Erbitux

Cazz
Cazz Member Posts: 106
in Anal Cancer #1

I got my second dose of Erbitux Friday and so far so good.  I usually react very badly to chemos - mucho diarrhea and vomiting and even heart spasms from 5-FU, so I was a bit apprehensive even though they told me the worst side effect is a rash.  I was good for about 10 days then woke up with about five or six of those small, yellow, pustular zits on my chin.  Yes, of course I squeezed them, how could anybody not do so, they are just so tempting.  Next day, I had about 50 or 60 of these acne-like zits, some tiny, others quite large on my chin and tucked in the folds of the wrinkles leading up to the sides of my nose where there were a couple of beauties.  (must keep fingers off, must keep fingers off!).  The ones I had squeezed the day before were now bright red blotches - yep full blown adolescent acne.  Only they say its not acne, so don't use acne products on it.  My doc prescribed some ointment, but Costco didn't have it and I can't pick it up till Monday.  I didn't get acne as a kid and now I feel so bad for the teenagers that do get it.  At my age, I am much better able to cope, although I have borrowed Kramer's line from Seinfeld - "don't look at me - I'm hideous"!

As the second dose of Erbitux works its way through my body (I opted for twice as much every two weeks instead of weekly) I am wondering whether the zits get worse (spread), better or stay the same, or indeed whether I'll come up with a new delight.  I'm not due to go back to MD Anderson for a scan until end of March to find out if this stuff is having any affect at all.   Isn't it all an adventure?

Comments

  • TraceyUSA
    TraceyUSA Member Posts: 316
    #2
    UGH

    I feel for you, Cazz.  I'm a picker and squeezer, so I'd have a real hard time with leaving them alone.  I had a severe allegeric reaction to something (never did determine what) a few years ago and it left me with hives on my arms and legs (luckily not my face) for months and then there were marks that I could see for a year afterwards.  I wore long sleves and pants all summer long that year. 

    I wonder if Cortaid would help until your ointment comes in.

    Thanks for reporting in.

    Hope things get better for you. 

    -Tracey

  • Phoebesnow
    Phoebesnow Member Posts: 600 Member
    #3
    TraceyUSA said:

    UGH

    I feel for you, Cazz.  I'm a picker and squeezer, so I'd have a real hard time with leaving them alone.  I had a severe allegeric reaction to something (never did determine what) a few years ago and it left me with hives on my arms and legs (luckily not my face) for months and then there were marks that I could see for a year afterwards.  I wore long sleves and pants all summer long that year. 

    I wonder if Cortaid would help until your ointment comes in.

    Thanks for reporting in.

    Hope things get better for you. 

    -Tracey

    Rash

    Hi Cazz,

    you our could try the search engine on the colorectal boards for some suggestions about handling the rash. You could also check with colon club.

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    #4
    Hi Cazz

    I'm sorry you are dealing with this side effect.  I sympathize with you--I have had zits since I was a teenager and still get them at the ripe old age of 62.  Hang in there and please know that I send you all good wishes.  May your scan in March show that this is working!

    Martha

  • eihtak
    eihtak Member Posts: 1,473 Member
    #5
    Cazz....

    An adventure it is!!!

    I'm guessing you do not look "hideous" and love your positive outlook over this, maybe you've stumbled onto the way to stay youthful and don't even realize it yet....just needs a little tweaking!

    (I'm a squezzer, picker, popper too so would need a straight jacket to keep from the fun)

    You will be in my continued thoughts and prayers for wellness in your newest "adventure"

    katheryn

  • tallorder5793
    tallorder5793 Member Posts: 67
    #6
    erbitux

    I had my first dose of erbitux combined with gemzar last week. It made me break out almost immediately. I have it all over my face, scalp, neck, chest and back. I've also had worst case of constipation. For the rash, I started on an oral antibitioc twice a day. I also apply hydrocortisone twice a day. I wash with cetaphil. I have a head and shoulders type shampoo. It's only been a couple of days... but rash improving somewhat. It still itches like crazy.

    This is my second round of chemo after taxol/carboplatin/avastin stopped working.

    I won't have scans until early April. I also got to MDA. Wishing you all the best!

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #7
    tallorder5793 said:

    erbitux

    I had my first dose of erbitux combined with gemzar last week. It made me break out almost immediately. I have it all over my face, scalp, neck, chest and back. I've also had worst case of constipation. For the rash, I started on an oral antibitioc twice a day. I also apply hydrocortisone twice a day. I wash with cetaphil. I have a head and shoulders type shampoo. It's only been a couple of days... but rash improving somewhat. It still itches like crazy.

    This is my second round of chemo after taxol/carboplatin/avastin stopped working.

    I won't have scans until early April. I also got to MDA. Wishing you all the best!

    I may be wrong...

    ...but some patients with this chemo who had bad skin reaction got low dose of antibiotic (Doxycycline).

    It's worth asking your oncologis.

    Laz

  • Cazz
    Cazz Member Posts: 106
    #8
    tallorder5793 said:

    erbitux

    I had my first dose of erbitux combined with gemzar last week. It made me break out almost immediately. I have it all over my face, scalp, neck, chest and back. I've also had worst case of constipation. For the rash, I started on an oral antibitioc twice a day. I also apply hydrocortisone twice a day. I wash with cetaphil. I have a head and shoulders type shampoo. It's only been a couple of days... but rash improving somewhat. It still itches like crazy.

    This is my second round of chemo after taxol/carboplatin/avastin stopped working.

    I won't have scans until early April. I also got to MDA. Wishing you all the best!

    Ouch

    Ouch, Tallorder, I feel like a real baby whiner, after reading your travails with Erbitux/gemzar.  Mind you, I am not taking any other chemo with it, so maybe that's why I'm getting off more lightly.  I am lucky in that my scalp only itches mildly and the rash has not (yet) spread beyond my chin and nose.  My doc gave me some Clindamycin Phosphate Gel for my face and I think it helps to dry up some of the older zits but doesn't stop the new ones from popping up overnight.  Oh, I also have got a couple of mouth sores, but they aren't bothering me too badly.

    It sounds as if we are on very parallel paths as I just read your post about the anal fissure.  I do sympathize there as I developed two fistulas a month or two after radiation - end of 2014.  The pain was so bad that I couldn't walk and I had to use the Costco and supermarket supplied electric carts to get around.  At home I walked around with my hand holding my butt as it felt as if my insides were all trying to fall out.  I went in for day surgery for the fistulas to be scraped out (I don't want to know) and put on 1000 mg each of two different antibiotics for a month.  Luckily, the pain subsided within a week or so and although it took another few months to heal, they both eventually went away.  One came back two months ago, but not nearly as bad and its practically gone now.  I'm not sure about the difference between fistulas and fissures, but if anyone suggests a quick surgery to clean it out, I would definitely think about it.  It was painful for about a week because my anal opening had to be stretched, but well worth it to be able to get rid of the pain.  Also, you know that opioids are very constipating - I take a stool softener for every half dilaudid that I use, it helps.

    Good luck to you.  Maybe we'll bump into each other at MDA for our next set of scans - I'm going on 3/21, so we are only a couple of weeks apart.

  • tallorder5793
    tallorder5793 Member Posts: 67
    #9
    Cazz

    Yes exactly I used to walk around the house with my hand on my butt- like my insides might fall out. To be exact, I have an ulceration (rather than a fissure or fistula) in my rectal area. I do not understand differences, exactly. But a few different doctors, including the one at MD Anderson, said that in my case it would probably be a bad idea to go surgical route. Instead I take oral morphine tabs, celebrex and gabapentin. It has been helping. I can walk around to a better extent. 

    Wishing you all the best w next set of scans! Keep us posted.

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