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Anyone have a problem with losing your big toe nail after chemo?
Since completing chemotherapy I have been having trouble with losing the nails on both my big toes. Is anyone else experiencing this problem?
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No, my nurse practitioner primary had no answer. Anymore, seems like we are just moved on and we figure it out. It is frustrating!
Thank you for your reply.
Yes I thought I was the only one with this big toenail problem. I went to a foot doctor and was told it was
Chemo toe. He said the only way it could be cured was to remove the nails. I was already in lots of pain so I decided I didn't want to go through that. My doctor shaved them down as much as possible but they still look terrible. No longer feel I can wear sandals.
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1 ReactionI have a friend who also had breast cancer and had chemo. She is trying to have her toenail removed because of the effect chemo had on it. It apparently does not look so great…I haven’t seen it.
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1 Reaction@jeff1957 I had Folfiri and among the other side effects I experienced (including diarrhoea and sores in my nose and mouth) it really attacked my nails (both hands and feet).
I kept my dark purple nails (yes another side effect!) as short as possible and kept any sores well cleaned until finally they recovered. I also padded my big toes when wearing closed shoes so they weren’t rubbed.
It will take some months to recover. It’s 3 years now after stopping Folfiri and while my nails have been back to normal colour for a couple of years, they are still not nearly as strong as they once were and tear quite easily. So I still keep them very short, but they look normal. At least they don’t lift off the nail bed any more, just are weaker.