Fingernail issues

Gm2873
Gm2873 Member Posts: 65
in Breast Cancer #1

I finished Taxotere in Feb of this year. I'm now on Letrozole, Hercepetin, and Zometa (all indefinitely because of bone met). I know the Taxotere can cause nail problems, and my toenails did get pretty bad towards the end, though I never lost any. Just recently, my fingernails are splitting, and they're very thin, almost layered like croissants, with lots of vertical ridges. Anyone else have this type of problem? Any suggestions? My hair is growing back in with a vengeance, so I'm surprised at this new issue with the nails.

Comments

  • GlowMore
    GlowMore Member Posts: 789 Member
    #2
    Fingernails*

    Hi GM   This is GM  :)    I never had any issues with my toe nails but my fingernails did get very thin and they still split and have vertical ridges.  The vertical Ridges come with age I was told....but the thinness and splitting can be a lasting side effect of chemo.  I remember during my chemo I got horizontal dark lines like a Raccoon, but that is very understandable because the chemo drugs stop all protein growth and then just when they are beginning to grow again you get hit with another round of chemo.  It sounds like you are on a constant treatment now.  Have you spoken with your Oncologist about this?  Be very kind to you and keep your hands out of the dishwater and maybe use more Vit E oil on the nails.  Please know we all send you our Prayers for Answers and for Courage and Strength with Love.  Glo

  • GlowMore
    GlowMore Member Posts: 789 Member
    #3
    Rac**

    I was talking about the little animal that has stripes...a  R A C C O O N...    :)  For some stupid Politically Correct reason...this Site edited my raccoon and I had to come back and put spaces in between the letters.   MMMMmmm   I wonder what other words I can't type?  WASP?   PIG?  

     

  • CSN_Rowan
    CSN_Rowan Member Posts: 87
    #4
    GlowMore said:

    Rac**

    I was talking about the little animal that has stripes...a  R A C C O O N...    :)  For some stupid Politically Correct reason...this Site edited my raccoon and I had to come back and put spaces in between the letters.   MMMMmmm   I wonder what other words I can't type?  WASP?   PIG?  

     

    Hi GlowMore,
    That's odd and

    Hi GlowMore,

    That's odd and the site shouldn't be rejecting words....please let us know if you find any more that seem to cause glitches! 

    Thanks,

    CSN Team

  • button2
    button2 Member Posts: 421
    #5
    Taxotere/Herceptin

    I did Taxotere and Herceptin. The first caused weird black horizontal lines in my nails and the second caused the flaking and peeling you describe. I used a special nail treatment (in a bottle like polish) from some French company (I can't remember the name). You could probably use any nail strengthener but I would avoid removing it often since acetone based removers are so harsh. I never lost any nails while on Herceptin, I just kept them short and wore gloves for washing dishes and other chores to limit the damage. Having a healthy diet can't hurt also. Hope this helps! Anna

  • GlowMore
    GlowMore Member Posts: 789 Member
    #6
    CSN_Rowan said:

    Hi GlowMore,
    That's odd and

    Hi GlowMore,

    That's odd and the site shouldn't be rejecting words....please let us know if you find any more that seem to cause glitches! 

    Thanks,

    CSN Team

    I know ...it was odd...

    Yes it was odd wasn't it CSN Rowan?    Did you try to type raccoon?  :)

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #7
    I have never had 'nice' nails

    I have never had 'nice' nails - thin, brittle, etc.  However, during chemo I use Nail Envy by OPI and they actually got better, I still use it and have much nicer nails than I ever had.  It is a nail strengthener that I was given a sample of at the Look Good Feel Better class.  It is not cheap (the last bottle I got was about $27 but it last 6-9 mths) and has to be gotten at hair salons, perhaps manicure salons too but I get mine at hair salon.

    Winyan - The Power Within

    Susan

  • Barb A
    Barb A Member Posts: 123
    #8
    Hi, the best nail

    Hi, the best nail strengthener I found is from Avon. It brushes on and soaks into the nails in a few seconds. It doesn't have to be removed. I try to apply it twice a day, three if I remember. My nails have always been soft and split. Using this from Avon and wearing rubber gloves for dishes or other chores in water really helps. It's not as expensive as others I've tried either. It comes in a black nail polish sized bottle. I have one at home and one at work.

    Barb A

  • alabama_survivor
    alabama_survivor Member Posts: 85
    #9
    Barb A said:

    Hi, the best nail

    Hi, the best nail strengthener I found is from Avon. It brushes on and soaks into the nails in a few seconds. It doesn't have to be removed. I try to apply it twice a day, three if I remember. My nails have always been soft and split. Using this from Avon and wearing rubber gloves for dishes or other chores in water really helps. It's not as expensive as others I've tried either. It comes in a black nail polish sized bottle. I have one at home and one at work.

    Barb A

    I sold Avon from August 2008

    I sold Avon from August 2008 until June a year ago when I was diagnosed.  I do remember a similar product that was discontinued several years ago.  Have you bought this in the last year, because I don't remember it. 

    Even before chemo, the only way I could have nice nails was to do the acrylics.  My natural nails would always split, peel, or break, and anything I put on them to make them stronger would just peel right off.

    During my weekly Taxol treatments which I finished last December, they got badly discolored and started lifting from the nailbeds.  I didn't lose any, but they were really sore.  Now that they've had time to grow out, they grow better than they ever have and they are much stronger.  I am just now starting to do housework again, so they may just be really strong because I haven't been doing anything.

     

  • Gm2873
    Gm2873 Member Posts: 65
    #10
    Fingernail issues

    Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll start looking for a nail strengthener. My neice sells Avon, so perhaps she can steer me towards a good one. I don't really wash dishes (our house rule is, if you cook you don't have to clean up). My husband or sin always clean up, since I do most of the cooking. I do wash my hands a lot while cooking. Not sure I can stop that. I'll get some vitamin e oil and start using that too.

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #11
    alabama_survivor said:

    I sold Avon from August 2008

    I sold Avon from August 2008 until June a year ago when I was diagnosed.  I do remember a similar product that was discontinued several years ago.  Have you bought this in the last year, because I don't remember it. 

    Even before chemo, the only way I could have nice nails was to do the acrylics.  My natural nails would always split, peel, or break, and anything I put on them to make them stronger would just peel right off.

    During my weekly Taxol treatments which I finished last December, they got badly discolored and started lifting from the nailbeds.  I didn't lose any, but they were really sore.  Now that they've had time to grow out, they grow better than they ever have and they are much stronger.  I am just now starting to do housework again, so they may just be really strong because I haven't been doing anything.

     

    Someone elses who peels

    I had always thought I was the only one who could not keep nail polish or strengtheners/hardeners on.  I had never had any luck finding any polish or strengtheners tthatwould not just peel off in as a single peel or in 2 or 3 sections within hours.  Price or barand,did not make a difference except that cheaper would sometimes stay on a little longer.  Yes, I had tried Avon and it did not work any better for staying on.  That's part of what I found susurprising with the Nail Envy - it did stay on.  If I hadn't been given the sample by the Master Cosmetologist who did the Look Good, Feel Better class, I would have never bought it.  But WOW - it actually stayed on AND helped my nails so now I won't be without it.

    Winyan - The Power Within

    Susan

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