Still itching after chemo.

po18guy said:

There are some options for itching

Psoriasis is an auto-immune condition, so it might be relieved somewhat when the chemo suppresses your immune system. There are various skin treatments, from topical steroids to forms of UV-A or UV-B light therapy. This would be worth discussing with doctor or nurse. In extreme cases, a more radical tratment called Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP) can be tried. It is similar to kidney dialysis, but treats the T-Lymphocytes in the blood to keep them from attacking the body.  I had horrible pruritis (itching) after a stem cell transplant, and both UV-A and UV-B light therapy were tried, but the ECP was not used as machines were limited and there were patients much worse off than I was. I would light up doctor's phone line until they have a plan for you.

Ninja,

While Po gave some excellent technical recommendations, I will just reply in a general way to part of what you were asking regarding timetables and side-effects:  How fast or slowly they depart from a patient varies dramatically, from nearly instantaneously, to slowly, to never. 

My adversion to food passed quickly, as did my fatigue.  But  the chemo fog departed very slowly, and the neuropathy never did.  So, while it may not be the answer you desire, and may even seem evasive, there is no norm for what constitutes a "normal" recovery time. Recovery can be strange, even bizarre. When my beard first started coming back, it at first grew on only one side of my face, bu tthen stopped, and then grew only on the other side, and stopped, and eventually (after many months) grew normally on both sides.  All doctors have said that such a thing is inexplicable and unheard of. An oncoliogy nurse told me once that they had a patient for whom chemo changed the color of one of her eyes, but not the other.  One of the drugs scalded my tear ducts once for a few days, and six years later, I have bloodshot eyes all the time.   In other words, expect the odd.... 

But I hope it is sooner rather than later that this itching departs,

max

I hope your results are all good, Ninja. You may be the first person I've read who used Stanford V, although it is a well-regarded treatment.  Please do advise what you learn, if it is helpful to you,

max

The neuropathy in my hands slowly resolved, but that in my feet never really did. And, this is since 2008. I cannot walk a straight line barefoot. Now, I have developed diabetes from the steroids and the neuropathy is increasing once again. My hands are affected in that I often drop things. My feet are tingly, bordering on painful, all of the time. Will this resolve? According to my history, not in my lifetime. But, I can still walk. Like Max, I am pretty much a physical wreck with spinal problems, knee problems, peripheral neuropathy and now Graft-Versus-Host-Disease from the transplant, but one must be alive to have complaints. All told, life is still worth living.