If you are dealing with neuropathy after cancer treatment, I hope this helps you, and gives you suggestions that actually help. I have another post on my chemotherapy experience, you can read about it here.
I’ve been dealing with neuropathy after cancer treatment since late July, and honestly, I wasn’t prepared for how much it would take over my life.
At first, it was minor. Just some tingling in my hands. Nothing that felt alarming or even worth mentioning. But each month, it got worse.
By August, it was waking me up in the middle of the night. The only way I could get relief was to hang my hands off the side of the bed or sit on the toilet with my hands hanging down, just waiting for the feeling to calm down.
Sleep wasn’t really sleep anymore. It became a cycle of waking up, managing the pain, and trying to get comfortable again.
When Neuropathy Got Worse After Cancer Treatment
Then in late September, I had major surgery, a double mastectomy with DIEP-flap reconstruction, and for a while, the neuropathy actually got better.
I’m sure it was the medications and the fact that my body was focused on healing from something so big. But once I started recovering, it came back, and this time, worse than ever.
By mid-October, it wasn’t just tingling anymore. It was burning, swelling, and intense sensitivity. Even small things felt impossible.
- Putting on makeup hurt
- Earrings were difficult
- I stopped wearing rings completely
And all of this was happening right as I had just started a new job.
What Neuropathy After Chemo Really Feels Like
That first week at work, I could barely type.
Every time my fingers hit the keyboard, it felt like my hands were on fire. It was exhausting trying to push through that while also trying to show up as a new employee.
What made it harder was trying to get help.
I had to keep explaining, asking, and pushing for someone to understand how severe it was. And I think neuropathy is something they hear about all the time, so maybe it doesn’t always hit their radar the way it should?
But when you’re the one living it, it’s not small. It’s not something you can just ignore. It affects EVERYTHING.
When the Pain Became Too Much
One Friday morning, I hit a breaking point. Sitting at my new job (one week) and I could not hold it together. It was a cold December morning and I had reached my breaking point.
I called my oncologist and begged for help. I explained how severe the pain had become, and how it was starting to affect me mentally too.
This was right after my 50th birthday, right before Christmas, and in the middle of my son turning 20.
He’s my only child, my favorite person.
One night at dinner, I broke down in front of him. I don’t cry like that, especially not in public, but the pain had gotten to a place where I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
He was kind of speechless, and honestly, so was I.
What Helped My Neuropathy After Cancer Treatment
They prescribed a four-day steroid, and it helped almost immediately. It didn’t take away the numbness completely, but it took away the pain, and at that point, I would take numbness over pain any day.
But when the steroids stopped, the pain came back. So I asked for more help, and they gave me a longer course.
It worked, but like so many things during recovery, there was a tradeoff. The weight gain was VERY frustrating, and it felt like every solution came with something else.
If you are going through treatment and want to know more about how I deal with life after cancer treatment, visit my The Life-Changing Truth About Breast Cancer: One Year Later.
What I’m Doing Now to Manage Neuropathy
Right now, things are better, not gone, but BETTER.
The pain has eased, and I’m mostly dealing with tingling now, especially in my fingertips.
Here’s what’s helping me:
- Gabapentin (morning + night)
- Alpha Lipoic Acid (morning + night)
- Limiting overuse (typing, heat tools, etc.)
- Sitting in the hot tub at night to help my hands recover
It’s not a cure, but it gives me consistency and some peace of mind.
How Long Does Neuropathy Last After Cancer Treatment?
I didn’t have neuropathy during chemo, it showed up after.
I was told it could last up to six months after treatment, and I’m still in that window. It has been seven months and I am JUST now feeling a little more relief. I am still figuring it out. Still hoping it continues to improve.
What I Wish I Knew About Neuropathy After Cancer
- It can show up after treatment, not just during
- It can get worse before it gets better
- It affects daily life more than people realize
- You have to advocate for yourself
I’m not completely out of the woods yet, but I’m not where I was, and that matters. I can get ready for work again. I can do more than I could a few months ago. Even though it’s slow, that progress feels big.
If you’re dealing with neuropathy after cancer treatment, I just want you to know, you’re not alone Even when it feels overwhelming, there is still hope that it gets better.
I’m holding onto that, ONE DAY at a time.
