My wife's fingernails are falling off...

lindachris
lindachris Member Posts: 173
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Linda came into the room where my 20 year old daughter and I were looking at something on the computer together and told/showed us that her fingernails are coming completely off. They turned purple during treatments with Cisplatin and Taxotere. She was warned they might break. But this is much more dramatic. She's calmed down now but this is a really upsetting thing to her. "I use my hands!" she said. What more can she say?

Anyone else experience this? And what can you do once the nails come off. All 10 of them are loose. I don't know if her toenails are the same way.

She's going out now with my daughter to consult with a beauty shop on something to wear under the wig she's now accepted wearing because even though we're done with treatments the rest of her hair is coming out. She wears cute hats but it's pretty scraggly. And her wig looks pretty cute. But it's hot and not all that comfortable. Wig advice would be appreciated too.

Chris

Comments

  • MK_4Dani
    MK_4Dani Member Posts: 314
    #2
    Nails
    My fingernails turned colors but I didn't lose them. I kept them cut short so they wouldn't snag and rip. They do grow back. I lost half of my big toenails. They also grow back, (slowly). I wore shoes that had a square toe...pointy heels were uncomfortable on the toe. I used tea tree oil and I guess it helped: sure smells BAD! Tea tree oil is available in the vitimin/herb area of a pharmacy.

    There are wig liners that help with absorbing sweat and reduce the itchy feeling from the wigs. Wigs ARE just hot and uncomfortable. I only wore mine to work and public places. I shaved my head cause I couldn't stand the hair falling in my face and everywhere. Consider wearing scarves and caps. This site has a catalog of headgear.
    Good Luck,
    Mary
  • Chemo_Princess
    Chemo_Princess Member Posts: 105
    #3
    Nails
    My fingernails fell off too! My doctor said it is a "very rare" side effect of taxol. I was more upset over losing my nails than I was losing my hair. I ended up wearing water proof band-aids during the day. At night I cleaned them with peroxide and wore cotton gloves to bed. Also I wore gloves to do household chores. So sorry she is going thru this. It is awful.
    Natalie
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #4
    Chemo_Princess said:

    Nails
    My fingernails fell off too! My doctor said it is a "very rare" side effect of taxol. I was more upset over losing my nails than I was losing my hair. I ended up wearing water proof band-aids during the day. At night I cleaned them with peroxide and wore cotton gloves to bed. Also I wore gloves to do household chores. So sorry she is going thru this. It is awful.
    Natalie

    My fingernails seem to be
    My fingernails seem to be fine, but my toenails are turning black. My doctor said they may fall off but not to worry, they will come back and be "good as new". It is indeed the Taxol, and I have had 17 doses of it, with one more to go. I have started painting them with dark colored polish, so they don't look so yucky.

    I have worn a wig every day since Oct, 2009. I have three - two synthetic and one human hair - all in the same style/color as everyone was accustomed to seeing on me - naturally dyed, in other words.

    People seem to either love their wigs or hate them. I'm okay with mine, most of the time. I never learned to tie the scarves, and most of them seem way too long. I do have a whole wardrobe of hats/caps. I don't expect to have a decent crop of hair before late Summer. I'm not thrilled about that, but as everyone likes to say these days, it is what it is.

    Carlene
  • lindachris
    lindachris Member Posts: 173
    #5
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    My fingernails seem to be
    My fingernails seem to be fine, but my toenails are turning black. My doctor said they may fall off but not to worry, they will come back and be "good as new". It is indeed the Taxol, and I have had 17 doses of it, with one more to go. I have started painting them with dark colored polish, so they don't look so yucky.

    I have worn a wig every day since Oct, 2009. I have three - two synthetic and one human hair - all in the same style/color as everyone was accustomed to seeing on me - naturally dyed, in other words.

    People seem to either love their wigs or hate them. I'm okay with mine, most of the time. I never learned to tie the scarves, and most of them seem way too long. I do have a whole wardrobe of hats/caps. I don't expect to have a decent crop of hair before late Summer. I'm not thrilled about that, but as everyone likes to say these days, it is what it is.

    Carlene

    Thanks all!
    I'll pass along your wisdoms to my wife.

    Chris
  • mopar
    mopar Member Posts: 1,972 Member
    #6
    SO SORRY
    So sorry to hear this Chris. I did not suffer that side effect, but you received some good responses from women who did. Tell Linda to hang in there - her body has been through so much. It will get better.
    (((HUGS)))
    Monika
  • azsdjo
    azsdjo Member Posts: 1
    #7
    fingernails
    My fingernails got very "soft". A buddy of mine suggested I soak them in unflavored gelatin. Mix the unflavored gelatin with juice (not orange juice). It helps to strengthen the fingernails and hair follicles. (They are made out of the same stuff).
  • LPack
    LPack Member Posts: 645
    #8
    Nails
    My big toenails each fell off during carbo/taxol and now both are going to fall off AGAIN.

    But I don't really know if it started with gemzar/cisplatin last year and then continuing with Doxil now. But they are going...................Yuk.

    Libby
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #9
    LPack said:

    Nails
    My big toenails each fell off during carbo/taxol and now both are going to fall off AGAIN.

    But I don't really know if it started with gemzar/cisplatin last year and then continuing with Doxil now. But they are going...................Yuk.

    Libby

    Nails
    My big toe nails seem to be lifting. When they come off, is there anything in particular I need to do? Does it hurt? Knd of yukky, but as long as they grow back, and there is no pain, I'm ok with it.
    k

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