HIVES!

I have had hives twice in my
I have had hives twice in my life (not chemo related) but I know how miserable they can be. No suggestions that you have not tried but just know I am thinking of you and hope you can continue the trial. You are so strong and I know you will overcome this as you have so much else.

All the best and in my thoughts and prayers

Lori

hives
Maybe you'll need low dose steroids to stop those hives? Here's hoping you'll get relief soon.
(((HUGS)) Maria

Lisa13Q said:

Dear Friend
Unbelievable...I am with Mwee...steroids....they should help and you'll feel better also....If it isn't one thing it's another...sorry to hear this.....I hope you can stay in the trial also. Keep us posted.Lisa

Hope it goes away
i can image how this feels, hope it gets better

hives
HI Nancy. I am sorry to hear about the hives.. they are miserable.. I had them about 5 yrs ago. Didn't know what the heck it was, so after suffering for about 4 or 5 days, went to Dr. and got a shot. It is I believe a powerful steroid. It knocked the itch out right away but the spots/rash.. took about 24 hours to go away. After that, never had a problem and they didn't come back..

jloe said:

Benadryl Extra Strenght Cream
Nancy,
I had them once after a chemo treatment and the nurse recommended this and it really helped. I would also get Benadryl and Decadron (steroid) as a pre-med before the treatment to help prevent the reactions and that has worked for me.

I had them the last 2 months; finally got a steroid creme Rx.
The dermatologist I saw says my hives are not related to the Doxil (although I broke out with them all over my torse after my 1st infusion and they got worse after the 2nd infusion.) But she prescribed a steroid creme that really has them under control. Now they just look like a bunch of tiny bruises but are no longer raised and don't itch any more. And they didn't get worse after my 3rd Doxil infusion, so maybe they are just related to the stress of chemo and not the chemo itself. I had a rash all during the weekly taxol protocol, too, and blamed it then on the Nuepogen, who knows?? It went away when I stopped the taxol, only to be replaced with these hives. But ask for the steroid creme (prescription) if you don't want to take more oral steroids.

Steroids should help. I am
Steroids should help. I am sorry you have yet another thing to cope with....I will add it to my prayer list.
Mary

nancy591 said:

thanks
thanks everyone. The new chemo I am on is an oral drug I take everyday. I don't know if oral steriods will be an option. As of right now I haven't taken the chemo since Friday. I spoke with my doctor yesterday and it was decided I should not take the chemo until my appointment on Wednesday. I haven't taken any Benadryl since early Monday morning, 3am, I think. This was also my last large outbreak. I had a small flare up of hives last night but the good news is I didn't need Benadryl. A small amount of topical hydrocortisone helped. Hanging in there till Wednesday! I do hope I will be able to continue with this medication. If not, well, I'll probably go on Topo or look for another trial. I still haven't done weekly taxol so that is an option too.

Well Nancy
You and Mom will be at MSKCC together again....In fact, she is seeing Dr. S this week. wish I was going to be there. Good luck on Wednesday. I hope they keep you on this new drug...Please let us know....and hopefully we can meet up again in about 3 weeks...when was your last CT scan?

nancy591 said:

CT scan
My last CT was 9/30. I started the trial about 4 wks later. That scan showed possible minimal progression. They were really unsure if they should pull me from my current treatment to start the trial. My ca125 tripled though. I think that was the true deciding factor. The study protocol does a scan after 8 wks. So, I think I have another 4 wks or so until I am due again.

I hope your Mom is doing well!! SHe starts the parp this week? I think I will stick with the NYC location moving forward. Hopefully we will meet up again.

Hi
Yes, Mom starts the trial this week..4 hours at MSKCC....I guess they do blood draws 4 hours after the first pill..I don't know...I am so disgusted with the whole thing. Given that Mom has liver mets, I am not very optimistic. But I am determined to have a great x-mas with her. I hope we can meet up again as well...Once she has started the PARPS, I don't know if she has to go in every week, but I can at least tell you the day I might be there: December 8th...after that, I am taking her down to FL to get ready for X-mas. She has already been invited to a couple of parties and is looking forward to it, hoping she feels up to enjoying herself. At this point, she really just wants to have a nice X-mas. This disease sucks....I truly hate it...........

Strange effects
A week after my first carbo/taxol chemo, I developed a rash all over my arms, legs, some on my torso and butt too. The doctor said this was unusual and we tried a steroid IV and prednisone which cleared it up pretty much. About a week after my second chemo, I developed what looked like bug bites on my forehead, top of my head, and inside corner of my right eye. This grew worse to the point where I had itchy stinging swelling all around my entire right eye and looked liked I'd gotten in a fight. Again the doctor said each time I have chemo I present him with something new. This time he thought it might be an infection from the hair loss like an ingrown hair and I'm taking antibiotics. I think the cold washcloth I slept with at night really did the trick though. I was speaking to a lady I met who had fought breast cancer. She put it this way, the chemo is poison and it poisons both the cancer and the good cells, each of us is different, so why not expect unusual side effects. I have my third chemo on Tues. and wonder what surprises might be in store.

Oh! Something I learned the hard way about chemo and meds...A week after my second chemo, I went to the grocery store. There was a little boy screaming and crying all the time I was there. As I stood in a long line to pay, the boy was still crying. Then I couldn't get my ATM card to work. Finally, after three attempts and breaking out into a sweat, I tried my Mastercard. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor surrounded by handsome firemen, who just happened to be in the store also. The doctor said next time cut the Ativan in half if I planned to be out. He also had some good news...my CA 125 had gone down"quite a bit" after the first chemo. I didn't ask the number, I just held on to the words "quite a bit".