Hi Tupelohoney and thank you for your post. 

I am so sorry to hear about your husband’s situation, this must be such a difficult time for both of you.

What you describe could be caused by oxaliplatin-related neuropathy, capecitabine hand-foot syndrome, or a combination of both.

Oxaliplatin can cause tingling, numbness, pain or altered feelings in the fingers and toes. Hand-foot syndrome can cause redness, heat, tenderness and soreness of the hands and feet, especially after walking or pressure on the skin. 

Before each treatment, your husband should have a check-up with his cancer team. The team should also check how much his symptoms are affecting him. Peripheral neuropathy is usually graded.

Although the link is for myeloma the grade and management of peripheral neuropathy are the same for any type of cancer. 

Management for peripheral neuropathy, depending on the grade,  can sometimes be to reduce the oxaliplatin dose, delay treatment for a short time,

or make other changes to help manage the symptoms. Developing neuropathy does not automatically mean treatment has to stop.

It is important that your husband tells the doctors how his symptoms are affecting his daily life.

This will help them understand how severe his symptoms are and make sure they are assessed correctly.

We have advice on tips to cope with nerve changes on our website.

Many people find that oxaliplatin-related nerve symptoms improve after treatment finishes, although recovery can be slow and some symptoms may take months to settle.

Hand-foot syndrome also usually improves when treatment is reduced, delayed or completed.

Please get back to us if you need any more information or support

It might help to talk things through with one of our nurses on the helpline. You can call for free on 0808 800 4040, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

I really hope you’re able to get some clarity and reassurance soon.

 Kind regards

Tina

Hi Tupelohoney and thank you for your post. 

I am so sorry to hear about your husband’s situation, this must be such a difficult time for both of you.

What you describe could be caused by oxaliplatin-related neuropathy, capecitabine hand-foot syndrome, or a combination of both.

Oxaliplatin can cause tingling, numbness, pain or altered feelings in the fingers and toes. Hand-foot syndrome can cause redness, heat, tenderness and soreness of the hands and feet, especially after walking or pressure on the skin. 

Before each treatment, your husband should have a check-up with his cancer team. The team should also check how much his symptoms are affecting him. Peripheral neuropathy is usually graded.

Although the link is for myeloma the grade and management of peripheral neuropathy are the same for any type of cancer. 

Management for peripheral neuropathy, depending on the grade,  can sometimes be to reduce the oxaliplatin dose, delay treatment for a short time,

or make other changes to help manage the symptoms. Developing neuropathy does not automatically mean treatment has to stop.

It is important that your husband tells the doctors how his symptoms are affecting his daily life.

This will help them understand how severe his symptoms are and make sure they are assessed correctly.

We have advice on tips to cope with nerve changes on our website.

Many people find that oxaliplatin-related nerve symptoms improve after treatment finishes, although recovery can be slow and some symptoms may take months to settle.

Hand-foot syndrome also usually improves when treatment is reduced, delayed or completed.

Please get back to us if you need any more information or support

It might help to talk things through with one of our nurses on the helpline. You can call for free on 0808 800 4040, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

I really hope you’re able to get some clarity and reassurance soon.

 Kind regards

Tina