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I have been experiencing INTENSE itching, particularly on my upper arms. My chemo nurse thinks this may actually be a form of neuropathy because my skin also feels "hot" at times. Anyone else have similar symptoms and how did you treat it? Witch Hazel and Caladryl provide temporary relief but nothing seems to get rid of it.
Taxol Claritin Atarax Lamotrigine Taxotere Pain Zyrtec Benadryl Carboplatin Acupuncture Pregabalin
Have you tried any antihistamines? Benadryl or if you don't want to get sleepy... Zyrtec?
Benadryl makes me sleepy but I might try it, at least at night to see if it helps. Thanks!
I had very itchy skin. I was told it was due to the chemo-Carbo/Taxotere. I kept using creams and Benadryl. Nothing satisfied the itch until the chemo was out of my system and now I'm fine.
Doesn't Benadryl come in a spray form? That might not make you sleepy. Just need to keep it away from your face (eyes, mouth and nose). Just a thought.
Hang in there and keep the faith.
Yes, chemo can cause skin issues, some more than others. I'd definitely ask the doctor since it could be an allergic reaction.
When I had an allergic reaction to Taxol the following week I had itching and a visible rash on the backs of my upper arms, my thighs and around my neck. It did go away after about a week. All through chemo my skin felt creepy and I think it is due to waste products being excreeted through sweat on your skin. I honestly showered at least twice but sometimes three times a day to feel not so gross. Hope it goes away for you.
Hi ladies!!
I had terrible problems with my skin when going thru chemo. Went to the dermatologist, because I just couldn 't get ANY relief.
This is what she told me to do:
Wash, with something with heavy moisture, like Dove extra moisturizing, the one I use is a white bottle with a dark blue lid. Do not wash with a those puffy plastic things, as it irritates your skin. Also, wash clothes can be damaging, so what do you wash with??? your hand....there are still some places that I wash with a cloth! lol
Cetaphil Cream, NOT lotion, it's in a tub. (I know Costco has it) It works great. I would get out of the shower and put it all my legs, stomach and arms. My stomach was the worst and ended up getting a heavy moisturizing rx ointment for that because I had a terrible rash.
She said, anything by Dove or Oil of Olay is pretty good to use.
HOpe this is helpful info!
Have a great day!
Nikki
Wow, thanks for all the great suggestions. I'm going to try them all!
I had no problems with the chemo, but on two occasions when I took the Loratab for pain, had itching all over, but no rash. Did not have this problem with the 10 mg but did with the 7.5--go figure. Ya just never know for sure what it is because of all the medications.
See if your doctor will give you a prescription for Atarax. It is more specific for itching than Benadryl. I think it is only available in generic form these days.
Yep, itchy skin is definitely due to the chemo.
Taxol and Carboplatin are notoriously neurotoxic - the first and major side-effect listed for each is nerve-damage, tho they call it 'the price of survival'.
I developed 'small-fibre neuropathy' immediately after these two drugs, which got worse year on year - it is a degenerative thing. They opened both my arms and wrists to look at the nerves and they were, as the surgeon put it, "all mashed up". Effectively, chemo has killed or damaged the finest nerves in my nerve-bundles.
It will feel 'hot' and intensely cold, tingling, loss of sensation, shooting sensation like lightning down your limbs, stabbing pain, sensitivity to touch and then progresses to unendurable pain.
There is a way through though!!!
There are some wonderful treatments out there now. They have found that anti-epileptics block the channels in the spine that send the pain message from the nerves to the brain. Good ones are Pregabalin and Lamotrigine.
Ask your nurses now for a cream called 'Capsaicin' - apply it topically to where the symptoms are and after a few weeks it will completely ease and relieve them (wear gloves tho - can sting a little).
You could also try Lidocaine patches from your doctor if it just small areas - keep them on for 12 hours and the anaesthetic numbs the area underneath.
Down the line, there's also Buprenorphine patches if it gets bad - releases a constant supply of narcotic into the bloodstream.
Acupuncture helped me a little too! A TENS machine right now would be brilliant for you, get a double-channel one and the current will block any symptoms!
Don't try physio though - it will just aggravate the already raw nerves.
Hang on in there - many survivors are in the same boat, there are great forums out there online for us, as well as excellent, supportive websites.
Try
http://www.experienceproject.com/groups/Have-Small-Fiber-Peripheral-Neuropa thy/143453
and
http://www.neuropathy.org/site/PageServer
(the above on is excellent)
Wiki is also very informative:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_neuropathy
Sending you my best wishes, keep hanging on, there is a way through this!
Love,
Erin
Yes! I would itch so badly on my upper arms, my back, my head and my thighs! My dr. suggested I take over-the-counter Claritin (I think I spelled that correctly). It works like a charm. Benedryl cream worked but it wasn't long-term so it became too high-maintenance. I don't like to take drugs (with all that I'm on that actually sound ridiculous!) but this is worth it. It's both Taxol and Taxotere that make me itch.
Claritin (not Claritin-D). It works. Good luck!
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