I HAVE COOTIES

eric38
eric38 Member Posts: 583
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
This is my 12th week on erbitux and the rash has spread everywhere. I am fortunate in that the symptoms are not that bad but it chose to expand it`s territory. I thought it was supposed to settle down after the first six treatments or so but it has become really active. I am bald and even have red spots all over my scalp. My own mother was calling me Spot the other day. It sounds mean but it was actually funny. I have a sense of humor about it and so does my family. I am going to join a circus and charge admission. I might as well make some money out of this.

Eric } : . }
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Comments

  • tammy41
    tammy41 Member Posts: 48
    #2
    funny
    i am on a study it is called veritux it is the same as erbitux but 100 percent humanized. and i have a rash on my face, neck, back, and head so when i read what you wrote about your mom calling you spot i could not stop laughing. i really needed to hear that i was not alone. thank god my rash does not hurt. thank you so much and i can relate
  • eric38
    eric38 Member Posts: 583
    #3
    tammy41 said:

    funny
    i am on a study it is called veritux it is the same as erbitux but 100 percent humanized. and i have a rash on my face, neck, back, and head so when i read what you wrote about your mom calling you spot i could not stop laughing. i really needed to hear that i was not alone. thank god my rash does not hurt. thank you so much and i can relate

    My rash fortunately does not
    My rash fortunately does not hurt either. There are patches that itch but other than that it`s not bad. I`m glad to know that you can relate and got a laugh out of it.

    Eric
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #4
    Aloe?
    Not having had chemo, I have no idea if this is a stupid suggestion or not. Would an aloe plant help? If you break off a small piece, the juice inside is so good for burns, itches, etc. Just hoping maybe it might help you.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • eric38
    eric38 Member Posts: 583
    #5
    tootsie1 said:

    Aloe?
    Not having had chemo, I have no idea if this is a stupid suggestion or not. Would an aloe plant help? If you break off a small piece, the juice inside is so good for burns, itches, etc. Just hoping maybe it might help you.

    *hugs*
    Gail

    That`s not a stupid
    That`s not a stupid suggestion. Aloe is always good. The problem is the rash is so widespread it might not even be practical to use anything.

    Eric
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #6
    tootsie1 said:

    Aloe?
    Not having had chemo, I have no idea if this is a stupid suggestion or not. Would an aloe plant help? If you break off a small piece, the juice inside is so good for burns, itches, etc. Just hoping maybe it might help you.

    *hugs*
    Gail

    Rash
    So glad that your rash doesn't hurt. Is there anything the doctor said that you could take for it? It would be good if Benedryl would work or something else. Hope you get spotless soon :)

    Kim
  • snommintj
    snommintj Member Posts: 601
    #7
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Rash
    So glad that your rash doesn't hurt. Is there anything the doctor said that you could take for it? It would be good if Benedryl would work or something else. Hope you get spotless soon :)

    Kim

    won't work on me, thankfully?
    I'm OCD about any kind of rash or bump on my body. I will pick and peel any bug bite, pimple, skin tag, or ingrown hair uncontrollably. Erbitux won't work on me so I'll never get the rash. If I did I would seriously lose my mind. Good luck with your rash, I'm told the greater the rash the better it's working. I don't know if that's true but I hope your bumps get bumps and your cancer gets gone.
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #8
    EZ to Spot
    Well, I won't have any problems identifying you, will I? :)
    Good story.
    -Craig
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #9
    That's the spirit!
    Laughter, I found, was truly the best medicine for me! I made it my goal that each and every day, regardless of what happened, I found something to giggle about...even if it was a Mel Brooks movie, or MASH TV show....lucky for me, these are syndicated, and were aired everyday during the week, during my treatments...

    I never had Erbitux, but I remember someone who did saying that you need to make sure that the rash sores don't get infected...they used (with their doctor's permission) a topical antibiotic ointment...

    Hugs, Kathi
  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #10
    Sitting and suffering
    As i scan through the posts seeing what's up and wallowing in my misery that i can't eat OR poop, i run across your post. You poor dear. Thank you so much for the laugh. I didn't think it was possible today.

    Many hugs,
    Krista
  • dianetavegia
    dianetavegia Member Posts: 1,942 Member
    #11
    Circle, Circle, Dot, Dot
    Circle, Circle, Dot, Dot.... You just got your cootie shot!

    Eric, I also admire your spirit!

    I have the K-Ras mutation and am soooooooo glad I found out before they gave me Erbitux. I'd be right there with John, trying to get those spots off my body! BTW.... the rash is not indicative of how well it's working. A gal on a Christian Women's forum who took Erbitux pre testing had sores all over and then found out she has K-Ras.

    Hang in there Eric! The cure for cc is coming. I honestly believe that!
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #12
    Eric
    Don't do anything RASH, OK?
    Hang in there bud,
    ;-)

    -phil
  • krystle singer
    krystle singer Member Posts: 108
    #13
    PhillieG said:

    Eric
    Don't do anything RASH, OK?
    Hang in there bud,
    ;-)

    -phil

    Dots 'n spots
    Eric,
    Thank heavens you have a sense of humor! I would never have made it this far without a lot of friends and family making me laugh. I am delighted to say I am spot-free, but have had a rash..pre surgery. Never found out why or what it was. But it has regtreated. You could always do dot-to-dot with a magic marker! Then take photos and sell them as modern art! You just don't what you might contribute to the world of art.

    Seriously, I hope the rash takes its leave soon.

    Keep laughing,

    hugs, Sandi
  • tootsie1
    tootsie1 Member Posts: 5,044 Member
    #14
    eric38 said:

    That`s not a stupid
    That`s not a stupid suggestion. Aloe is always good. The problem is the rash is so widespread it might not even be practical to use anything.

    Eric

    Aloe gel
    Drugstores do sell aloe gel. It make take a lot of product, but maybe it would help. Hope at least some of it clears up soon for you.

    *hugs*
    Gail
  • eric38
    eric38 Member Posts: 583
    #15
    krystle singer said:

    Dots 'n spots
    Eric,
    Thank heavens you have a sense of humor! I would never have made it this far without a lot of friends and family making me laugh. I am delighted to say I am spot-free, but have had a rash..pre surgery. Never found out why or what it was. But it has regtreated. You could always do dot-to-dot with a magic marker! Then take photos and sell them as modern art! You just don't what you might contribute to the world of art.

    Seriously, I hope the rash takes its leave soon.

    Keep laughing,

    hugs, Sandi

    } : . }
    If I get too bored I`ll just play connect the dots.

    Eric
  • Paul 1959
    Paul 1959 Member Posts: 7
    #16
    I just strted erbitux,looks
    I just strted erbitux,looks like I have something to look forward too:)I can count the dots while getting my treatments that should help kill the time of those 5 hour sessions...')
  • eric38
    eric38 Member Posts: 583
    #17
    Paul 1959 said:

    I just strted erbitux,looks
    I just strted erbitux,looks like I have something to look forward too:)I can count the dots while getting my treatments that should help kill the time of those 5 hour sessions...')

    Paul
    Good luck with your treatments. It`s really not that bad compared to the alternative.

    Eric
  • tiny one
    tiny one Member Posts: 465 Member
    #18
    rash
    It's good you have a sense of humor. Have you tried benadryl cream? I hope your rash clears up fast. How much admission you charging? Here's hugs for you.
  • shoppergal
    shoppergal Member Posts: 118
    #19
    Erbitux
    Eric, ever since you have joined and I've been reading your posts, no matter how bad things have been for you, you have always kept your sense of humor. I have also read quite a few posts where you and Phil have gone back and forth, You two make a great team!!

    I've never had to take Erbitux but I have a friend thats been on it more than once. She's always told me that when she takes it her eyelashes grow really long! Well, I just saw her the other day and I couldn't believe it, her lashes looked like they were fake they were so beatiful! The onc told her if they keep growing like that, they may become ingrown so she might have to have them trimmed. We had a good laugh over that trying to figure out how or who is quilified to do that! :-)

    You might be bald and have a rash. but from your new picture, your looking good so don't worry.Laughter is the best medicine so keep laughing!!

    Wendy
  • eric38
    eric38 Member Posts: 583
    #20
    shoppergal said:

    Erbitux
    Eric, ever since you have joined and I've been reading your posts, no matter how bad things have been for you, you have always kept your sense of humor. I have also read quite a few posts where you and Phil have gone back and forth, You two make a great team!!

    I've never had to take Erbitux but I have a friend thats been on it more than once. She's always told me that when she takes it her eyelashes grow really long! Well, I just saw her the other day and I couldn't believe it, her lashes looked like they were fake they were so beatiful! The onc told her if they keep growing like that, they may become ingrown so she might have to have them trimmed. We had a good laugh over that trying to figure out how or who is quilified to do that! :-)

    You might be bald and have a rash. but from your new picture, your looking good so don't worry.Laughter is the best medicine so keep laughing!!

    Wendy

    Thanks for the
    Thanks for the support.

    Wendy - Maybe I can use the eyelashes for my own benefit. They`ll see the rash, I`ll tell them my sob story and bat my eyelashes. The donations and free stuff will start rolling in.

    Eric } : . }
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #21
    I know what it's like!
    Hi Eric,

    Boy, do I know what you're going through! I went through it myself and the nurses in my oncology office told me I had the worst Erbitux rash they had ever seen. What an honor! Haha
    I took it in Augst-Oct of '08. It wasn't until Nov. '08 that it became standard to test for the kras mutation before giving anyone erbitux. Well, I got tested about then and discovered I DID have the mutation and me getting the rash was for nothing- it would't work on me.
    Anyhow, before I knew about having the mutation and before I went off it, I was put on both a topical and an oral antibiotic. The topical creams helped at first, but I have sensitive skin so I had to stop using them because it just made my skin sore and so I went off it. I did also take the oral antibiotic minocycline and that really helped a lot.
    If you're not taking minocycline or an equivalent oral antibiotic, I'd definitely ask your doctor or nurses about it. Have you tried Head and Shoulders shampoo as an ointment rub on your scalp and face? I never used it myself, but heard many people recommend it for relief.

    Best wishes to you Spot! :)

    Lisa

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