Has anyone else come down with a red rash across chest

coloCan

due to FOLFOX? Just had firsat of nine treatments and besides added tingling in toes, jaw pain,freezing spell, more difficulty sleeping and extreme tiredness during most of day, I have a (painless) sunburn like rash on upper chest.I return to treatment center this Wed for PICC flush/bandage replacement so I'll show it to nurse and/or onc doc but wondering if this is "normal", as if any of this is normal.....Thanks for reading...Steve

Holdtight

HI!
From part of my research b/c I developed severe shoulder pain only to learn it was internal shingles - I found that when the white count/immunity are being compremised shingles can surface. If it is painful chances are this might be what you have. I was treated with Valtrax which seemed to take care of the problem. Mention this to your doc. Good luck and keep us posted. Hugs.

dianetavegia

Steroids can
I had bright pink splotches during and right after tx but another lady had a bright red area and the RN told her it was from the steroids.

Diane

coloCan

dianetavegia said:

Steroids can
I had bright pink splotches during and right after tx but another lady had a bright red area and the RN told her it was from the steroids.

Diane

Hi Diane
Are there steroids in this chemo stuff? (I believe there is steroid in my Advair for my COPD)Steve

dianetavegia

coloCan said:

Hi Diane
Are there steroids in this chemo stuff? (I believe there is steroid in my Advair for my COPD)Steve

Decadron, etc.
Steve, the first bags hung during chemo are steroids, Benadryl and some anti nausea meds to help keep you from reactng badly to the chemo. I was told the steroids would cause a crash about 2 days after I was given them. Anger. Trouble sleeping. A sensation of chest cold. Flushing. All prednisone (decadron in IV form) side effects.

Diane

coloCan

dianetavegia said:

Decadron, etc.
Steve, the first bags hung during chemo are steroids, Benadryl and some anti nausea meds to help keep you from reactng badly to the chemo. I was told the steroids would cause a crash about 2 days after I was given them. Anger. Trouble sleeping. A sensation of chest cold. Flushing. All prednisone (decadron in IV form) side effects.

Diane

Stupid me, never knew that
I thought they were just flushing the line and thinning blood prior to infusion. Now I have some more questions next time to ask nurses/onc.Have the mood swings, trouble sleeping, lack of energy (by Tue need to walk half mile to drive car back to my block for alternate side parking-left it where it is prior to first treatment.wanted to do it Sat but rain and no energy)Thanks for enlightenment...Steve

Buzzard

coloCan said:

Stupid me, never knew that
I thought they were just flushing the line and thinning blood prior to infusion. Now I have some more questions next time to ask nurses/onc.Have the mood swings, trouble sleeping, lack of energy (by Tue need to walk half mile to drive car back to my block for alternate side parking-left it where it is prior to first treatment.wanted to do it Sat but rain and no energy)Thanks for enlightenment...Steve

Your not Stupid Young Man........
or you wouldn't be here asking these questions.....Hang in there buddy, these people know their stuff.....You will get through it...Clift

KFen725

My mom
Hi there! My mom (stage IV d'xed June 2009) had the EXACT SAME REACTION following her first treatment with Folfox. They weren't worried about it, so it must be a common reaction. Not sure what exactly causes it, but my mom has found great relief with basic hydrocortisone cream rubbed on the rash. It looks so much better now.

Best wishes to you!

Kelly

Kathryn_in_MN

dianetavegia said:

Decadron, etc.
Steve, the first bags hung during chemo are steroids, Benadryl and some anti nausea meds to help keep you from reactng badly to the chemo. I was told the steroids would cause a crash about 2 days after I was given them. Anger. Trouble sleeping. A sensation of chest cold. Flushing. All prednisone (decadron in IV form) side effects.

Diane

Everyone gets a different set up for FOLFOX
Actually not everyone gets steroids or Benadryl, or anti-nausea. Most get the anti-nausea, but everyone gets different anti-nausea drugs. A man I sat next to when I got fluids last week doesn't get anything except the Luecovorin and oxaliplatin, followed by the 5FU bolus and then the pump. And they send him home with a script for anti-nausea drugs, but he says he doesn't like to take medicine and won't fill it. He doesn't want anything more than is absolutely necessary for fighting the cancer. I understand how he feels, but my reactions to oxy and 5FU are so awful that I really need the anti-nausea drugs, and steroids and now the Bendryl too.

I did get decadron, but not Benadryl. (Although as I was leaving from the last cycle due to a reaction I had to sit back down and get Benadryl, and if I continue oxy will get it at the beginning next time.)

I get decadron, Aloxi, and Emend in IV form, followed by calcium and magnesium, followed by Leucovorin and Oxaliplatin, followed by more calcium and magnesium. The first time I got the 5-FU bolus, and then the pump. The second time my onc eliminated the bolus.

Most people have a similar routine - often with a different combo for nausea, but not all get steriods, and not all get the calcium and magnesium. (And most don't get Benadryl unless they've had a prior reaction.)

So Steve, you may or may not be getting decadron if they never told you that you are getting it. Ask as they hang each bag what is in it.

Even though I know what I am supposed to receive, I've asked each time, just to make sure. The infusion room is very busy, and I know they are professionals, but toxic chemicals are something I don't ever want a mistake made with when they are going in my body. So I ask, and I look at the bags too. (Not in an obnoxious way - just "curiosity.") Due to all of my allergies to anti-biotics I've had to be proactive. Even though it is in all my charts and they put bands on me, I've still run across situations. For example, before my colon re-section they came in with two IV anti-biotics. I asked what they were. One was in a family of drugs I am allergic to. But the nurse said, "the surgeon ordered it - this is standard for everyone getting this surgery." I don't care if it is standard - someone should have compared it to my chart earlier. It should have never made it to my prep room. And I wonder if I hadn't said anything, would anyone have caught it?