Peripheral neuropathy following paclitaxel

Hi everyone.. My mother,initially diagnosed with Stage IIIC breast cancer had surgery,chemo and radiotherapy. The 6 rounds of paclitaxel gave her a lot of trouble with numbness in hands and feet.Its almost 5 months since chemo and now though the numbness has weared off a bit, she complains of sudden episodes of prickling sensation all over the body.In the past week, it has become frequent.
Is this a normal side-effect of paclitaxel or does it mean something else?

[lhughes]

My abraxane treatments did something similar for what seemed the longest time. It think that the prickling sensation is the nerves trying to recover from the medicine.  

Talk with her doc, when you can, but that sensation should alleviate over time...how long is anyone guess I think.  Somedays I still get weird sensations on my arm on the mastectomy side, more from the damage of the surgery than the medicine, I think.

Congrats to your mom for making it through...now comes the "fixing" of the body .... regrowing hair and nerve endings ...getting back to normal.... all of that becomes its own "weirdness"...and the identity change from cancer patient to cancer survivor....it's very huge, in my opinion.

[whizmedico]

Thank you for the comments. I feel reassured now.This whole episode is terrible stuff to go through..thanx again.

[leslie40]

I had the same numbness and pin&needles in my fingers and feet during my chemo and for about 4 months after.  It is six months now and I have a slight tingling sensation in my fingers but my ONC told me that was normal nerve repair and by springtime it should pass.  I hope your mother is doing well!!!!!!

[whizmedico]

Thanx for sharing ur experience.The pins and needles sensations at the fingers and toes are fine, coz they normally happen to all patients treated with paclitaxel.I'm concerned b'cos my momz complaining of a new symptom wherein she's experiencing sudden pricking sensation all over the body which lasts for about 15 seconds.This happens atleast thrice each day and has been around for about 2 weeks now. any idea about such symptoms??

[lhughes]

Still could be the regrowth of nerve endings.....but, might want to mention this to the doc on her next appt.  If her next appt is more than a month off, can you place a call in to ask the question to him?  That might give you some insight.

[whizmedico]

Thank you..will do that.

[lhughes]

I hope it's just what we think, nerve endings trying to regrow after chemo.  Better off just checking anyway.  Better to be thought a fool for asking weird questions to the doc than missing something that could be easily remedied.  

Healthy wishes to your mom and to you!