Guest guest Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 Has anyone on the list had experience treating patients with Hand- Foot Syndrome (Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia) secondary to 5-FU chemotherapy? This is a painful, burning sensation in the palms and soles caused by leakage of the drug through small capillaries which are exposed to high amounts of heat and friction. A patient of mine has recently had his chemo stopped because of this condition, and I am working with his oncologist to help him make it through the next try around. His overall pattern over the past two months has been Spleen Qi vacuity – pale and very bloated tongue, diarrhea, tons of fatigue, and a faint pulse. He has been taking a slightly modified Shi Quan Da Bu Tang (with extra Huang Qi), which seemed to take care of the overwhelming fatigue and diarrhea –but I don't know how to adjust his formula to deal with this new toxicity. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Adam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 Adam, Since chemotherapy drugs are often very hot and toxic, they can generate fire toxin that can damage the tissues. Chemo drugs damage blood and yin qi as well as the spleen/stomach, and in this case, it sounds like you need to clear fire and rescue yin. Even though his tongue is pale (from damage to qi and yin), I would recommend a prescription like the following: xi yang shen 12 gm. zhi mu 9 gm. huang bai 9 gm. bai zhu 9 gm. mai men dong 6 gm. dang gui 6 gm. sheng di huang 18 gm. fu ling 9 gm. gan cao 4.5 gm. I would also have the patient soak their feet and hands in epsom salts and warm water (to tolerance), or soak in an herbal decoction of da huang, dang gui, huang bai, and ku shen, equal parts. These are ball park recommendations, since I don't have the complete picture. If you cannot give decoctions (in this hospital setting), give equal parts of liu jun zi tang and zhi bai di huang wan. Kan Herbs has liquid extractions of both, or use granules. Or you can prepare the above (internal) prescription as granules. On Jun 25, 2004, at 9:30 AM, adamhenrymargolis wrote: > Has anyone on the list had experience treating patients with Hand- > Foot Syndrome (Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia) secondary to 5-FU > chemotherapy? This is a painful, burning sensation in the palms and > soles caused by leakage of the drug through small capillaries which > are exposed to high amounts of heat and friction. A patient of mine > has recently had his chemo stopped because of this condition, and I > am working with his oncologist to help him make it through the next > try around. > > His overall pattern over the past two months has been Spleen Qi > vacuity – pale and very bloated tongue, diarrhea, tons of fatigue, > and a faint pulse. He has been taking a slightly modified Shi Quan > Da Bu Tang (with extra Huang Qi), which seemed to take care of the > overwhelming fatigue and diarrhea –but I don't know how to adjust his > formula to deal with this new toxicity. Any advice would be greatly > appreciated. > > Thanks, > > Adam > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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