Cracked/split nails/fingers w/Herceptin

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  • konakat
    konakat Member Posts: 6,085
    edited June 2008

    My nails are splitting and cracking -- I was on Taxol but this started happening 3 months after finishing Taxol and still on Herceptin.  Unless I am getting a very delayed Taxol effect, I think it's the Herceptin....

    I just keep them cut very short, less chance of snagging, etc... Shredded lots of pantyhose anyway though....

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  • nagem
    nagem Member Posts: 353
    edited June 2008

    It finally dawned on me that while my nail problems may have begun with Taxol or Herceptin, they have continued (now a year and a half out from last treatment) because of a nail fungus. So I have begun treating it with folk remedies that seem to be helping: scraping the nail, spraying with Listerine mouthwash (no kidding) daily and occasionally gooping them up with Vicks VapoRub for the night. According to people who have tried this cure, you have to continue zealously for months, until your nail has grown out. But so far, after just a month or so, my nails look a lot better than they did.

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  • lsassy40
    lsassy40 Member Posts: 19
    edited June 2008

    I was on Taxol and Herceptin. My nails were, yellow, ridged and split. I have been taking the vitamin Biotin and use NailTek Extra on my nails. The NailTek Extra helps the most ( I think). I buy it on Amazon.com. It is about $10-$12 a bottle.

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  • mabrooks02
    mabrooks02 Member Posts: 1
    edited July 2008

    I have never been on chemo - just Herceptin and Armidex.  My nails are a mess.  The finger splitting has stopped.  My last Herceptin IV was in Feb 08.  I have tried Hard as Nails, now I am using Nailtiques #2 - it is a nail protein - too soon to tell if it is helping.  The Aquaphor did help with the skin splitting.  My onc thought I was crazy too about the skin splitting and nail issues.

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  • snowyday
    snowyday Member Posts: 1,478
    edited July 2008

    This is interesting my nails were brown and the ridges finally stopped growing about two months ago.  I have a habit my sister just hates I put bleach in my dishwashing water all the time, For some stupid reason I just don't think they're clean enough without it.  And my nails are so strong now I have to use toenail clippers to cut them, it drives me crazy and looks weird and I have to make sure that I don't mix up my toenail clippers with the ones I use on my hands.  So I wonder if it will change if I start Herceptin.  I was also told to stay off of the internet by my nurse.  Boy am I going to have some questions on Tues.  Any Hair changes?

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  • snherrington
    snherrington Member Posts: 30
    edited July 2008

    I have been on Herceptin for 3 years... I really feel like your nail problem was due to the chemo... the thing I noticed the most since being on chemo is that my nails just grow slower and my leg hair is not as corse as before.... My main Herceptin side affect is memory loss!  I thought I was loosing my mind... Having major arguments with my family over things that I claimed that they had not told me but they claim they did.... couldn't remember things from a week ago!  Thought I had developed early signs of alzheimers!!!!  When I talked to my oncologist about it she told me it was the Herceptin..she said that I needed to do brain exercises...something to challenge my brain and it would help... so my husband bought me a nintendo DS and the game brain age and it was amazing how much it improved.

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  • Mozine
    Mozine Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2009

    I have been on Herceptin since June 2008 and began having my nails split, peel and look horrible.  Has anyone who has experienced this tried artificial nails or tips applied?  My stubs snag on everything and I am afraid they will tear and get infected, in addition you cannot pick up anything small or open anything.  Please help.  Mosey

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  • Mozine
    Mozine Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2009

    You are not crazy about the nail effect of herceptin it is written in the side effects of the drug in the Physicians Desk Reference towards the end of the list,  When I was having Chemo my nails were pretty good, I figured it was because I was not doing too much because I did not feel well a good part of the time.  Just after I began Herceptin they began to deterioate and are still a mess after 10 months of treatment.  I am hoping they will Improve when I no longer receive treatment

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  • swimangel72
    swimangel72 Member Posts: 1,989
    edited March 2009

    I'll be done next month with Herceptin and I can't wait! The splitting nails are a nuisance........but what's worse is the splitting skin near the nails.......it hurts so much, like very deep paper cuts! I use antibiotic ointment and bandaides on the worse cuts. Fortunately it seems only one finger at a time gets really bad. One more month to go - then I hope my nails will get back to normal fast!

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  • GramE
    GramE Member Posts: 5,056
    edited March 2009

    My toe nails lifted off the nail bed while on Taxol and Herceptin (last tx oct 30, 2008).   They were "dead" so the onco said it was ok to clip them off.  My finger nails were half dead also and I kept them clipped as close to the finger tips as I could.   They also hurt and my toe nails hurt.   I had surgery then began Herceptin only in December.  

    My finger nails do not seem to be growing much and they crack if I let them longer than the finger tips.  They hurt and I recently noticed little cuts, like paper cuts.  It did not dawn on me until I read above that these are finger "cracks".   My toe nails are ugly and only grown out half way and they hurt sometimes.   I wont say I need a Pain pill for the hurt,  more annoying than painful.  

    I wear crocs most of the time on my feet and isotoner gloves a lot.  The numbness, neuropathy,  is helped by the gloves.   Always use rubber gloves when cleaning or doing dishes and lots of lotion - Eucerin or Aveeno or Neutrogena  on both hands and feet.  

    Someone suggested Tea Tree Oil, but I cannot stand the smell - it gagged me.   

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  • terrilee
    terrilee Member Posts: 36
    edited April 2009

    I wondered if the cut on my finger was a crack, but thought I'd probably just cut it on something and not noticed. It really did hurt! And it happened after I cleaned the bathrooms. So I'm now guessing it was a split since the 'feels like a really deep paper cut' description is exactly right. I'm going to use gloves to clean from now on. Nothing much has seemed to help my fingertips, but some lotions are at least soothing, like Neutrogena. They seem to be getting a little better since I stopped Taxol, but not really clearing up. Thanks for posting about this.

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  • GramE
    GramE Member Posts: 5,056
    edited April 2009

    I also began wearing gloves for most everything.   Rubber gloves for any cleaning and isotoner gloves for grocery shopping and bringing into the apartment.   I can see me this summer:  sandals and sox, gloves, and shorts... making a fashion statement..

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  • mom_of_2
    mom_of_2 Member Posts: 347
    edited April 2009

    My nail were great during chemo/herceptin. I have been on a triple dose of herceptin since mid November and they are spotty white, peeling, bending, lifting and splitting. I have tried everything...biotin...b complex, nailtiques, sally hansen, opi, vitamin e, hoof cream etc etc etc. I am a sucker...if it says it will help...I buy it! Unfortunately nothing has worked for me. Last herceptin is June 16 and hoping side effect will go away! Ya'll please let me know if you come across something worth trying.

    Thanks

    Kris 

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  • henny
    henny Member Posts: 89
    edited April 2009

    Well now that I'm 9 months post Herceptin, my nails are doing much better and not splitting like they did. I'm not ready for a manicure yet but can see the light at the end of the tunnel

    I used liquid bandaid on the splits on my thumbs and that helped a bit.

     Things really will get better and be behind you soon. We'll all have long REAL bright red nails that we'll flash all over the place

    Henny 

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  • HensonChi
    HensonChi Member Posts: 357
    edited April 2009

    I am 5 months out from chemo.....and my nails are still a mess.  They lifted up and I hope they reattach.

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  • mom_of_2
    mom_of_2 Member Posts: 347
    edited April 2009

    HensonChi

    You said that you are 5 months out from chemo...right? Are you still getting Herceptin? 

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  • anianiau
    anianiau Member Posts: 182
    edited April 2009

    My nails have been splitting for the past couple of years, not treatment related. I recently found a product called "Fing'rs Brush-On Nail Glue" that has worked very well for me. Cut the nail short and brush the end with this product--just a thin coating at the tip. (Think "French Manicure" style.)

    It isn't very expensive. The down side it that the label says it contains what seems to be a liquid version of super glue. So, be careful and don't put your fingers near your face until it fully dries. The advice about using gloves with chemicals and when doing dishes, etc. makes sense, too.

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  • CAZBELFAST
    CAZBELFAST Member Posts: 3
    edited April 2009

    Hi Henny, Just read your post...im not online very often but just had to post a reply on this...my hands are the same, thumbs cracked and nails split with ridges....ive had chemotherapy on two separate occ over the last 5yrs...i have also have Herceptin twice once back in 2004 for 1yr and again 2008...to present....I feel its a delayed reaction to chemo, the ridges on my nails match the total chemo i received....my feet have been the same...



    All im doing at the minute is applying loads of evelyn and crabtree goats milk cream... or l.octaine its been amazing....ive also visited my friend who has gently filed my ridges down...i feel this is stopping the cracks.....Hope this helps...Good Luck....

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  • HensonChi
    HensonChi Member Posts: 357
    edited April 2009

    Yes still on herceptin....but my nails or baddddddddd!

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  • mom_of_2
    mom_of_2 Member Posts: 347
    edited April 2009

    Me too. Last chemo was November 4th but get herceptin every 3 weeks. My nails get worse with each infusion. I have 4 to go and am hoping they get better after June 16th!!!!

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  • Seven11
    Seven11 Member Posts: 162
    edited October 2010

    My nails have improved since finishing chemo, but they still split and crack when they grow.  But about half the beds now looks like normal healthy pink nail beds and I find that pretty exciting.  It's the small things, right??

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  • mom_of_2
    mom_of_2 Member Posts: 347
    edited April 2009

     klfh

    Look at all that hair!!!!

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