Neuropathy prevention?

NatureGrrl

I thought I saw somewhere about something you can take to help stave off or minimize neuropathy but I can't find it now... since most of what I do involves using my fine motor skills and fingers, I'm eager to keep this from happening.  I don't anticipate it to be a problem but want to make sure I'm doing all I can.  Can anyone help?  Thanks so much!

cynthmom

Hi, I have learned much after the fact, that Vitamin B-12 helps prevent and lessen neuropathy.  I had both feet and hands neuropathy pretty bad after the four runs of Taxol.  Was tripping a lot, couldn't walk fast, even was using a cane on uneven ground, dropped a lot of dishes, etc.   I also did four months of acupuncture about 4 months post-chemo (as soon as I heard about it helping) which took over half of it away, woo hoo!  Now I take Vitamin B-12 1000 mcg. sublingual tablets , the kind that melts under your tongue, two or three times a day.  I had tried Vit. B-12 shots every 3-4 weeks, but they wore off, so the effect kept changing, which I'd get both better and worse in the 3-4 weeks, sort of a roller coaster ride.  With the daily doses of B-12, I do so much better.  I have met women whose treatment included a shot of B-12 with each Taxol treatment, and they all reported no neuropathy, wish I'd known...oh well, it really does help a lot to take it now.  Now I walk, can run, bounce on a trampoline, keep up with my 10-year old, walk on the beach, and drop a lot fewer dishes now!  Good luck!!  I wish you all the best.  Cynthia 

dlb823

NatureGrrl ~  B6 worked great for me.  Just a minimum dose (forget what it was, but maybe 50 mg.?) -- totally ended the tingling I was starting to get in my feet when I walked.   Deanna

crazy4carrots

Naturegrrl:  I had taxotere which caused finger/hand/toe neuropathy.  I was dropping things all over the place!  I purchased L-Glutamine (500 mg) and took it at night before bedtime.  The neuropathy cleared up within a month, although when I ran out of pills for a week, it started coming back!  So, I'm still taking it (almost a year after my last tx).

Hope you can head it off before it takes hold!

NatureGrrl

Thanks for the replies!  I'm doing the B6 for my nails anyway, and added the B12, and will check into L-Glutamine.  I've just had one taxol and no problems yet so I'm hoping to prevent it, period.  I was told it would probably only show up at the end, if at all, since I'm getting lighter weekly Taxol and not stronger but less frequent doses.  I'm hoping!