HI Amanda,

I have always used Nail Envy to strengthen my nails so it wasn't until I went onto Avastin that they started to split diagonally. This could have resulted in getting infection in the nail bed. What I have done ever since is have gel put over my nails to strengthen them. Makes them so easy to look after.

Love Anna xx

Hi Anna
Didn't realise when I replied to Amanda that you had also done so!
I was wondering how you were as you sounded so low when you last blogged.
Hope you are on the up.
Love Sue x

Hi Amanda
A traumatic event to the body can often relect in the condition of the nails.
Like you I was on weekly Chemo ( only taxol) finishing 18 weeks of it Dec 2nd. My finger nails are ridged most of them are turning white. Mine haven't split at all and really are quite strong. The oncologist said I may lose them I think they wiil grow out rather than drop off tho!!!. I have also got neuropathy in the tips of my fingers and my toes. They don't cause too many problems and I think they are improving but slowly.
How have you got on with the weekly chemo. For me the worst part was having to go every week, never seemed to get away from it. The chemo had some effect in reducing my 125 from 4000 to 380. The ct scan showed stable disease rather than partial response. This is my 5th lot of chemo!

take care Hope all goes well with everything

Love Sue x

Sue, thanks for asking, still feeling pretty grim. Have had tummy pains all week on and off. We are now wondering, do I have a CA 125 done privately to see what is happening or do I make an appointment to try and see an Oncologist on Wed at Hossie ? My guy may not be there. My daughter thinks I should see a gastroenterologist, but as my GP says he will only want to do an endoscopy which The Prof won't allow it because of any bleeding and spreading of cancer cells.

Sorry to high jack your post Amanda. I will add again that Nail Envy really is the best thing in the world for strengthening nails and doesn't dry them out like most nail strengtheners do. I have never had problems with my nails because of using it until I went on Avastin.

Love Anna xx

Hi Amanda,
I've had tender nails and I put it down to the neuropathy rather than anythign else. They are not any weaker than they used to be, but feel tender when I catch then sometimes. My Gp has put me on drugs for the neuropathy as it has affected me feet quite badly adn I have had trouble walkign with it. That is why the Taxol has been stopped, to prevent further nerve damage. Hope they find you something else that works without any long term problems.
good luck
Viv

Hi Amanda

i had very weakened nails during chemotherapy and I could ususally undo screws with them they were so strong! I ate jelly- yes jelly. I remembered doing so as a child and it always worked. You need to get the original blocks of jelly and just eat a cube or two at a time. It might work for you too - but can't hurt to try. Good luck

Eleni x

Hi Eleni and Amanda,
Somewhere in the back of my addled chemo brain I have heard about eating Jelly cubes. Could have read it on here.
My motto is if it causes no problems try it, what is there to lose?! And it is a yummy solution!!!
Love to you bothSuexx

Yes Sue
It is definitely an 'old wives tale' remedy that I was certainly given as a child. I guess the simplistic reason is that it contains gelatine which can apparently strengthen them.
Good luck Amanda

Eleni x

Thank you for all your comments and suggestions.
My nails are now coated with Nail Envy and looking very shiny, even if rather discoloured from the damage to my nails.
I also remember eating jelly cubes as a child and had a few cubes yesterday, very tasty.
I was on the Icon 8 trial, which meant I was having weekly Chemo, but am off it now because the consultant has taken me off Taxol, so there is no point in continuing with weekly treatment, so will be having a triple dose of Carboplatin next Tuesday which will complete my course of treatment.
Hopefully I will be able to put this behind me and get back to work soon.
Best wishes to you all

Amanda xx

Hi girls,
I remember eating a cube of jelly a day, for hair and nails, supose to make your hair shine too. I forgot all about it until you mentioned it on here.

My nails got the ridges on them and they split very easily but other than that I had no problem, however my friend who was having chemo for breast cancer lost her toe nails and her finger nails went black, she said they were real painful and sore. I did suffer from neuropothy in my finger ends and toes, I was also taken off the taxol but only the last one.
Listening to you ladies sound like the weekly chemo sessions are more of a pain in the neck than the 3 weekly ones and they were bad enough. I was so poorly for 2 weeks out of the 3 weekly cycles, I don`t think my body would have tolerated weekly treatments, you poor ladies, I really do feel for you and you still have 18 weeks of it.

I didn`t realise just how precious life is until I was faced with this - and we do anything to keep alive, don`t we?

Back to the nail subject - I had gel nails for my daughters wedding the year before cancer, I kept them up for a while until I could no longer justify the cost. Having said that I do miss them terribly. I bit my nails until my 30th birthday and they have never been strong. But at first the gel nails wouldn`t stay on. They would crack, split and peel off after about a week to 10 days and I always seemed to be back and foirth getting them sorted. Eventually they took well and I never looked back. But I did wonder what would happen to ladies having them done and then having chemo. I wonderred what problems they may have with the gel nail if ones own is dieing underneath. I wonderred if the bad natural nail would pull the gel nail off rather than the gel stregthening the natural one underneath if you get my gist.
Another question - What happend when you are going to have surgery? I know they make us take off our nail varnish but we can`t just take off the gel nails, can we? Just wonderred what would happen about them.
I am thinking about pampering myself this spring. I`ve felt low and dreary after the cancer. I am fat, grey and sluggish. I feel as though I have aged 20 years and I feel unfemanine and drab to say the least. My hair is growing but has no style yet and I am fighting with the curls. I thought having nice nails would cheer me up as much as my wigs did but I am facing more surgery this year and I am clueless when that will be. Would be interested in any comments re the nails.
Thanks in advance Tina xx