Help Needed For Hand-Foot Syndrome

marzz26
marzz26 Member Posts: 27
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Good morning,

I have read posts about people wearing white cloth gloves for the hands when they get sore from the h-f syndrome. Where does one purchase them? Are they a specific kind of glove? How about something for the feet? Any recommendations?

Comments

  • claud1951
    claud1951 Member Posts: 424 Member
    #2
    Hi there,

    Yes..you can get the gloves and footies at Bed Bath and Beyond. They are white cotten.

    I used Eucrin cream which helped me. Some use Udder cream but another one is by Mary Kay. You have to order it..It's their Emollient cream. Real thick but works , too.

    Use the gloves and footies at night. Really helps.
    But then use the cream all the time.

    Good Luck

    Claudia
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #3
    A photography supply store will have them as well. They use them to handle pics....white cotton, sold by the box. White, cotton socks work great on the feet, and being careful not to bump into things....

    Also, Vitamin B6 is good (orally)...but check with your onc before taking this, as it was recommended to me after my treatments were over....

    Mary Kay cosmetics sells a very heavy pink cream that works well, too. I actually used it on my bald head as well to protect it and eliminate the itch. I can't remember the exact name, but it's lovingly called 'axle grease' by many of the MK reps...

    Hugs, kathi
  • shmurciakova
    shmurciakova Member Posts: 906 Member
    #4
    I was just wondering if you could tell us what other drugs you are taking besides Xeloda and whether or not you have told your doctor about your hand/foot syndrome. How long are you supposed to be on Xeloda? I had hand/foot syndrome pretty bad, esp. the feet. My doctor lowered my dose of Xeloda. If it is really bad, another option would be to get on 5-FU instead, although it is not nearly as convenient. I used Udder cream on my feet and took B6, I think I read somewhere that anti-inflammatory drugs like Celebrex can help too.
    Good luck,
    Susan H.
  • marzz26
    marzz26 Member Posts: 27
    #5
    shmurciakova said:

    I was just wondering if you could tell us what other drugs you are taking besides Xeloda and whether or not you have told your doctor about your hand/foot syndrome. How long are you supposed to be on Xeloda? I had hand/foot syndrome pretty bad, esp. the feet. My doctor lowered my dose of Xeloda. If it is really bad, another option would be to get on 5-FU instead, although it is not nearly as convenient. I used Udder cream on my feet and took B6, I think I read somewhere that anti-inflammatory drugs like Celebrex can help too.
    Good luck,
    Susan H.

    Xeloda is the only drug I am on. I had a lengthly conversation with my onc about this yesterday. We discussed whether or not I should switch to 5-FU. I decided to stay on the Xeloda. The reason for this is that, as uncomfortable as it is right now, the hfs is not unmanageable. My dosage has been reduced to 3 in the AM and 3 at PM. I am beginning my one week off tonight and look forward to my hands and feet feeling better during this time. When I start my 3rd cycle next week, my onc will be watching me closely and will be ready to reduce me again to 2 in the AM and 3 in the PM. My onc feels that as cycle 3 is starting at 3 and 3, whereas cycle 2 started at 4 and 4, it may be gentler on me at the start.

    I have been taking B6 and using Eucerin and Jojoba on my skin.

    Thanks for your reply and good wishes.

    Marc
  • spongebob
    spongebob Member Posts: 2,565 Member
    #6
    KathiM said:

    A photography supply store will have them as well. They use them to handle pics....white cotton, sold by the box. White, cotton socks work great on the feet, and being careful not to bump into things....

    Also, Vitamin B6 is good (orally)...but check with your onc before taking this, as it was recommended to me after my treatments were over....

    Mary Kay cosmetics sells a very heavy pink cream that works well, too. I actually used it on my bald head as well to protect it and eliminate the itch. I can't remember the exact name, but it's lovingly called 'axle grease' by many of the MK reps...

    Hugs, kathi

    Mary Kay Night Time Emolient Cream...

    Smells like bee's wax - which is one of the main ingredients. It was the stuff that really "launched" the Mary Kay empire.

    OK... I seem to be a little bit too open about my knowledge of MK stuff... I'll just get in my pink Caddy and drive on out of here now.
  • hopefulone
    hopefulone Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    #7
    Udderly smooth cream worked well for my husband and as Kathi mentioned, Mary Kay sells a night emollient creme that is excellent. If you don't know anyone who sells Mary Kay, check it out on Ebay. I bought some on there. Good luck and God Bless.
    Diane
  • Limey
    Limey Member Posts: 446 Member
    #8
    i got my gloves and socks from a health care supply store. socks used by Diabetic great. They have great support that help with circulation. The gloves were just white cotton. they shrink quyite a bit so i would buy the extra large ones. b-6 did seem to help a bit for me.

    good luck.

    Mark
  • marzz26
    marzz26 Member Posts: 27
    #9
    Limey said:

    i got my gloves and socks from a health care supply store. socks used by Diabetic great. They have great support that help with circulation. The gloves were just white cotton. they shrink quyite a bit so i would buy the extra large ones. b-6 did seem to help a bit for me.

    good luck.

    Mark

    Thanks, Mark and all the rest of you. I ended up getting mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond. They seem to work well. I wear the gloves at night and when I'm at my desk during the day; the socks I've been wearing most of the day. I'm using Eucerin cream also, and have been taking B6. This is my off-week and 2 days into it, it seems that the hand burning is decreasing, hopefully by Saturday, it will be gone so I can enjoy the weekend without the pain.

    Be well, all and take good care.

    Marc
  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #10
    marzz26 said:

    Thanks, Mark and all the rest of you. I ended up getting mine at Bed, Bath & Beyond. They seem to work well. I wear the gloves at night and when I'm at my desk during the day; the socks I've been wearing most of the day. I'm using Eucerin cream also, and have been taking B6. This is my off-week and 2 days into it, it seems that the hand burning is decreasing, hopefully by Saturday, it will be gone so I can enjoy the weekend without the pain.

    Be well, all and take good care.

    Marc

    My DH recently had the hf problem while on Xeloda. we used the Mary Kay product.

    The skin on the bottom of his feet peeled making areas sore and walking painful/difficult.

    I purchased a product called new skin. This product, found in the first aid section at the drug store, is a liquid that is painted on like nail polish. This product forms a barrier and protects the sore area - last for days. It helped DH be able to walk much better. He also had to reduce the amount of Xeloda per day. The onc said that people who work with their hands a lot or walk a lot have the hf problem worse.

    These products and adjustment in meds allowed DH to continue Xeloda until it was no longer shrinking the liver tumors. At that point we changed to Erbitux.

    Good luck to you.

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