dark finger nails and toenails???

katsc49 · 07-20-2007, 10:21 AM

Hi,
I have stage 4 mestatic breast cancer and been on herceptin and taxotere since January, 2007. Every time my onco sees me he always checks my hands and finger nails, but trecently my nails are all dark and blue and a toe nail, too. It this a side effect, too, of these drugs??
My onco says the lines in my fingernails are there to make them pretty but also said they are cancer lines.
Thank you,
katsc49

Believe51 · 07-20-2007, 10:29 AM

Sweetie, my husbands nails were always the most fit looking, til chemo with these drugs. I suggest getting yourself into a good nail conditioner but ask the doctor for a suggestion first. Please use the search for nails, because this has been posted many times before and is many times a problem for this recipe of drugs.

Main thing is not to get nail fungus. Try the search, I am posting to keep this post up top until you can talk to the rest of the family about this.

Waiting For A Miracle>>Believe51

Andrea Barnett Budin · 07-20-2007, 10:50 AM

Taxotere! One day I said to my husband I know this sounds strange but the tips of my fingers hurt! Yet another weird side effect I thought. Then my fingernails turned dark blue and then BLACK. Then they started lifting off the nail bed. There was this crusty oozy stuff between the nail and the bed. I went to a dermatologist to be certain it wasn't a fungus. NOT. I kept getting manicures weekly as I needed to cling to old routines as my head was bald so no real maintenance there. I did keep shampooing and conditioning, to keep my scalp fresh.

Any way, I switched to just a change of polish and used dark red nail polish to cover up the nails. They never fell off. I did 9 mnths of Taxotere. Once I said to my onc, I wish it was my toe nails, so people wouldn't have to look at it. No, if i were your toe nails, you'd have trouble walking. So careful what you wish for, as they say!

I've been on the Herceptin since '98 w/fatigue and flagging red bld cells (HGB) but absolutely no aches or pains or headaches. I do have a rashy looking declotee area but no itch. Just looks sunburnt. And a little on the inside of my upper arms. And I am always a bit foggy feeling. After all these years, I am used to living with the fog. I take supplements to help with the memory thing and they work! (Listed in 6/30 thread TO "SUPPLEMENT" OR WAIT, if you're interestede.)

Good luck. Wishing you NED forever... Sending loving, healthy energy your way... ANDI

hutchibk · 07-20-2007, 10:51 AM

With Taxotere it is common for nails to get ugly. My chemo nurses told me to use Hard As Nails on my finger and toe nails all the time while on Taxotere and Tea Tree Oil on the cuticles... it prevented mine from any problems. No splitting or discoloration. I don't know if it's too late to start, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

Andrea Barnett Budin · 07-20-2007, 10:57 AM

They are Angels sent to guide us. I got more useful information from them than all my oncs put together.

I started using NAILTIQUE (from beauty supply store) and Tea Tree Oil. Still do, all these years later. Thin, little girl nails manicurists have told me. They are forever peeling. I keep them short and neat, w/nude shades so you can't really notice the chipping. They're so weak I can't get a hold of the clasp on bracelets or necklaces. Can't wear them unless my husband is home. But I'M STILL HERE!

Love y'all.. ANDI

Chelee · 07-20-2007, 12:57 PM

katsc, Unfortunetly the problems with your nails is mainly from the taxotere. The herceptin will make them weak and thin...split easy and break. But the Taxotere will make them black and blue and after a while they usually lift up and fall off. I did *TCH* and it was around the 4th or 5th cycle of TCH that my finger nails and both big toe nails got discolored. So yes...this is a side affect from the drugs. Sometimes your finger tips will get a bit numb too...kind of annoying but eventually it does get better. Mine are pretty much back to normal now. Hang in there.

Chelee

katsc49 · 07-20-2007, 03:38 PM

Hi,
Thanks so much from all the angels in this group!
It is getting difficult to walk but I see the onco on Monday.hugs,
kathy

weezie1053 · 07-20-2007, 09:38 PM

Katsc49,

I too had lovely black and reddish colored nails. My gal pals called me "Gothic Barbie." You need to notify your Oncologist of the first sign of infection. I started to notice brown crust behind the nail on my right hand, and I tried to clean it out with a manicure stick. I then smelt the infection. I have a sister who is a nurse, and she insisted I call my Oncologist, and it was a Saturday. They sent me to the local ER where I live in Podunk, VA and the onc on call even told me what antibiotic the local ER should prescribe. (I wish I could remember it.) The one finger had to be drained. I lost half of that nail. The next day, my other nails started to worsen, and my sister nagged me until I got in the car and drove to my Onc 2 hours away. If your finger tips hurt or you see anything oozing, call your Onc. You need to be on antibiotics. Also, my nails later lifted a little and turned white, but I was able to hide them under beige nail polish. I did, however, loose two toenails. All is coming back since I am off the chemo.

Good luck,

Louise (aka Gothic Barbie)

katsc49 · 07-23-2007, 11:01 AM

Hi everyone,
This is an update for the nails. I saw my onco today and he took one look at my nails and the big toe that is red, swelled and hurting, and said it was taxotere and he is taking me off of it for a month. does this mean there was toxcicity to it? I won't be put back on it. He didn't order pain med. , just said to use ice.
Thanks again,
have a good night,
kathy

weezie1053 · 07-23-2007, 08:06 PM

Kathy, I was fortunate in that, although my hands hurt before I completed the chemo (Taxol), the infection was not visible until the week I completed my chemo. My hands were throbbing the last few weeks of my chemo, and my Onc kept telling me that if I could hold on, he was going for a "cure." Another Oncologist in the same practice commented they could have cut back on the treatment. At one time I was on Neurontin for the pain. I still have some numbness and swelling in my feet, but my hands are all better.

I think your Onc is probably to save you the complications I experienced. Hang in there! Things will eventually subside.

Louise

tousled1 · 07-23-2007, 08:17 PM

With the Taxatore I lost the nail on one of my big toes. It never turned black - just sort of got all gray looking and began lifting off the nail bed. Eventually it fell off and I had a new nail under it. Other than than no problems with the nails.

michka · 07-24-2007, 01:41 PM

I lost 5 toe nails and 3 others turned black with Taxol.
Michka

Andrea Barnett Budin · 07-24-2007, 05:57 PM

Were you able to walk w/o toe nails?

I once lost a big toe nail from a bang I couldn't even recall. And I was shocked that it didn't hurt. Plus it grew back so fast! I painted my bare toe w/red polish to match the other 9 because it looked weird having only 9 toe nails. It was summer. Sandal time. (In Fla. it's always sandal time.)

When I had the ebony black finger nails and lifting from the nail bed w/oozy crusty yuck in the middle, easily visible, I had pain in my fingertips. Did you have pain too? Mine was from Taxotere. Unusual they told me, but listed as a possible side effect... ANDI