I hope they don't come in all curly like some hair does ...
  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member

    I will get ten new fingernail from all this :)
    Hi Sweet

    My nails started growing in about a tenth the thickness they were at. So I ended up with a really thin nail coming in at the cuticle, and a big ridge where my thicker healthy nail was still hanging on. I got some nail strengthener, and kind of filled in the ridge, so they wouldn't catch on everything. Now that white part you were talking about has reached about the end of my fingernail. And the kind of teeter-tauter on the end of my finger, even though I have them cut as short as I can. I kept trying to use the nail strengther to sort of glue them to the thin nail, but that is now turning out to be more time than it is worth. So I use a bandaid, and put it on parallel with my finger, so the pad covers the nail and goes over the end and down the other side. Then I put adhesive tape around that, so it doesn't come off durring the day. Needless to say, you don't want to get your hands wet, so rubber gloves are my new accessory. I goes quite fashionably with my chemo hats. I take about an hour each day and remove all the tape and let my finger get some air, so they don't end up looking like petified prunes. I've had one come completely off, and there was a complete, but much thinner nail underneath. So I have one kind of normal finger. Not much good. Can't even give myself a good scratch with it. But it is there and will grow back. For now, I am the queen of klutz - between the tape and nuerapathy in my fingers I can't even hold on to a thought. Or is that the chemo brain? Oh well ... don't matter ... the sun was out today, melting all the Wisconsin snow. So brighter days are ahead. When your nails get so they are problematic, do whatever you need to fix it. Everybody has their own way that works for them, and you will find what works for you. I've heard that nail remover withouth keotone is much gentler on your nails, so use that. My guess is that you will eventually loose your nails. Just hold onto your hammer because your nail will grow back. Gosh .. I hope they don't come in all curly like some hair does ...

    Hilarity and Help
    Flakey_Flake, thank you for your entertaining and informative post. Love your humor and great attitude--rubber gloves accessorizing your chemo hat. You are clearly a survivor! (Oh, and your User ID is perfect. My husband is from Wisconsin, and I've seen a few wintry days up there.)

    Welcome to the club no one wants to join, by the way. And thanks again for the practical advice and wit.
  • Chrispea
    Chrispea Member Posts: 123 Member
    Mine are like Laurissa's...
    Mine are like Laurissa's... I didn't have a problem with A/C, but when I switched to Taxotere the first time, on about day 5 all my fingers hurt like heck, like they were smashed in a car door.. it was awful.

    I called the onc nurse right away, and told her about that, and all the super bad muscle pain that I had... so next treatment, I got more steroids and stayed on them longer, and my fingers didn't hurt.

    But, my thumbnails lifted like the white part is down real low. About half way on my right thumb and same with my left.. it happened a bit on my index finger and my middle finger right hand, left hand OK.

    They are healing up, the white part is only about 1/3 down now instead of halfway.

    Someone said to soak them in boiled vinegar water. What I did was boil water in a tea pot, put some in a little bowl and added some vinegar, let in cool and soaked my fingers.

    Also, the next time I got chemo, I took a zip baggie and filled it with ice, and stuck my fingers in there for the first 20 minutes while the taxotere was dripping. My nails seem to not have gotten worse, so you could try that.

    I also have stripes across the nail beds, I read that that can happen, it's a mark from each chemo. I'm done now, so yippee, now my nails will hopefully grow normal.

    OH, one more thing I did, I kept my hands out of water, like when doing the dishes and cleaning. I bought rubber gloves, pink of course, for doing dishes and stuff, and that seemed to help. (yes, the gloves go well with chemo hats! LOL!) The water logged nails seemed to make them lift up more... and I didn't need that.

    I also wore bandaids on my thumb nails because they were tender and also helped from me getting them caught on stuff and accidentally lifting them up more.

    I hope that helped. :)

    P.S. I didn't have any trouble with my toe nails. And every night I would rub a good hand cream into my hands, nails and cuticles. I use Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, it's about $4 and doesn't wash off, not greasy, and works great. The fisherman use it and they're in water all the time.
  • Mothercrone
    Mothercrone Member Posts: 28
    Chrispea said:

    Mine are like Laurissa's...
    Mine are like Laurissa's... I didn't have a problem with A/C, but when I switched to Taxotere the first time, on about day 5 all my fingers hurt like heck, like they were smashed in a car door.. it was awful.

    I called the onc nurse right away, and told her about that, and all the super bad muscle pain that I had... so next treatment, I got more steroids and stayed on them longer, and my fingers didn't hurt.

    But, my thumbnails lifted like the white part is down real low. About half way on my right thumb and same with my left.. it happened a bit on my index finger and my middle finger right hand, left hand OK.

    They are healing up, the white part is only about 1/3 down now instead of halfway.

    Someone said to soak them in boiled vinegar water. What I did was boil water in a tea pot, put some in a little bowl and added some vinegar, let in cool and soaked my fingers.

    Also, the next time I got chemo, I took a zip baggie and filled it with ice, and stuck my fingers in there for the first 20 minutes while the taxotere was dripping. My nails seem to not have gotten worse, so you could try that.

    I also have stripes across the nail beds, I read that that can happen, it's a mark from each chemo. I'm done now, so yippee, now my nails will hopefully grow normal.

    OH, one more thing I did, I kept my hands out of water, like when doing the dishes and cleaning. I bought rubber gloves, pink of course, for doing dishes and stuff, and that seemed to help. (yes, the gloves go well with chemo hats! LOL!) The water logged nails seemed to make them lift up more... and I didn't need that.

    I also wore bandaids on my thumb nails because they were tender and also helped from me getting them caught on stuff and accidentally lifting them up more.

    I hope that helped. :)

    P.S. I didn't have any trouble with my toe nails. And every night I would rub a good hand cream into my hands, nails and cuticles. I use Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, it's about $4 and doesn't wash off, not greasy, and works great. The fisherman use it and they're in water all the time.

    Black & Blue Nails
    Hello! I just found this CSN today. I've finished my 5th round of chemo and about two weeks ago I noticed that my nails were turning blue, thickening and lifting off from the finger.

    I spoke with my oncology nurses and the Cigna Health Care Nurse and they advised me that every patient is different; some will lose their fingernails, some will not, etc.

    I just wanted to thank you for your helpful suggestions for nail treatment. I just ordered the OPI Nail Strengther and I'm looking forward to trying it.

    I have put one coat of a frosted polish on my fingernails because they look just awful and I noticed that others noticed my nails too.

    Thanks for a wonderful website.