NeuroTalk Support Groups - HELP for chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy

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HELP for chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy

Hello,

I'm new to this forum.

I've had breast cancer this past year and was on weekly Taxol for 3 month. I developed neuropathy (mostly on my feet) while on chemo. It's been 5 month since my last chemo and my feet are not improving...in fact they are getting worse. I'm starting to be in panic. I have two small children and not being able to walk is terrible.

My oncologist says that nothing can be done about, which I find hard to believe. Is there help and what can I do.

Appreciate any advise.

Many thanks, Cornelia

Quote:

Originally Posted by coma (Post 607722)

post in the peripheral neuropathy forum,,just scroll down till you find it....good luck

Welcome to Neurotalk--

--though I'm sorry for the reasons you've had to come here.

Unfortunately, many of the chemotherapeutic compounds are neurotoxic, and peripheral neuropathy is a well-known side effect (one that too many doctors, even oncologists, don't tell their patients much about, unfortunately).

On the plus side, though, is that typically one can expect some recovery after the chemo regimen is over. The amount of recovery is quite variable, though, and it tends to happen very slowly, as nerves are among the most slowly repairing bodily tissues. And it is not true that there is nothing to be done about it--specifically, there are a number of supplements that many have found to be beneficial in supporting nerve re-growth/repair--CQ10, carnitine, and the B-vitamins, especially B12, amont ehm.

You should come on over to both our Vitamins/Minerals/Supplements and Peripheral Neuropathy boards--we have threads about these on both, and a vast amount of knowledge and citations:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/fo...prune=100&f=49

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/fo...prune=100&f=20

http://dl2.glitter-graphics.net/pub/...czn2wcs3lv.gif

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Great to see you have come to be with us. You will find a great number of caring, supporting members here willing to help each other as they can.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around.

Darlene :hug:

Welcome to NeuroTalk!

The main nutrient that has shown some positive effect for chemo induced neuropathy is acetyl carnitine. It is best take before and during the chemo for best effect.

You can try it now, but I can't vouch for how effective it might be at this late date.

Quote:

CNS Drugs. 2007;21 Suppl 1:39-43; discussion 45-6.Links
Acetyl-L-carnitine for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a short review.
De Grandis D.

Divisione di Neurologia, Ospedale Civile di Rovigo, Rovigo, Italy. ddegrandis@iol.it

Peripheral neurotoxicity is a major complication associated with the use of chemotherapeutic agents such as platinum compounds, taxanes and vinca alkaloids. The neurotoxicity of chemotherapy depends not only on the anticancer agent(s) used, the cumulative dose and the delivery method, but also on the capacity of the nerve to cope with the nerve-damaging process. The sensory and motor symptoms and signs of neurotoxicity are disabling, and have a significant impact on the quality of life of cancer patients. Moreover, the risk of cumulative toxicity may limit the use of highly effective chemotherapeutic agents. Therefore, prophylaxis and treatment of peripheral neurotoxicity secondary to chemotherapy are major clinical issues. Acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC), the acetyl ester of L-carnitine, plays an essential role in intermediary metabolism. Some of the properties exhibited by ALC include neuroprotective and neurotrophic actions, antioxidant activity, positive actions on mitochondrial metabolism, and stabilisation of intracellular membranes. ALC has demonstrated efficacy and high tolerability in the treatment of neuropathies of various aetiologies, including chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). In several experimental settings, the prophylactic administration of ALC prevented the occurrence of peripheral neurotoxicity commonly induced by chemotherapeutic agents. In animal models of CIPN, ALC administration promoted the recovery of nerve conduction velocity, restored the mechanical nociceptive threshold, and induced analgesia by up-regulating the expression of type-2 metabotropic glutamate receptors in dorsal root ganglia. These results, plus the favourable safety profile of ALC in neuropathies of other aetiologies, have led to the effects of ALC on CIPN being investigated in cancer patients. Preliminary results have confirmed the reasonably good tolerability profile and the efficacy of ALC on CIPN. The present studies support the use of ALC in cancer patients with persisting neurotoxicity induced by paclitaxel or cisplatin treatment.

PMID: 17696592 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Also I'd recommend you get your Vit D tested. Very low D is associated with cancer. Increasing this to at least 50-80 ng/ml is helpful also for chronic pain, and preventing metastases.

Thanks for your post. I wished I had known about this before, or at least my oncologist would have taken me more seriously as I complained about it while he gave me Taxol. I just made an appointment with a Neurologist.

In the last 3 days it has gotten so much worse. I can barely walk around in the apartment. With two small kids on my hand it is really to cry for. Any idea why it is suddenly much worse? All I've been told is that it will get better over time...and now I'm pretty much in panic.

How do I know whether the Neurologist I'm going to see is a good one?

Would appreciate any further tips, or to hear from other woman who were on Taxol and have encounter this problem.

Cornelia

TAXOL induced peripheral neuropathy

Just got of the phone with the neurologist. She wants me to take "Lyrica" and an additional pain medication. Anybody has experience with this Lyrica?

She says that Acetyl-L-Carnitine will only help before or during the chemo. Anybody having a different experience?

I read somewhere that Magnesium Oxide *500 to 1000 mg* a day may help. Anybody having an experience with that?

What about the B-Vitamins? Anybody having an experience with that?

Anybody having a good experience with acupuncture?

[QUOTE=coma;608220]Just got of the phone with the neurologist. She wants me to take "Lyrica" and an additional pain medication. Anybody has experience with this Lyrica?

My son has taken Lyrica 300mg for three or four years it does help him but he still is in pain.He also takes Lamitical and methadone to help with the pain.
He was done with chemo and radiation in August of '03 and we are still battling this. We are now seeing a wellness doctor and working with the anti-inflammation diet. The neuropathy has gotton worse since the inception of it.
We are hoping this new way of eating and various other products , Cat's Claw, Alpha lipoic Acid will help. I have heard the B vitiamin is best for diebetic neuropathy. My son's B 6 was fine.