Erbitux question

Kritter
Kritter Member Posts: 147
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I am curious if this is still the Erbitux messing with me. If you saw one of my prior postings, you saw the damage done to my face by the Erbitux, still trying to get it healed ( which got worse after the pic was taken ). Anyway.. on Wednesday night, my neck and upper shoulders area started buring and itching. Since then it has got worse, looks like same rash that started on my face. Funny thing, this just now happening and I have been off the Erbitux since December 8th. On that same day the itching started I was in the ER for dehydration. Has anyone experienced anything like this where it just popped up with no warning after showing no symptoms before?  Thanks.. Prayers and Hugs.. Kritter

Comments

  • MrsBD
    MrsBD Member Posts: 615 Member
    #2
    Erbitux

    It does seem late to be a reaction to Erbitux, although my eyelashes really started to grow a few weeks after my treatment ended. ( A nice bonus side effect! ) My face, shoulders, and scalp prickled and itched at times when I had the rash. My eyelids still itch and my chemo ended Oct. 3rd. I have not heard anything about how long the chemo continues to affect people.

     

     

  • txpipeliner
    txpipeliner Member Posts: 33
    #3
    MrsBD said:

    Erbitux

    It does seem late to be a reaction to Erbitux, although my eyelashes really started to grow a few weeks after my treatment ended. ( A nice bonus side effect! ) My face, shoulders, and scalp prickled and itched at times when I had the rash. My eyelids still itch and my chemo ended Oct. 3rd. I have not heard anything about how long the chemo continues to affect people.

     

     

    erbitux

    my rash is mostly on my scalp, all over it and now all my fingers and both thumbs are split open can hardly type this or even button up my shirts. i go in the morning to have a port put in my chest and the DR. is going to keep me on the erbitux plus add some other stuff with it. he told me that it was normal for my scalp and hands to be like this. i have had very little breakout on my face. so sorry that you are haveing a hard time with it. i have had 15 erbitux treatments now dont know how many more they are gonna give me. wish i could say youll be ok tomorrow but i cant.

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #4
    Seems to me the Erbitux

    Seems to me the Erbitux wouldn't hang around that long. But if you were dehydrated that means you were not getting enough fluids to flush it out of system so could still be effecting you. WE forget that water works to clean toxins out of our bodies. Jim always got dehydrated after chemo and Erbtox. I think that is why it effected his kidneys and they stopped treatment. So I reccomened lots of water and ask your Doctor.

    Praying things improve quickly.

    Debbie

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #5
    jim and i said:

    Seems to me the Erbitux

    Seems to me the Erbitux wouldn't hang around that long. But if you were dehydrated that means you were not getting enough fluids to flush it out of system so could still be effecting you. WE forget that water works to clean toxins out of our bodies. Jim always got dehydrated after chemo and Erbtox. I think that is why it effected his kidneys and they stopped treatment. So I reccomened lots of water and ask your Doctor.

    Praying things improve quickly.

    Debbie

    erbitux

    I didn't have much in the way of a rash but rumor has it that the worse the rash is better the outcome.  For splitting fingers try putting on Aquaphor and cotton garden gloves to sleep at night.

  • ahollie
    ahollie Member Posts: 84
    #6
    My husband had one loading

    My husband had one loading dose and that was it..on june 26th...he still has the rash in his scalp...the dr told him it could take 2 years for the chemo to be totally gone out of your body..it was toxic to him...his hands peeled a few months after also...the rash on his face lasted months also too... his rash comes and goes...hopefully it will GO away soon and stay gone! :) good luck!

  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #7
    ahollie said:

    My husband had one loading

    My husband had one loading dose and that was it..on june 26th...he still has the rash in his scalp...the dr told him it could take 2 years for the chemo to be totally gone out of your body..it was toxic to him...his hands peeled a few months after also...the rash on his face lasted months also too... his rash comes and goes...hopefully it will GO away soon and stay gone! :) good luck!

    Severe Reaction to Erbitux

    All of us are different, boy oh boy did I have a HORRIBLE reaction. Doctor said my reaction to the Erbitux was a good thing...as it showed it was working.

     

    I was COVERED from the tip of my head to my middle torso fo the body...my face was swollen, had large "pimples" on nearly every square inch ...I looked like a burn victim with acne.  Very painful. 

     

    3 years out this January from last tx and my last scan showed all clear (eyes to thighs).  I'm no doctor, but we all know chemo and radiation keep on giving.

     

    Best,

    Tim

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #8
    erbitux

     

    Kritter,

    I had the acne on torso and face, but mine never itched.

    Tim6003 had an extremely acute reaction; you can see a picture of it on his expressions page.

    I hope you get a handle on it.

    Matt

     

  • Kritter
    Kritter Member Posts: 147
    #9
    CivilMatt said:

    erbitux

     

    Kritter,

    I had the acne on torso and face, but mine never itched.

    Tim6003 had an extremely acute reaction; you can see a picture of it on his expressions page.

    I hope you get a handle on it.

    Matt

     

    Hi Matt

    Thanks for the tip on looking up another's profile. I never really got the acne. Only about 4 white icky bumps. When I awoke the next day I had a red itchy rash all over my face, it even threatened my eye sight. Now it is my neck. Guess you can't win all the time...huh.. Take the good with the bad and keep on going. 

    Prayers and hugs Kritter

  • Kritter
    Kritter Member Posts: 147
    #10
    MrsBD said:

    Erbitux

    It does seem late to be a reaction to Erbitux, although my eyelashes really started to grow a few weeks after my treatment ended. ( A nice bonus side effect! ) My face, shoulders, and scalp prickled and itched at times when I had the rash. My eyelids still itch and my chemo ended Oct. 3rd. I have not heard anything about how long the chemo continues to affect people.

     

     

    MrsBD

    I got the chance to talk with my Doc and he said this will happen and don't expect to not have any surprises for awile. Maybe I will get longer eye lashes. If not at least I still have mine and won't complain. Never really lost my hair, it just thinned out.  Prayers and hugs.. Kritter

  • Kritter
    Kritter Member Posts: 147
    #11
    jim and i said:

    Seems to me the Erbitux

    Seems to me the Erbitux wouldn't hang around that long. But if you were dehydrated that means you were not getting enough fluids to flush it out of system so could still be effecting you. WE forget that water works to clean toxins out of our bodies. Jim always got dehydrated after chemo and Erbtox. I think that is why it effected his kidneys and they stopped treatment. So I reccomened lots of water and ask your Doctor.

    Praying things improve quickly.

    Debbie

    Debbie

    My issue, well one of the big ones is that when I drink water it tends to dry out my mouth and the more I drink the dryer it gets until I finally throw up. Have been that way all my life. Mixing tea or other flavors in I can tolerate at times. I was a big sodawater drinker. I did speak with my Doctor about this latest rash. 

    Got good advice and some from on here as well. Prayers and hugs to you .. Kritter

  • Kritter
    Kritter Member Posts: 147
    #12
    ahollie said:

    My husband had one loading

    My husband had one loading dose and that was it..on june 26th...he still has the rash in his scalp...the dr told him it could take 2 years for the chemo to be totally gone out of your body..it was toxic to him...his hands peeled a few months after also...the rash on his face lasted months also too... his rash comes and goes...hopefully it will GO away soon and stay gone! :) good luck!

    Ahollie

    Thanks for the info I thought once you stopped the chemo that it would be in a few months. Like your hubby my hands peeled as well. I call them my dishpan hands, family laughs as i don't remember the last time i did dishes...~smile ~ I wish you and your hubby well also.. Prayers and Hugs .. Kritter

     

  • Kritter
    Kritter Member Posts: 147
    #13
    txpipeliner said:

    erbitux

    my rash is mostly on my scalp, all over it and now all my fingers and both thumbs are split open can hardly type this or even button up my shirts. i go in the morning to have a port put in my chest and the DR. is going to keep me on the erbitux plus add some other stuff with it. he told me that it was normal for my scalp and hands to be like this. i have had very little breakout on my face. so sorry that you are haveing a hard time with it. i have had 15 erbitux treatments now dont know how many more they are gonna give me. wish i could say youll be ok tomorrow but i cant.

    Erbitux

    That is sure some crazy medicine,, the things it does to our bodies. You might find these useful, if you have a compounding pharmacy near you as your Doc to order * Radiation Dermitis Emulsion * it really helped me. Not crazy about Aquaphor made me too greasy and seemed to hold in the heat. I have the port as well, and does it come in handy not having to be stuck so much, I never liked needles. I hope things get better for you very soon. Prayers and Hugs..Kritter

  • Kritter
    Kritter Member Posts: 147
    #14
    hwt said:

    erbitux

    I didn't have much in the way of a rash but rumor has it that the worse the rash is better the outcome.  For splitting fingers try putting on Aquaphor and cotton garden gloves to sleep at night.

    hwt

    If the rumor you heard is true...then that tumor should have been scared  and got the heck out of my face..I had it bad..now on my shoulders.. I do like the tan...just not the bunps that came with it. Thank you for the tip, I have been using the radiation creme on my hands with either gloves or socks which ever I find first.  Prayers and Hugs. Kritter

  • Kritter
    Kritter Member Posts: 147
    #15
    Tim6003 said:

    Severe Reaction to Erbitux

    All of us are different, boy oh boy did I have a HORRIBLE reaction. Doctor said my reaction to the Erbitux was a good thing...as it showed it was working.

     

    I was COVERED from the tip of my head to my middle torso fo the body...my face was swollen, had large "pimples" on nearly every square inch ...I looked like a burn victim with acne.  Very painful. 

     

    3 years out this January from last tx and my last scan showed all clear (eyes to thighs).  I'm no doctor, but we all know chemo and radiation keep on giving.

     

    Best,

    Tim

    Tim.. the rash..UGH

    When my Doc , the Radiologist saw my face he was speechless. Looked from me to my hubby and back to me for a few minutes..sat down and asked..What happened ? I said you are the Doc..he said when was your last chemo...told him that day but I cancelled it. He said good, I think you have had enough. So instead of 7 I did 5. He okayed it. 

    I feel your pain as that is how I look or did looked. Congrats on being three years out and still NED !!!!

  • Crazymom
    Crazymom Member Posts: 339 Member
    #16
    Erbitux

    I had a bad rash on face and neck.  I looked horrible and it took a while after I finished the Erbitux before it went away.  It was not immediate.  I am fine now!  Ann

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