Skin sensitivity

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smosher1
smosher1 Member Posts: 3
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I finished chemo and radiation in January for a basal cell cancer at the base of my tongue. In February I developed sensitivity on the skin of my arms, chest and upper back. It feels like a sunburn and gets more intense with cold weather. Has anyone had this type of reaction to chemo or radiation?

Comments

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
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    Hi smosher

    Sounds to me like it may be shingles, if so get it checked by your doctor


    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shingles/DS00098

    Take care and Welcome to CSN
    Hondo
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #3
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    Hondo said:

    Hi smosher

    Sounds to me like it may be shingles, if so get it checked by your doctor


    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/shingles/DS00098

    Take care and Welcome to CSN
    Hondo

    Smosh,
    While Hondo may have
    Smosh,

    While Hondo may have a point, Shingles tends to only affect one side of the body at a time and you said 'arms' so your Doctor may rule that out. It also usually only affect one section at a time i.e. around the chest are OR Should/Arm OR one side of the head Head. Not usually more than one area as you have described.

    Depending on what kind of Chemo you had, it is quite possibly caused by the toxic effect from the chemicals, and your body is trying to eliminate those toxins (also throuhg the skin). This is often not recognized by your Doctor and he/she may treat you for a 'rash'.

    Regardless if it is this or not, detoxing your body is a very good idea. Especially after what you have been through. This can be done with juicing and diet and some herbs / Supplements. There is plenty of info available online, but you should consider seeking some professional help from a dietician or better a good naturopath to assist with a detox or ongoing detox program. Your body will have accumulated a lot of nasty stuff over the treatment from all the medications, Chemo, and rads and clearing that can take a while cause reactions possibly like what you are experiencing.

    Talk to your Doctor but make your own decision on what to do. If you do some reading on this you will hopefully find some answers.

    Scam
  • smosher1
    smosher1 Member Posts: 3
    #4
    Options
    Scambuster said:

    Smosh,
    While Hondo may have
    Smosh,

    While Hondo may have a point, Shingles tends to only affect one side of the body at a time and you said 'arms' so your Doctor may rule that out. It also usually only affect one section at a time i.e. around the chest are OR Should/Arm OR one side of the head Head. Not usually more than one area as you have described.

    Depending on what kind of Chemo you had, it is quite possibly caused by the toxic effect from the chemicals, and your body is trying to eliminate those toxins (also throuhg the skin). This is often not recognized by your Doctor and he/she may treat you for a 'rash'.

    Regardless if it is this or not, detoxing your body is a very good idea. Especially after what you have been through. This can be done with juicing and diet and some herbs / Supplements. There is plenty of info available online, but you should consider seeking some professional help from a dietician or better a good naturopath to assist with a detox or ongoing detox program. Your body will have accumulated a lot of nasty stuff over the treatment from all the medications, Chemo, and rads and clearing that can take a while cause reactions possibly like what you are experiencing.

    Talk to your Doctor but make your own decision on what to do. If you do some reading on this you will hopefully find some answers.

    Scam

    Skin sensitivity
    Scam,

    Thanks for the advice. I have been considering seeing a naturopath for a while. The doctors have ruled out shingles but they don't have any other ideas of what it could be. It only makes sense that it is related to the treatments I underwent, which included four rounds of Cysplatnum, and getting detoxed might be the the best solution.

    Thanks
  • smosher1
    smosher1 Member Posts: 3
    #5
    Options
    Scambuster said:

    Smosh,
    While Hondo may have
    Smosh,

    While Hondo may have a point, Shingles tends to only affect one side of the body at a time and you said 'arms' so your Doctor may rule that out. It also usually only affect one section at a time i.e. around the chest are OR Should/Arm OR one side of the head Head. Not usually more than one area as you have described.

    Depending on what kind of Chemo you had, it is quite possibly caused by the toxic effect from the chemicals, and your body is trying to eliminate those toxins (also throuhg the skin). This is often not recognized by your Doctor and he/she may treat you for a 'rash'.

    Regardless if it is this or not, detoxing your body is a very good idea. Especially after what you have been through. This can be done with juicing and diet and some herbs / Supplements. There is plenty of info available online, but you should consider seeking some professional help from a dietician or better a good naturopath to assist with a detox or ongoing detox program. Your body will have accumulated a lot of nasty stuff over the treatment from all the medications, Chemo, and rads and clearing that can take a while cause reactions possibly like what you are experiencing.

    Talk to your Doctor but make your own decision on what to do. If you do some reading on this you will hopefully find some answers.

    Scam

    Scam,
    Thanks for the advice.
    Scam,

    Thanks for the advice. I have been considering seeing a naturopath for a while. The doctors have ruled out shingles but they don't have any other ideas of what it could be. It only makes sense that it is related to the treatments I underwent, which included four rounds of Cysplatnum, and getting detoxed might be the the best solution.

    Thanks
  • hislove40
    hislove40 Member Posts: 51
    #6
    Options
    smosher1 said:

    Scam,
    Thanks for the advice.
    Scam,

    Thanks for the advice. I have been considering seeing a naturopath for a while. The doctors have ruled out shingles but they don't have any other ideas of what it could be. It only makes sense that it is related to the treatments I underwent, which included four rounds of Cysplatnum, and getting detoxed might be the the best solution.

    Thanks

    I have the same thing going on
    Smosher1 -
    I know this post is over a year old, but I did a search because I'm over 6 weeks out of radiation only - no chemo. I was doing so great - then this "sunburn" feeling - no rash and not shingles is slowly going up both arms and upper back and I'm feeling very fatigued with joint pain. This is all after having super energy and feeling like a million bucks for weeks. Just a side technology: had CT scan Friday for followup with pets an Monday morning - still have thrush and on nystatin. Any ideas?
  • KTeacher
    KTeacher Member Posts: 1,103
    #7
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    hislove40 said:

    I have the same thing going on
    Smosher1 -
    I know this post is over a year old, but I did a search because I'm over 6 weeks out of radiation only - no chemo. I was doing so great - then this "sunburn" feeling - no rash and not shingles is slowly going up both arms and upper back and I'm feeling very fatigued with joint pain. This is all after having super energy and feeling like a million bucks for weeks. Just a side technology: had CT scan Friday for followup with pets an Monday morning - still have thrush and on nystatin. Any ideas?

    Allergic reaction
    Have you started using any new medicines or creams or even laundry detergent? I have had very sensitive skin all of my life, I have to watch when I change any new products. I have a nephew that cannot use any generic meds, he has reactions. You also might look more into the thrush, yeast. Doctors don't want to think that it is throughout the body but I think it can go systemic. Hopefully your doctors can run some tests.

    You might want to start a new post for more responses.
  • hislove40
    hislove40 Member Posts: 51
    #8
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    KTeacher said:

    Allergic reaction
    Have you started using any new medicines or creams or even laundry detergent? I have had very sensitive skin all of my life, I have to watch when I change any new products. I have a nephew that cannot use any generic meds, he has reactions. You also might look more into the thrush, yeast. Doctors don't want to think that it is throughout the body but I think it can go systemic. Hopefully your doctors can run some tests.

    You might want to start a new post for more responses.

    Thank you KTeacher!
    Yes, I will start a new post if I get some sort of answer to this. We were thinking it could be the nystatin which is the only new drug I'm taking and not taking anything else or the thrush being systemic could be it - that's interesting. Tomorrow morning I see my primary care physician to do some tests. Then I have my final followup with the oncologist on Thursday. This is a doctor week :). The skin sensitivity and the joint soreness and extreme fatigue are all playing in for one week only. I was like super woman for weeks before with amazing energy - I think better than before the cancer, so it's very notable. Good suggestions and thank you so much! I'll keep you posted on this :)

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