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Mandamoo · 09-04-2011, 11:37 PM

Thankyou for all of the tips. I have been on antibiotics now for 3 weeks. Last week I didn't have chemo - just herceptin as my neutrophils were again too low. I now have all 10 fingers bandaged and have had exudate ooze from 7 of those 10 - I am bandaging the remaining 3 to try and reduce the risk of infection. I moved from soaking in salt water to tea tree oil last night so let's see how that works. I have changed antibiotic this week - little improvement so far and am now putting antibiotic ointment in under the top of the nail. I am not polishing them anymore as they are dressed in bandages (lovely sight!). I had been told to polish using hardener and a dark polish to reduce sunlight getting to the nails. 2 out of the 7 seem to still be oozing some exudate at the moment.

Hopefully, the week 0ff chemo will have helped though I am due again on Wednesday... and the ab's don't seem to have helped that much (doesn't help that I am allergic to penicillin).

Thanks so much for the tips.

09-04-2011, 11:37 PM	#7
Mandamoo Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 432	Re: Help with Nail infections Thankyou for all of the tips. I have been on antibiotics now for 3 weeks. Last week I didn't have chemo - just herceptin as my neutrophils were again too low. I now have all 10 fingers bandaged and have had exudate ooze from 7 of those 10 - I am bandaging the remaining 3 to try and reduce the risk of infection. I moved from soaking in salt water to tea tree oil last night so let's see how that works. I have changed antibiotic this week - little improvement so far and am now putting antibiotic ointment in under the top of the nail. I am not polishing them anymore as they are dressed in bandages (lovely sight!). I had been told to polish using hardener and a dark polish to reduce sunlight getting to the nails. 2 out of the 7 seem to still be oozing some exudate at the moment. Hopefully, the week 0ff chemo will have helped though I am due again on Wednesday... and the ab's don't seem to have helped that much (doesn't help that I am allergic to penicillin). Thanks so much for the tips. __________________ Amanda xx 40 year old Mum to three gorgeous kids - son 5 and daughters 8 and 11 Wife to my wonderfully supportive husband of 17 years! 22 February 2011 - Diagnosed Early Breast Cancer IDBC Stage2b (ER/PR -ve, Her2+ve +++) - 38 years old (L) skin sparing mastectomy with tissue expander, axilla clearance (2/14 affected) clear margins. Fec3, Taxotere and herceptin2 - stopped due to secondary diagnosis June 24 2011 Stage IV - Skin met, axilla node, multiple lung lesions Bolero3 trial - Navelbine, Hereptin weekly, daily Everolimus/Placebo February 2012 - July 2012 Tykerb and Xeloda - skin mets resolved, Lungs initially dramatically reduced but growing again August 2012 (turn 40!) tykerb and herceptin (denied compassionate use of TDM1) while holidaying in Italy! September 2012 - January 2013 TDM1 as part of the Th3resa trial - lymph nodes resolved, lungs slowly progressing. January 2013 - herceptin, carboplatin and Perjeta (compassionate access) April 2013 - Some progression in lungs and lymph nodes - Abraxane, Herceptin and Perjeta July 2013 - mixed response - dramatic reduction of most lung disease, progression of smaller lung nodules and cervical and hilar nodes - ? Add avastin.