Good morning @myjiggers1, You have my empathy with hand and foot syndrome. It’s painful and really interferes with your entire sense of well-being. I hope your doctor might consider lowering your dosage but that can also make the treatment less effective. So that’s a tough call.

There are a few things I learned along the way to help ease the disruption when the chemo dosage couldn’t be lowered.
Finding moisturizers without alcohol is important. I finally settled on Burt’s Bees Baby Balm or products from VaniCream helped the most. The skin on my arms and flank also took a hit from chemo and the heavy antibiotics I was taking at the same time. So those moisturizers helped keep things calm, along with a prescription cortisone cream to reduce the inflammation when needed.

Protect your skin from heat such as hot baths, sun exposure or hot water for washing dishes, etc.. I used to place my hands on the granite countertops for a quick fix. Another short term relief was wetting washcloths in cold water, wring them out, then wrap my hands and feet in the cool washcloths. If you can, have someone else wring them out to avoid aggravating your hands. Once they’re wrung out, you can just shake them again to cool the cloth off to reapply.

Try not to rub your skin. Pat your skin gently when applying lotion or using a towel. Wear light, loose-fitting socks and shoes. What felt the best for me were the fuzzy slipper/grip socks that are given in hospitals. (Drug stores and Amazon have them) Elevate your hands and feet when you can.
My daughter also brought me a pair of light cotton gloves that I could wear for holding things like kitchen knives or sweeping. Otherwise the friction would really make my hand burn for longer after an activity.

I hope you find some relief. This does pass but it feels like forever when you’re going through it. I wonder if ice packs on your feet and hands during the chemo infusion might help?
Do the best you can to enjoy a lovely holiday season and best wishes for a healthy New Year ahead! ☺️

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