Tamoxifen and Rash

troyryans
troyryans Member Posts: 24
edited April 2023 in Breast Cancer #1
I have been on Tamoxifen for four months now, and although the side effects have been minimal (hot flashes, couple of night sweats, feeling of heaviness), I have now developed a rash on my legs and shoulders...very itchy and blotchy. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm not finding any other allergens that could be causing this, and my natural assumption is the meds. Any comments would be great.

Thanks,
Kathy

Comments

  • rutaf
    rutaf Member Posts: 23
    #2
    My hands have this and a new member on my team, trained in lymph drainage therapy, is going to share a few product names with me for "our" skin. Stay tuned and I'll share more when I have the names. Hang in there,
  • troyryans
    troyryans Member Posts: 24
    #3
    rutaf said:

    My hands have this and a new member on my team, trained in lymph drainage therapy, is going to share a few product names with me for "our" skin. Stay tuned and I'll share more when I have the names. Hang in there,

    Rutaf, thanks! I'll look forward to hearing back from you. My Onc's office this morning recommended Benedryl to help with the reaction, and Hydrocortisone Cream for the itch, and to return for a visit in two days if no relief. Yikes...feel like red ants are attacking! Thanks again!
  • mysticalrose
    mysticalrose Member Posts: 1
    #4
    Hi- this is my first posting. Hope I do it right. I am glad you posted your question as I am having a similar problem. I have been taking Tamoxifen for 3 years. I noticed that I started getting rashes when I worked in the yard. They have progressively gotten worse. In January the welts were all over my body. I was first diagnosed with poison ivey, then scabies, and finlaly a dermatoligist said it was a severe allergic reaction to some unknown source. He also said these rashes are common with tamoxifen. I don't know about you but the itching and welts were nearly intolerable. What is the alternative??? I'm going to talk to the oncologist next week. I can't spend the next two years in the house !!
  • marcyva
    marcyva Member Posts: 1
    #5

  • JuJuBeez
    JuJuBeez Member Posts: 332
    #6
    I'm SO glad you brought this
    I'm SO glad you brought this up. I have had problems on my right hand for a year now (I've been on Tamoxifen since Aug 2010), that won't go away. When it started, my GP said it was eczema from nerves and gave me Hydrocortisone. My allergist wasn't sure what it was. All my allergy tests came back ok. My dermatologist said it looks more like psoriasis, and gave me something else to use. The top of my hand is bright red and it itches like crazy. It goes between my fingers too. I get the most relief from Noxzema and Nivea Cream. My right palm cracks and peels too. It never truly goes away, just sometimes it's better than others.

    I also have patches behind both ears, at the base of my hairline on the back of my neck, and the top of my feet. I put zinc oxide on the top of my foot before I have to wear socks, because the socks seem to make it worse. I have just brushed this off as the side effect "skin changes" listed for Tamoxifen. I always itch, and I'm always red. It's embarrassing when I have to shake someone's hand. I do take Allegra, when I remember it.

    Julie
  • JuJuBeez
    JuJuBeez Member Posts: 332
    #7
    JuJuBeez said:

    I'm SO glad you brought this
    I'm SO glad you brought this up. I have had problems on my right hand for a year now (I've been on Tamoxifen since Aug 2010), that won't go away. When it started, my GP said it was eczema from nerves and gave me Hydrocortisone. My allergist wasn't sure what it was. All my allergy tests came back ok. My dermatologist said it looks more like psoriasis, and gave me something else to use. The top of my hand is bright red and it itches like crazy. It goes between my fingers too. I get the most relief from Noxzema and Nivea Cream. My right palm cracks and peels too. It never truly goes away, just sometimes it's better than others.

    I also have patches behind both ears, at the base of my hairline on the back of my neck, and the top of my feet. I put zinc oxide on the top of my foot before I have to wear socks, because the socks seem to make it worse. I have just brushed this off as the side effect "skin changes" listed for Tamoxifen. I always itch, and I'm always red. It's embarrassing when I have to shake someone's hand. I do take Allegra, when I remember it.

    Julie

    I just noticed this post was
    I just noticed this post was from 2005... oops. LOL. Well, six years later, is there anyone else going through this now???
  • JEE
    JEE Member Posts: 1 Member
    #8

    Hello all who might be interested. I am 2 years on Tamoxifen alternating with Megace (change every 21 days) for my metastatic endometrial cancer. I am also on a ketogenic therapeutic diet (i.e maintaining very high ketosis and very low glucose). Overall I am doing very well and have significantly decreased the size of my lung mets. However, I have progessively started having severe itching and now in last month a rash all over my body (except my face pretty much). Anyone else who has been on "long term" Tamoxifen experiencing this and if so, how are you getting some relief?

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