Cancer Treatment Options Forum - June 16th, 2010 - 1 Comment
I was recently treated for breast cancer with chemo and Taxol. Will the numbness goes away?
My feet are numb and my fingers have a tingling sensation
that won’t go away. Will the numbness ever goes away? I feel
like I am walking on a block of ice attached to my legs . I am
sure the Taxol caused the numbness in my fingers and toes.
Any home remedies on how to get rid of the numbness?
Peripheral Neuropathy is a side effect of certain types of chemotherapy. It can affect your ability to feel (sensory neuropathy), move (motor neuropathy) or both. Patients who are treated with chemotherapy regimens including Carboplatin and/or Taxol commonly experience peripheral neuropathy. For many people, the peripheral neuropathy subsides within months of completing their course of chemotherapy. So there is definitely hope for significant improvement of this condition after your chemotherapy has finished. However, for some, the sensations will dull, but not disappear.
Anyone with peripheral neuropathy needs to take careful precautions to avoid falls. You may also benefit from occupational therapy to develop strategies to deal with weakness or numbness in your hands. Finally, there are also medications that can help alleviate your symptoms if they continue after the completion of chemotherapy. A cancer rehabilitation physiatrist can evaluate your symptoms and prescribe appropriate medications or therapies. You should discuss this problem, as you should any complication of treatment, with your oncologist.
Hope this information helps