Care tips for long term Erbitux users

luv4lacrosse
luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

It looks like I will be continuing my palliative treatment of Metastatic Cancer with Erbitux. I have been on the drug for 23 weeks and am looking for advice from others who have been on Erbitux long term to combat all of the skin issues associated with the drug. The issues that bother me the most is severe cracked skin on the bottom of my feet and the ingrown nail like sores on my fingers and toes. Trying to continue to lift weights at the gym is hard when it hurts to grip or push with my feet. I currently smear Eucerin on my feet and take Minocycleme to help dry up the acne.

Any tips,suggestions are appreciated.

Mike

Comments

  • blackswampboy
    blackswampboy Member Posts: 341
    #2
    paronychia

    careful...chances are that cracked skin is not dryness, it's an infection (or the beginnings of an infection). erbitux does that.

    I had those cracks and inflammation on both of my middle fingers, and was using eucerin too. then wham, full-blown infection. got really ugly, really fast.

    ended up getting an antibiotic drip via IV, and then scripts for doxycycline and keflex. couldn't use my middle fingers for weeks, and it took longer than that to heal completely. bizarre stuff.

    so yeah...instead of eucerin, you might want to go straight to a topical antibiotic (neosporin).

    best wishes!

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    same treatment I used before Erbitux

    Mike,

    After reading BSB’s post I am afraid to tell you what I did.

     

    Provided the finger cracks are not some start of infection, I simply used liquid Band-Aid to seal the cracks and provide temporary skin.  My cracks never looked infected; they were just painful cracks in the skin.

     

    I also lost one toe nail.

     

    Matt

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #4
    Mike

    I got to where I could barely walk, my heels fissured so badly.  My wife lucked into a solution.  When I coiuldn't  seem to make progress with vaseline under an occlusive dressing, she went out to Walmart and got some of those little slippers with the slick silicone lining in the heel part.  She found them where the beauty products, and foot creams are in the pharmacy department.  They cost less than $10.  Honestly, wearing those ONE NIGHT, without cream or anything, and my feet were a hundred percent better.  After a handful of days I was able to go without them.  My fissures reoccured a few weeks later and I simply retreated.  Mike if you can't find these let me know and I will mail you some.  They were magic, at least for me.

     

    Pat

  • Jim Gen
    Jim Gen Member Posts: 3
    #5
    In grown nails from Erbitux

    I am having very dry and cracked skin around my toes and finger nails. There is a little trick I learned about from a doctor friend of mine,

    he said to put Super Glue on it. You must be very sure that your skin is clean before applying. Just squeeze the opened skin closed, then

    apply the glue. Liquid Band Aid used to work, but it is no longer sold. I later found out that baseball players have been doing this for years.

    Sounds crazy, but it works. I'm sure it is not healthy, but I think considering the desease we have it won't hurt.

  • Jim Gen
    Jim Gen Member Posts: 3
    #6
    In grown nails from Erbitux

    I am having very dry and cracked skin around my toes and finger nails. There is a little trick I learned about from a doctor friend of mine,

    he said to put Super Glue on it. You must be very sure that your skin is clean before applying. Just squeeze the opened skin closed, then

    apply the glue. Liquid Band Aid used to work, but it is no longer sold. I later found out that baseball players have been doing this for years.

    Sounds crazy, but it works. I'm sure it is not healthy, but I think considering the desease we have it won't hurt.

  • Jim Gen
    Jim Gen Member Posts: 3
    #7
    In grown nails from Erbitux

    I am having very dry and cracked skin around my toes and finger nails. There is a little trick I learned about from a doctor friend of mine,

    he said to put Super Glue on it. You must be very sure that your skin is clean before applying. Just squeeze the opened skin closed, then

    apply the glue. Liquid Band Aid used to work, but it is no longer sold. I later found out that baseball players have been doing this for years.

    Sounds crazy, but it works. I'm sure it is not healthy, but I think considering the desease we have it won't hurt.

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