UKC

I've recently got through 6 months chemo and am looking forward to repairing my body in 2024. Still have surgery and radiotherapy to negotiate in the following months, but for now it is a challenge keeping even the sloppiest shoes on for more than a few minutes due to pain & chemo damage. Three things going on here: skin has softened leading to chaffing points becoming an issue that weren't before. Ingrown toenail which had previously been operated on is being very problematical due to probably sensitive skin and nail softening. Nerve damage underneath my toes and plantar area have lead to loss of sensation.

For anyone who has gone through something similar, how long did it take for some of these side-effects to wear off? I'm considering seeking advice on nail surgery again, or removal of the whole nail whilst on downtime from the breast surgery when I wont be able to climb for a while anyway. I've bouldered throughout the chemo at an easy level to keep my sanity, but keeping shoes on long enough to get back into doing routes is my aim.

Cheers for any feedback or advice.

No advice I'm afrad - but feedback in the form of good on you and I hope it's good (despite the challenge listed above) to be back at the wall/crag/wherever you are.  Hope things go well for you in 2024.

Great to hear of other chemo climbers!

well done on keeping going, I’m three years out the other side and look back on how hard the neuropathy and inability to heal was. Similar to you I just kept moving, it keeps you sane, improves the chemo efficacy and keeps you eye in on climbing. 
 

my biggest issue was skin tears that wouldn’t heal and after 6 months I was covered in tape and glue. I just glued everything on my hands to keep them going. I glued preemptively on my fingers and taped every session. 
 

it’s different as I’ve never had foot issues but I think I’d have just worn big boots and plodded along. On reflection I was doing it more for my sanity than anything else. I also tried to run a few times a week, this was more of a quick walk round the block. Again supposed to be good for the chemo uptake and recovery from surgery. 

 

how far through chemo are you? 
I’m be weary of any other surgery whilst on chemo and for a while after as chemo is a very blunt tool that stops regeneration. But I suppose this depends on the chemo you’re having? 
mid it ok to ask what cancer you have? I was Bowel stage 3c. 
 

also if your family/friends are up for it can you have a massive sleep after training? That really helped me and my wife was very supportive with the kids. 

Hey there,  I am 8 years on from finishing treatment. Neuropathy has affected my hands, feet, top of head and ears and has not improved with time I'm afraid. After two very painful winters I went to the gp and was given medication which has helped to some extent. 

I wear comfortable climbing shoes: 1 full size larger than pre treatment- and am fine for 2 hours

Have had to stop winter climbing, and any outdoor climbing on chilly days

A small price to pay though, I feel very lucky to be here and able to do the things I can

Take your time figuring out what works for you and don't just put up with things: I should have sought support for my neuropathy sooner

Good luck!

Very kind of you Bobling. Yep, I will be psyched to get back on a rope as soon as my body allows me. Thank you

Hi Ollie,

Thanks for the feedback and encouragement. It's good to able to speak to 'someone who knows'. Its interesting already how you 'forget' the pummelling the chemo inflicts on your body once the really nasty side-effects wear off a bit.

Like you, I'm thinking outside the box, resorting to compeed cut up in little circles all over my feet to cover any points that rub in my climbing shoes and trying to dig out any curling under toenail to be able to outlast the pain of each climbing session. Currently only about 2 minutes at a time for each boulder or auto-belay. It's not really a sustainable practise though, so will need to seek advice on what the do about that (i.e wait a year for the nail to try to recover, or resort to toenail surgery after the boob surgery (already had ingrown toenail surgery on the same nail). It'll be nearly a year out of climbing due to the cancer treatment without further foot-related delays in returning. The nerve damage/neuropathy sounds gnarly but I can actually deal with that for the time being.

I've already bought 'sloppy' climbing shoes, which helps marginally, but with a caveat of decreasing the ability to generate any toe-power.

I've been walk/running, cycling, skateboarding, but climbing is what really hits the spot for me.

I'm done with the Chemo now, surgery next week, so will be forced to rest up which will help matters for the toe at least! Lol.

I had pretty aggressive chemo for 6 months (Triple Neg Breast Cancer, Stage 3b, Grade 2). Prognosis pretty good after I've finished the surgery and radiotherapy.

How are you and did you get back to climbing properly within the year following treatment or am I being a bit optimistic?

Regarding the sleep thing. Yes I'm aiming to sleep for England every night and then cram my day with as normal activity as I can, before aiming for bedybuys at 8- 8.30pm if poss. My sister/brother-in-law and everyone involved in my care have been key players in helping me getting through the journey so far.

Great to to hear from you.
 

I count myself lucky the neuropathy has only affected my feet then! It's tough that 8 years on, you are still suffering..

I've got freezing feet most of the time now, so am hoping for improvement eventually, though I've been in-training for these side-effects for years, having had really bad raynauds in hands and feet for most of my climbing life. Lol.

I will have to completely change my climbing direction if I cant wear performance climbing shoes anymore, but will just see what happens in the coming months before setting any direction for the future.

Like you, I feel incredibly lucky to still be here, due the amazing advances in modern medicine, but will still want to be pushing myself. That's the nature of the beast I'm afraid.

Thank so much for your contribution.

Sorry if this is a ludicrous question but..  I don't think you've mentioned whether you're wearing socks?  (It seems such an obvious thing to do to make your shoes more comfy that I'm sure you are.)

Otherwise, like Bobling, I have nothing to offer but good wishes for the quickest and best recovery you can possibly make.

I had chemo in 2010 and at that time barely had any bad effects from it. Within a couple of years my toes began having neuropathy and it's still an inconvenience. They feel numb and tingly most of the time and gradually they have got worse. Hands and fingers are fine. Whenever I mention it to my oncologist or doctor they just say it's a side affect of chemo and keep an eye on it etc. It's amazing how chemo affects people differently, some little damage, some major. Good luck in living with it. 

Thanks for your feedback. Sounds like you need to keep on it with monitoring for any future problems too, even when you think you're out of the woods..

Thanks. That IS an obvious thing to try. I've always worn my shoes tight enough that socks may be a struggle getting them in between, but wearing baggy shoes and accepting lower performance for a while may be something to go for.