Peripheral Neuropathy

[Elise]

My mother has recently completed 3 months of taxol, carbo and avastin. In the middle of the chemo cycle she started to get a numbing in her fingers and toes but the doctor did not think it was anything to worry about. After her last chemo. she could not even walk due to the peripheral neuropathy. She is walking a little now but it is hard and she has trouble picking things up with her hands. The doctors are going to remove her from taxol but has anyone had this and did anything make it better. She is also going to request being taken off the Avastin because when I spoke to doctors I know personally they informed me that Avastin should never be taken when brain mets are involved and her MRI showed 1 brain met. She had gamma knife and everything went well with that.

Thanks, Elise

Mother dx stage 4 adeno inoperable in November. She has and still continues to have no lung cancer symptons yet

[trish2418]

Hi Elise:

I had terrible peripheral neuropathy when I was taking Taxol. Dr. prescribed Neurontin, but I didn't find that it did anything. After having a reaction to Taxol and switching to Taxotere, the neuropathy stopped. I'm not bothered by it at all today. Hope it goes that way for your mom.

Trish

[joanie55]

Hi Elise,

My neuropathy started a few months after I finished chemo. I didn't want to take any more meds, so I deal with it. It seems to be worse at night. My doctor did tell me that sometimes it goes away on its own. Hopefully it will at least get better for your mom.

Joan

[J.C.]

They have now 'Lyrica' made by Phizer corp

and

www.lyrica.com

some side effects bit of dizziness after taking

the pill, goes away fast and better sleep.

Jackie

[dadstimeon]

Hi Elise, Sorry I saw this late. I just started taking Gabapentin for my neuropathy and so far this really helps, especially at night when sleeping it's at it's worse. Might want to ask about this, just a thought. Rich

PS: My doctor also mention this is the same as Lyrica but cheaper might want to ask about that also.

[Mr Ry]

Elise,

I have the neuropathy in my feet from type 2 diabetes. I have had it worsen with different chemos. It has pretty much goes back to pre-chemo neuropathy. I am on Alimta right now and I get an increase with each treatment, but it goes back each time. My onc recommended Glutamine power 5 g twice a day. It is an over the counter supplement that has helped a lot of people. I have not been good about the number of times each day. I seem to forget the second 5g. I do believe it is helping. He said try it for 3 weeks and see what happens. He said if it did not work I could get a Lyrica prescription.

[Kasey]

Hi Elise,

It's good to 'see' you here! I don't know much about the neuropathy. I had only a touch of it, but I do take gabapentin that Rich mentioned for the trouble I have with the nerves in my chest.

Wish I could chat with your mother. Remember........ she is just right down the street. Do You still have my #? Call me when you are in town. Would love to chat again OR get together.

Kasey

[Donna G]

I have neuropathy. I had just one more Cisplatin to go when I was out walking my dog, stepped from the pavement to the grass on a nice day and fell on my -ss. I told the doctor when I went to the clinic and he said I had neuropathy, and forget the last dose of cisplatin. He sent me to a neurologist and had tests etc. They told me it would either go away or maybe not.

I don't fall down anymore and it is much better but it never went away completely. My feet are very sensitive. If I have a grain of sand in my shoe it feels like a piece of sharp glass. My feet only like certain shoes, must be comfortable. I don't walk barefoot , never! If I don't have shoes on , say I am sitting with my feet up, they wiggle. Doctor said they search for information. If I follow their rules it is not such a big problem. The chemo saved my life. I can live with fussy feet.

Donna G

[carolhg]

Someone on this web site told me to try Vitamin B-6 or B-12 for the neuropathy. I am sorry I can't remember which (chemo brain) because I was already taking one and bought the other. It is completely gone in my fingers and every now and then when I elevate my feet on my recliner I feel it in my toes.

Hope this helps, but be sure and talk to your doctor before you take anything new.

Prayers

[dadstimeon]

I forgot--chemo brain, I also tried B6 and B12, they did help, but mine got worse (trouble walking/cannot feel my feet) over time when I was trying to sleep to the point had to get up. All good suggestions depending on degree of problem.

[Elise]

As I recently told Casey I don't have an easy time with this webiste because I access it through AOL and think I should be using internet explorer, but I have just read everyone's response to my nueropathy question (a little late I know) and can't thank everyone enough. My mother was diagnosed Nov. 05 with NCSLC 1V. She received taxol, carbo and some avastin but had to stop when blood counts kept dropping. She also have severe shortness of breath after one treatment of gemzar. She is now on tarceva and stable and so we will wait for the next CT scan. February scan showed some shrinkage. My mother has not yet mastered the computer (dial-up is too slow) and my sister just doesn't go on this site, but for me it is a life saver. My mother probably wouldn't have taken avastin or tarceva if it wasn't for this site. One oncologist said she shouldn't waste her time with tarceva because it only works in 10 percent of the people. If I didn't push things (solely based on the info. I received from lchelp) I don't know what I would do. Sorry this was so long but I appreciate everyone on this site. I read the new treatments section every night like it is a nighttime story. I will have to get back to reading everyone's questions and concern.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Be well

[francesbean]

Hi Elise

Hope your mom continues to do well. Here's to more shrinkage on Tarceva.

Frances

[Don M]

Hi Elise: your mom had a good heads up on the avastin. It can cause a tumor to bleed so stay away from it if brain mets are involved. It looks like you got a lot of good tips and reassurance about the neuropathy. Maybe your mom could switch to taxotere.

Don M

[Maryanne]

Elise what Carolhg was talking about was was B6 and B 12.. 500 mgs of B6 and 1200 mgs of B 12.

That really helped with Joel's numbness. It is mostly gone now. He also had carbo/taxol

Maryanne