rash

robang13
robang13 Member Posts: 333
I am in my 4th week of rads now and have a horrid rash under the breast. I was told it was a fungus and first given a powder script that didn't work and then the lotion form of nystatin. That didn't work either. I was told to buy what is a cream for athletes feet over the counter. Can't remember the name that's what it's used for. Have any of you had this and used something that worked? They cannot give me a script for sulfa because I am allergic to the pill form. It is now cracking and had has spreed all over. Any ideas?

Angela
«1

Comments

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    I have not had this issue
    I HOPE you find some relief...HOW about calling a dermotolgist?

    Denise
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    Oh Angela, that sounds
    Oh Angela, that sounds horribly uncomfortable. I hope you find the solution soon. Once you get the rash gone, you might try cornstarch to keep the area dry. My rads onc recommended it in place of antiperspirant while in rads. I bought a can and applied it using an old make up brush.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    I was warned about the possibility
    of a rash, but luckily I didn't get one. My RO said to try to let my under boob area air dry...LOL...I had to go straight to work so sitting around with my top off wasn't an option.
    Good luck,
    JoAnn
  • NJMom10
    NJMom10 Member Posts: 176
    joannstar said:

    I was warned about the possibility
    of a rash, but luckily I didn't get one. My RO said to try to let my under boob area air dry...LOL...I had to go straight to work so sitting around with my top off wasn't an option.
    Good luck,
    JoAnn

    I have the same thing
    I was also told to air dry as often as possible. I changed my routine after my shower in the morning and and my shower after the gym. I rest for about 10 mins to 'air dry' then put on the lotion and 'air' out again! The only time I can't do this is after I apply the lotion after treatment because as JoAnn says, it isn't really an option at work! I will say I did notice this helped quite a bit. I also 'go free' as often as possible at home...a suggestion from my radiation therapist! And another note...not to veto what Linda said, but my rad onc said NOT to use cornstarch...that cornstarch will make it worse. The moisture breeds bacteria and bacteria feed on cornstarch so you would just be helping the rash to grow...according to him. Hope this helps.
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    NJMom10 said:

    I have the same thing
    I was also told to air dry as often as possible. I changed my routine after my shower in the morning and and my shower after the gym. I rest for about 10 mins to 'air dry' then put on the lotion and 'air' out again! The only time I can't do this is after I apply the lotion after treatment because as JoAnn says, it isn't really an option at work! I will say I did notice this helped quite a bit. I also 'go free' as often as possible at home...a suggestion from my radiation therapist! And another note...not to veto what Linda said, but my rad onc said NOT to use cornstarch...that cornstarch will make it worse. The moisture breeds bacteria and bacteria feed on cornstarch so you would just be helping the rash to grow...according to him. Hope this helps.

    I have been so good. I
    I have been so good. I haven't worn a bra since week 2. I should NOT be going bra less, but what's a girl to do? At night I apply all my goop, get under the sheet topless and air dry for hours. In the morning after I wash up and I blow dry the underneath. I have applied my lotions and creams since the first day and was told that considering how fair I am it looked good. I can deal with the burning, the itching and the ugliness but the rawness is doing me in. When I move it tears, when I wash it burns. I've always had heat rashes and sun burns so that doesn't bother me much. If I could get rid of the rawness I would be ok. Has anyone tried calamine lotion?

    Angela
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    robang13 said:

    I have been so good. I
    I have been so good. I haven't worn a bra since week 2. I should NOT be going bra less, but what's a girl to do? At night I apply all my goop, get under the sheet topless and air dry for hours. In the morning after I wash up and I blow dry the underneath. I have applied my lotions and creams since the first day and was told that considering how fair I am it looked good. I can deal with the burning, the itching and the ugliness but the rawness is doing me in. When I move it tears, when I wash it burns. I've always had heat rashes and sun burns so that doesn't bother me much. If I could get rid of the rawness I would be ok. Has anyone tried calamine lotion?

    Angela

    Ask about Domeboro soaks
    I posted on another thread about them to you. I too am allergic to Sulfa so Sulfadene/Silvadene could not be used on my Rad burns. It was Domeboro soaks that finally healed the burns - it 'dries'. Be sure to check with your DR!

    Susan
  • mjjones453
    mjjones453 Member Posts: 155
    Rague said:

    Ask about Domeboro soaks
    I posted on another thread about them to you. I too am allergic to Sulfa so Sulfadene/Silvadene could not be used on my Rad burns. It was Domeboro soaks that finally healed the burns - it 'dries'. Be sure to check with your DR!

    Susan

    rash
    Angela, before BC I had a rash that was more like a yeast infection. My Dr. had also recommended that I use a cream for athletes foot. I believe that I used a 1% nitrate cream. What ever cream it was, it worked. Now since after Radiation, I have not had any problems with that infection. I would put it on every morning after my shower. If I didn't, the rash would reappear. Hope it works for you, Mary
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    Rague said:

    Ask about Domeboro soaks
    I posted on another thread about them to you. I too am allergic to Sulfa so Sulfadene/Silvadene could not be used on my Rad burns. It was Domeboro soaks that finally healed the burns - it 'dries'. Be sure to check with your DR!

    Susan

    Thanks!! I am going to look
    Thanks!! I am going to look for it after my treatment tomorrow!
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333

    rash
    Angela, before BC I had a rash that was more like a yeast infection. My Dr. had also recommended that I use a cream for athletes foot. I believe that I used a 1% nitrate cream. What ever cream it was, it worked. Now since after Radiation, I have not had any problems with that infection. I would put it on every morning after my shower. If I didn't, the rash would reappear. Hope it works for you, Mary

    Thanks Mary. Fingers crossed
    Thanks Mary. Fingers crossed that it works for me too.

    Angela
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member

    Oh Angela, that sounds
    Oh Angela, that sounds horribly uncomfortable. I hope you find the solution soon. Once you get the rash gone, you might try cornstarch to keep the area dry. My rads onc recommended it in place of antiperspirant while in rads. I bought a can and applied it using an old make up brush.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    I am so sorry Angela. No, I
    I am so sorry Angela. No, I didn't have this. I hope your rads oncologist can help you get rid of this. Good luck.

    Sue :)
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    Ritzy said:

    I am so sorry Angela. No, I
    I am so sorry Angela. No, I didn't have this. I hope your rads oncologist can help you get rid of this. Good luck.

    Sue :)

    Well, spoke to one of the
    Well, spoke to one of the oncologists today. By the time I am done I will have met every doctor, P.A. and tech in the place! Anyways, he says that as long as I am receiving rads this will not heal. It will take a full 2 weeks or more to heal. SO, unless I want to take a break, I have to grin and bare it until I am done~ Not the news I wanted but what's a girl to do? He also said to get some cortisone to help sooth it. I have another 2 weeks left so fingers crossed it doesn't get any worse. Maybe over the weekend I can get some relief?
    Thanks for all your suggestions: the aloe, aveeno etc. I have gone out and bought them all and will give them a try one by one : ) My container of creams and lotions is growing by the day!!

    Angela
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    Rague said:

    Ask about Domeboro soaks
    I posted on another thread about them to you. I too am allergic to Sulfa so Sulfadene/Silvadene could not be used on my Rad burns. It was Domeboro soaks that finally healed the burns - it 'dries'. Be sure to check with your DR!

    Susan

    *susan
    asked my local

    *susan
    asked my local walgreens about the soaks. They can order it, but all they have is a pack of 100 for $99! I little steep for me. Is that about what you paid ?

    Angela
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    robang13 said:

    *susan
    asked my local

    *susan
    asked my local walgreens about the soaks. They can order it, but all they have is a pack of 100 for $99! I little steep for me. Is that about what you paid ?

    Angela

    NO!
    Well sort of -
    I bought them in 10 packet boxes. There is no way you would need 100 packets - even with using them with the horses I'd never buy that many at a time. The local Walgrens was the most expensive (and the one that had them out on the shelves - in the 10 packet boxes) $15.00. Walmart was $12.00 and had them behind the counter and the cheapest was the pharmacy in a local grocery chain $10.00 - behind the counter again.
    If I remember correctly each packet is disolved in 1 liter of water and you certainly don't need a liter every day to dampen a cloth to soak with. I got 3 - 4 days out of each bottle and I was doing 2 a day soaks for 4 weeks. With Doe, I do use a packet each day as I have to fill the soaking boot.

    So per pack that's about right but no reason to get that many - Walgrens does have/can get smaller packages of them.

    Susan
  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    Rads Rash
    The boys in my household have athlete's foot problems. Both a pediatrician and an internist have said what they need is an antifungal medication. Like you, they have been told to purchase an over-the-counter cream called Lamisil or Lotrimin. Those are the brand names and they can be found in most any drugstore. I hope they work for your rads rash. Good luck. IRENE
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    Rague said:

    NO!
    Well sort of -
    I bought them in 10 packet boxes. There is no way you would need 100 packets - even with using them with the horses I'd never buy that many at a time. The local Walgrens was the most expensive (and the one that had them out on the shelves - in the 10 packet boxes) $15.00. Walmart was $12.00 and had them behind the counter and the cheapest was the pharmacy in a local grocery chain $10.00 - behind the counter again.
    If I remember correctly each packet is disolved in 1 liter of water and you certainly don't need a liter every day to dampen a cloth to soak with. I got 3 - 4 days out of each bottle and I was doing 2 a day soaks for 4 weeks. With Doe, I do use a packet each day as I have to fill the soaking boot.

    So per pack that's about right but no reason to get that many - Walgrens does have/can get smaller packages of them.

    Susan

    Thanks for the suggestions !!!!
    @ susan I will go look for the smaller ones!

    Some-one mentioned neosporin plus pain relief on another post and I was thinking of getting it yesterday. I met with one of the doctors at the radiology center yesterday and was informed that the line under the breast that is getting open sores and is raw will NOT heal until the rads are finished. He said it will take a full 2 weeks for it to heal. Then he said to go get some cortisone to sooth it until then. So, what I was originally was told was a fungus by the p.a. isn't and is a side effect of the rads. I'm going to ask him about the neosporin today.

    Angela
  • renee616
    renee616 Member Posts: 181
    I got a horrible rash from
    I got a horrible rash from my first taxotere treatment from diarrhea and was told to mix together even portions of aquaphor and malox or other generic liquid antacid to create a paste. Its often used to treat diaper rash. I dont know if its something that can be used for your rash or not, but it worked for mine! What a relief!
  • KatieS
    KatieS Member Posts: 5
    rash
    Sounds like rad burn which can get really raw & painful in the body folds. Silvadene cream worked for me but that's probably not an option for those allergic to sulfa. You need to dry out the area as best you can & keep it dry so the skin doesn't break down & get infected. Wet teabags may provide some temporary comfort as might frozen rice (just keep an unopened 1 lb bag of rice in your freezer, place in a clean cotton tube sock & use as a poultice. For really raw skin, you might want to wrap the sock in a non-stick wound dressing; gauze will pull at the raw skin when removed. Refreeze the rice after using. Great for things like muscle strains & sprains too). You might be able to keep the area dry during the day with the non-stick wound dressings under your bra or with a little tape if you are letting the "girls" go free. Maybe you can get some solutions or suggestions from a burn clinic?
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    KatieS said:

    rash
    Sounds like rad burn which can get really raw & painful in the body folds. Silvadene cream worked for me but that's probably not an option for those allergic to sulfa. You need to dry out the area as best you can & keep it dry so the skin doesn't break down & get infected. Wet teabags may provide some temporary comfort as might frozen rice (just keep an unopened 1 lb bag of rice in your freezer, place in a clean cotton tube sock & use as a poultice. For really raw skin, you might want to wrap the sock in a non-stick wound dressing; gauze will pull at the raw skin when removed. Refreeze the rice after using. Great for things like muscle strains & sprains too). You might be able to keep the area dry during the day with the non-stick wound dressings under your bra or with a little tape if you are letting the "girls" go free. Maybe you can get some solutions or suggestions from a burn clinic?

    That's what it sounds like
    That's what it sounds like to me. It is raw as heck under there. When I try to keep it dry it hurts more. It's like every time I move it rips a little. I have been globbing on the neosporin with pain relief and it seems to be helping it a little. I alternate that with the cortisone the doc said to use. I also have Xclair script. It says it's good on 1st and 2nd degree burns. They gave it to me to use on the rest of the breast where it's burnt. Wonder if I should try it there? I can't use Silvadene since I am allergic to sulfa. I now have so many creams and lotions I can start my own pharmacy!! The girls are hanging free : ) first time since I was 18!! I might get used to not wearing a bra by the time this is over! The thought of what a bra would do to this makes me cringe!!
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    renee616 said:

    I got a horrible rash from
    I got a horrible rash from my first taxotere treatment from diarrhea and was told to mix together even portions of aquaphor and malox or other generic liquid antacid to create a paste. Its often used to treat diaper rash. I dont know if its something that can be used for your rash or not, but it worked for mine! What a relief!

    Sounds interesting!! I may
    Sounds interesting!! I may give it a try!
  • deeb111
    deeb111 Member Posts: 141 Member
    I have a rash on top part
    I have a rash on top part little under almost like acne was told it should go away was told to try benydralnot sure spelled that right but they said it could be allergy so the cream might be called lotrimin i hope you feel better