erbitux side effects

Eve1
Eve1 Member Posts: 9
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I'm going to begin having erbitux next week. I'm concerned about the acne that I'm told can be quite severe. I'd like to know if anyone can recommend some treatments that might help with that. I was diagnosed in 2008 with stage 4 colorectal cancer. Since then I have had 4 surgeries and 15 months of chemo. The most recent was a hypec surgery in June. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Eve

Comments

  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #2
    Hi Eve
    I've been off & on Erbitux for a long time. Do a search on "Erbitux Rash" on this site and see what comes up. Start at the end (most recent posts first) and work your way back.
    Here's some to get you started:
    http://csn.cancer.org/node/195249
    http://csn.cancer.org/node/193835
    http://csn.cancer.org/node/190412

    A lot of questions generally can be answered in part by doing a quick search at the main page for each Forum (http://csn.cancer.org/forum/128)

    happy hunting, if you have more specific questions post them and I'm pretty sure someone can help.
    -phil
  • Lisa_R
    Lisa_R Member Posts: 59
    #3
    what worked for me
    The biggest thing to remember "the worse the rash the better its working" at least thats what they told me... mine was bad...i am now NED after st 4 dx 6-07.... i cannot stress this enough...STAY OUT OF THE SUN... hats with a wide flexible brim..(i liked the out doorsy hats at sportsman stores..mine is a columbia.).. gentle cleanser(oil of olay face clothes are soft and and easy to take with you) light face lotion like eurcin.. gold bond healing for the body.... wash face or rash area regularly... i never did find a sun screen that didn't irritate it so i bought lotion with spf... if you had acne as a kid then its said it will attack the face.. i had acne so thats where it showed up the worse on me.. my cancerbabe , her rash went on her legs and bum(ouch)... she soaked in the tub alot... hope some of this helps and good luck

    Smiles

    Lisa r
  • PhillieG
    PhillieG Member Posts: 4,866 Member
    #4
    Lisa_R said:

    what worked for me
    The biggest thing to remember "the worse the rash the better its working" at least thats what they told me... mine was bad...i am now NED after st 4 dx 6-07.... i cannot stress this enough...STAY OUT OF THE SUN... hats with a wide flexible brim..(i liked the out doorsy hats at sportsman stores..mine is a columbia.).. gentle cleanser(oil of olay face clothes are soft and and easy to take with you) light face lotion like eurcin.. gold bond healing for the body.... wash face or rash area regularly... i never did find a sun screen that didn't irritate it so i bought lotion with spf... if you had acne as a kid then its said it will attack the face.. i had acne so thats where it showed up the worse on me.. my cancerbabe , her rash went on her legs and bum(ouch)... she soaked in the tub alot... hope some of this helps and good luck

    Smiles

    Lisa r

    Lisa
    With regard to how bad the rash is, even if someone doesn't have a bad rash it still means that the Erbitux is working. I think that was something that at first was thought to be true but later proved to not always be the case.
    Good point with the hats, I have a nice wide brim one that I use if I'm out in the yard and I use sunscreen and try to watch it. I have a pool and go swimming and am not about to stop that because it benefits me in so many ways.
  • Lisa_R
    Lisa_R Member Posts: 59
    #5
    PhillieG said:

    Lisa
    With regard to how bad the rash is, even if someone doesn't have a bad rash it still means that the Erbitux is working. I think that was something that at first was thought to be true but later proved to not always be the case.
    Good point with the hats, I have a nice wide brim one that I use if I'm out in the yard and I use sunscreen and try to watch it. I have a pool and go swimming and am not about to stop that because it benefits me in so many ways.

    i agree dont mess up the fun
    i agree dont mess up the fun in life... i just found it worked for me to be a bit of a night owl... when i went out in the sun it made it worse thats all
  • ktlcs
    ktlcs Member Posts: 358
    #6
    Lisa_R said:

    i agree dont mess up the fun
    i agree dont mess up the fun in life... i just found it worked for me to be a bit of a night owl... when i went out in the sun it made it worse thats all

    Lisa
    Hank was on Erbitux and in the beginning the rash was prety severe and spread into his eyes. My best advise is to stay ahead of it. Get a prescription for a gel (Clindamycin) and an antibiotic(doxycycline) so that IF you start to experience symptons you can treat them right away.

    Good Luck!

    Kathy
  • Lisa_R
    Lisa_R Member Posts: 59
    #7
    ktlcs said:

    Lisa
    Hank was on Erbitux and in the beginning the rash was prety severe and spread into his eyes. My best advise is to stay ahead of it. Get a prescription for a gel (Clindamycin) and an antibiotic(doxycycline) so that IF you start to experience symptons you can treat them right away.

    Good Luck!

    Kathy

    i did the doxycycline and
    i did the doxycycline and b-6 but the gel just made it worse for me... ya you need to dry up the rash.. but u also need to put cream on it too.. this is just worked for me..
    thanks lisa
  • Eve1
    Eve1 Member Posts: 9
    #8
    erbitux
    Thank you everyone for your advise. I'll stay out of the sun and get a perscription for the gel. I'm concerned because I work with the public. Did anyone try any kind of make-up to cover up the rash or would it only make it worse??? Thanks again. Eve

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