questions about frozen hands & feet and foods to eat

greatgranny15
greatgranny15 Member Posts: 6
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I am very new at this (both public discussions and cancer) so please bear with me. A year ago my brother was diagnosed with colon cancer and died within 6 weeks of the diagnosis. My Dr had me go see an oncologist within weeks after my brother died and after the colonoscopy they found a cancerous tumor in the colon. They took a third of my colon out and did a resection and after it healed I started chemo. I finished my six months of chemo about 12 weeks ago and so far everything seems be ok. I feel very blessed after meeting my chemo buddies because they told me mine was probably caught early enough that I stand a very good chance of staying in remission. BUT I have questions that I can't seem to find answers for... How long does it take for your hands and feet to become unfrozen from the chemo... I went from 110 words a minute typing to about 10 words a minute. I have now also progressed from a two year old learning to eat with utinsals and tieing my shoes to a 2nd or third grader in those and signing my name. But the hands don't want to work properly and it is hard to keep my balance now because I have no feeling in my feet. Need advice on what to do to improve the situation. My Dr. just kind of pooh poohs it and doesn't give me any advice. ALSO... When can I eat my favorite raw veggies and fruits? My dr says to experiment with salads, but no celery or carrots uncooked and no grapes unless they are PEELED! The whole idea of eating carrots and celery and grapes is the crunch! Do I have to give them up for good? Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Comments

  • PamPam2
    PamPam2 Member Posts: 370 Member
    #2
    crunch
    Hi. I am now able to eat whatever I want, in moderation that is. Some things I know I will pay for, like popcorn, but still I have some once in a while. I have no problems with vegetables, raw or cooked. You could try introducing some into your diet a small bit at a time , I don't know how far out you are from surgery, whether you are considered fully healed from that or not, maybe that is why your doctor is concerned about too much roughage? I started eating what I wanted pretty soon after my surgery, but still take a stool softener every day. My neurapathy was not as bad as yours, but I do know that nerve damage can take a very very long time to get better. You might need to get some testing from a neurologist, or a specialist in nerve problems to get some ideas,help with your hands and feet. Hope things continue to get better and better for you.
    Best wishes for you.
    Pam
  • Julie 44
    Julie 44 Member Posts: 476 Member
    #3
    PamPam2 said:

    crunch
    Hi. I am now able to eat whatever I want, in moderation that is. Some things I know I will pay for, like popcorn, but still I have some once in a while. I have no problems with vegetables, raw or cooked. You could try introducing some into your diet a small bit at a time , I don't know how far out you are from surgery, whether you are considered fully healed from that or not, maybe that is why your doctor is concerned about too much roughage? I started eating what I wanted pretty soon after my surgery, but still take a stool softener every day. My neurapathy was not as bad as yours, but I do know that nerve damage can take a very very long time to get better. You might need to get some testing from a neurologist, or a specialist in nerve problems to get some ideas,help with your hands and feet. Hope things continue to get better and better for you.
    Best wishes for you.
    Pam

    Neuropathy
    Hey there,
    Welcome to this board..You will find Everyone is so helpful and just remember we have all been there and done that...
    So having said that I have been done with chemo since the end of April 2009...I still have neuropathy in my feet...It is very painful. It did go away in my hands soon after I finished chemo but not the feet...My oncologist says it can either go away or stay a long time..Helpful right...lol lol .Right now he put me on seizure meds and vitamin B6...Trying this for awhile and seeing if it gets better..I just started this so don't know yet...
    As far as eating my doc said go for it..I do not have any problems eating anything. Just try it and if see what happens but take it slow alittle at a time..
    Good luck and keep us updated on how you are doing....JULIE
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #4
    Welcome
    Welcome!

    I've only had 2 rounds of FOLFOX and my neuropathy issues or more chest, neck, face so far. I am too early in to be of any help with that question.

    But as far as food, I find the recommendations strange. You said you had a colon resection (not rectal and nothing to do with an ostomy), and then after healing had 6 months of chemo, and you are 3 months out from that. So I don't understand any food restrictions.

    I had my colon resection, and the first day after it I was on soft liquids. The second day I was on full diet - anything I wanted to eat. I ate almost nothing other than raw fruits and veggies (including plenty of grapes with skin) for the 7 weeks between resection and starting chemo. I've not been able to eat as healthy since then due to a lot of nausea, but I know just getting in any nutrition and calories is the most important thing right now.

    I'd go ahead and eat what you want. And drink plenty of fluids.

    I hope you continue to progress on getting rid of the neuropathy. It sounds like you have been making progress. (If you went from "2-yr-old to 3rd grader" in 3 months, at that pace you should be a teenager in 3 more.) I would be going crazy to lose my typing skills like that. Just the bit of hand cramping I've had in my right hand already does make me crazy. So sorry you have it this severe.
  • greatgranny15
    greatgranny15 Member Posts: 6
    #5
    Kathryn_in_MN said:

    Welcome
    Welcome!

    I've only had 2 rounds of FOLFOX and my neuropathy issues or more chest, neck, face so far. I am too early in to be of any help with that question.

    But as far as food, I find the recommendations strange. You said you had a colon resection (not rectal and nothing to do with an ostomy), and then after healing had 6 months of chemo, and you are 3 months out from that. So I don't understand any food restrictions.

    I had my colon resection, and the first day after it I was on soft liquids. The second day I was on full diet - anything I wanted to eat. I ate almost nothing other than raw fruits and veggies (including plenty of grapes with skin) for the 7 weeks between resection and starting chemo. I've not been able to eat as healthy since then due to a lot of nausea, but I know just getting in any nutrition and calories is the most important thing right now.

    I'd go ahead and eat what you want. And drink plenty of fluids.

    I hope you continue to progress on getting rid of the neuropathy. It sounds like you have been making progress. (If you went from "2-yr-old to 3rd grader" in 3 months, at that pace you should be a teenager in 3 more.) I would be going crazy to lose my typing skills like that. Just the bit of hand cramping I've had in my right hand already does make me crazy. So sorry you have it this severe.

    I had another colonoscopy
    I had another colonoscopy this past week because the PET came back questionable. The Dr said there is a tiny hole at the point of the resection and the food will not digest properly. But I think I will take all of your advice about eating. I have no problem with constipation in fact just the opposite, so will continue trying out the different foods. I do have to be careful about how much tho, learned the hard way what happens when the food doen't digest!! Thanks for the advice on hands and feet. I was really starting to worry about that. It is so odd that the hands are so cold all the time and won't work right, and yet are so super sensative. I broke a couple of potato chips in my hand one day and it felt like razor blades. Anyway, thanks again for the advice and encouragement.
  • greatgranny15
    greatgranny15 Member Posts: 6
    #6
    Julie 44 said:

    Neuropathy
    Hey there,
    Welcome to this board..You will find Everyone is so helpful and just remember we have all been there and done that...
    So having said that I have been done with chemo since the end of April 2009...I still have neuropathy in my feet...It is very painful. It did go away in my hands soon after I finished chemo but not the feet...My oncologist says it can either go away or stay a long time..Helpful right...lol lol .Right now he put me on seizure meds and vitamin B6...Trying this for awhile and seeing if it gets better..I just started this so don't know yet...
    As far as eating my doc said go for it..I do not have any problems eating anything. Just try it and if see what happens but take it slow alittle at a time..
    Good luck and keep us updated on how you are doing....JULIE

    Thank you so much for the
    Thank you so much for the advice. I may ask my Dr for the vitamin B6 and see how that works.
  • greatgranny15
    greatgranny15 Member Posts: 6
    #7
    PamPam2 said:

    crunch
    Hi. I am now able to eat whatever I want, in moderation that is. Some things I know I will pay for, like popcorn, but still I have some once in a while. I have no problems with vegetables, raw or cooked. You could try introducing some into your diet a small bit at a time , I don't know how far out you are from surgery, whether you are considered fully healed from that or not, maybe that is why your doctor is concerned about too much roughage? I started eating what I wanted pretty soon after my surgery, but still take a stool softener every day. My neurapathy was not as bad as yours, but I do know that nerve damage can take a very very long time to get better. You might need to get some testing from a neurologist, or a specialist in nerve problems to get some ideas,help with your hands and feet. Hope things continue to get better and better for you.
    Best wishes for you.
    Pam

    Thanks for your advice and I
    Thanks for your advice and I think I will take it! Of course, I will skip the stool softener since I have just the opposite problem. Seems like what ever I eat goes straight thru. If my hands don't improve before long, I may take your advice and see a neurologist.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #8
    greatgranny15 said:

    I had another colonoscopy
    I had another colonoscopy this past week because the PET came back questionable. The Dr said there is a tiny hole at the point of the resection and the food will not digest properly. But I think I will take all of your advice about eating. I have no problem with constipation in fact just the opposite, so will continue trying out the different foods. I do have to be careful about how much tho, learned the hard way what happens when the food doen't digest!! Thanks for the advice on hands and feet. I was really starting to worry about that. It is so odd that the hands are so cold all the time and won't work right, and yet are so super sensative. I broke a couple of potato chips in my hand one day and it felt like razor blades. Anyway, thanks again for the advice and encouragement.

    Frozen feet and hands.............
    Neuropathy, normally in hands for me was around 5 months and almost back to normal. They were (so that you can compare longevity in recouping) bad enough that I too had a very hard time signing my name and holding a pencil and I went from pecking 20 words a minute down to 8. It was a chore simply to pick my nose. (yeah I know yucky but true) and thats how I gauge my recovering. I can pick it with glee and zeal and zest now so in 5 months you should be good to go again.; My feet are a different story. They are still very tingly feeling and more so after I have been seated for a period of time, or when I first get up. Its nothing I can't live with but still aggravating. The nerve endings are very slow in regrowth and sometimes if taken to far are permanent but I would look for the fingers to be back in marathon shape in about 6 months tops......Happy Typing...{{{{HUGS}}}}...Buzzard
  • hueybubba
    hueybubba Member Posts: 7
    #9
    questions about frozen hands & feet and foods to eat
    I had an anterior resection Nov of 2008, Radiation Feb thru a Mar and Chemo Feb thru May 2009. I only did 6 sessions of Chemo and experienced slight numbness in hands and feet. I still have a little bit of numbness around my toes but the fact that I only did 6 sessions may be the reason why I have not have the same level of numbness. As far as eating, I am still trying to figure this out, since when I eat within an hour I am in the bathroom and somedays I am back and forth all day...real bummer when trying to get stuff done around the house. The radiation has made me lactose intolerant so no milk..cheese...pizza and so on. becareful of "white sauces" as they ten to have milk and you know the rest of the story :(. When I end up with days that I am constantly having to use the bathroom, I take one imodium to slow it down, if it continues say into the next hour I will take another and then I am ok for a few days. I am still trying to figure out the best schedule but I resort to BRAT (Bananas, rice(white), applesauc and Toast) to try an control the constant bathroom. I am careful with not too much ruffage, chocolate (milk :() since I still have not figured these out. I try and keep a daily log of what I eat and when I use the bathroom to help pinpoint the culprit.

Discussion Boards