Heat and itchy skin

Hi Suzanne,

Yes! I have the pricky skin sensation, usually when I am over heated or when I bathe. I mentioned it to my oncologist. She said it wasn't related to BC or chemo (of course, once you're done with chemotherapy they seem to think nothing is related, don't they?) She suggested it might be dry skin. I use lotion and try to keep cool. Sorry I don't know what else to suggest.

See you the 25th!

Chickadee

I am so glad you asked that. I've had that prickly feeling and I thought it might be in my head! And I'm like you, I haven't told anyone because it seems trivial. Thank you everyone for confirming my sanity.

I finished chemo on March 31, 2011. I have had insatiably itchy skin since mid-April. I believe it is related to chemo as our skin begins to get back to normal, shedding and growing new skin and hair, and our bodies cleansing all the chemo chemicals out.

I'm 42 years old and I asked about the hot flashes, sometimes so overwhelming I need to cool down in a shower, or like today, run ice cold water over my head after being outside for a bit. I was told that chemo could very well have thrown me into early menopause which would also explain all the physiological changes.

I thought I was going out of my mind.  It took me some time to realize heat was the culprit.  I had Stage 3 IDC Breast Cancer.  I underwent 8 rounds of chemo, double mastectomy and full hysterectomy adn 9 weeks of radiation.  I finished radiation in June and out of the clear blue sky one I was outside and realized my skin felt like I was being stung by bees and bitten by fire ants.  As it continued, I realized it was heat - hot showers, hot flashes or the sun, that was causing it.  It drives me totally nuts and there is no relief except the the A/C or standing directly under a fan.  

I spoke to my doctor who sent me to an Allergist and he advised me that it wasn't allergies - that it may in fact be my anemia.  I was always borderline anemic but after the chemo it just went haywire.  I am waiting for test results to confirm.  He said it's either anemia, the cancer has returned or my skin is still working out the chemo.  I'm praying it's just the anemia.  I've had 3 iron infusions and my blood count is still a 12 when the range is 12-18.  

Sorry for the long post, I just couldn't believe I wasn't the only one.  My oncologist looked at me like I was crazy but when I stopped the Anastrozole for 1 month and it was still happening, she realized this was not just a nuisance. If anyone finds out anything else, please post.  I will post when I get my blood test results back. 

Prayers to everyone and try to stay cool.  I live in Florida and I pray everyday for the winter to finally show up. 

Tay

I've been dealing with this since April 2016.  It started out as an intense itchy feeling, but went to a pins/needles feeling most of the day.  I went to a dermatologist at the request of my oncologist, just to make sure I haven't developed any allergies.  Well, come to find out I have truncal neuropathy, not from the chemo but from the radiation!  It seems when I had my radiation, it hit my spine and inflamed the nerves from my breast line down to my knees!  My difference is that mine hits me more when there is any temperature change to my body, be it cold to hot or hot to cold.  A neurologist told me to get my Vitamin B levels checked and to have an MRI done on my spine to look for damage.  He's telling me that it could possibly be permanent, but we'll see!

I was 57 when diagnosed with IDC Breast Cancer.  Beginning Dec 6, 2016, I started: 4 rounds of A/C (the Red Devil) , followed by 12 weekly rounds of Paclitaxel.  I then had mastectomy of both breasts. (No radiation)   After a hysterectomy eight years earlier, I had been on bioidentical HRT patches, but immediately stopped when I was diagnosed (as the IDC was estrogen positive).  I immediately started having hot flashes, and they were worse during chemo... three an hour, followed by cold, accompanied by an intense itching all over.  (I liken it to temporary poison oak rash.)  Post-chemo, I was prescribed Letrozole (Femara) for the next five years.  It is now ten months after my last chemo and I continue to have the hot flashes (one every 1.5 hours and less intense, so getting better) and to experience the itch (though less severe and generally more annoying on my back).  I have come to a couple of conclusions:  1) I believe the itch is related to the chemo.  I have searched the internet for other women experiencing itch during hot flashes, and only when I added the words "breast cancer" did I find others suffering from this.  2) I think it helps to rub your skin until the dead skin rubs off.   Do this with slightly wet skin during a shower or bath.  The dead skin will start to ball up and you can wash it off.  

I am looking forward to the day when my hot flashes are less than five a day and no accompanying itch!  What a relief that would be. 

God bless us all.

...or there wouldn't be these posts about it!  I get the itchy prickles everytime I have a hot flash.  They are an annoyance, and itchy(!), but they only last as long as the hot flash.  I was curious if they happened to anyone else which is why I searched and found this thread.  At first the prickly-itchies were somewhat alarming but then I noticed a correlation between them and my hot flashes.  I haven't even bothered mentioning the phenomenon to my docs, since I know they are related to my treatment.  I am currently on anastrozole which is why I have the hot flashes (a known SE of aromatase inhibitors).  I had IDC and did the entire poison-slash-burn protocol (ACT chemo, bilateral mastectomy, and rads).  I got so tired of all the onc nurses and docs acting like it was the first time they'd ever heard about whatever SE I was having during chemo that I quit asking about stuff unless it was bad and I needed some sort of relief.  I found I got more answers by reading these boards!  :)    I started taking anastrozole in September and it's now March, so it'll be interesting to see if the prickles happen this summer when I'm "hot" independent of the hot flashes.

Right -- can't be the chemo.  How is it that it never happened before the chemo and  conitunes now 9 years later.  I have learned how to be as cool as possible and can go a pretty long time before it hits, but I still have it.  It is as if all of my nerve endings got fried during chemo.  My entire body has to cool down before it goes away. It happens to my arms first - so I know to immediatly find a cooler place.. Applying cold water doesn't do it.  Chemo does a lot of damage - seriously.  Funny how many of us who had chemo have this issue.  

Congratulations on finishing up the treatments.  I just got done myself!  It is a great feeling to know your done.   I have no doubt that there is a connection to the chemo and the itching.  I have made the decision to just be kind to myself and deal with it the best I can. 

Please let us know what your docs response is.

Hugs,

Annie

any of you that are experiencing the itchy skin did you have taxol?  I did just wondering if that is the common denominator. This is crazy . There has got to be an answer to what it is. And a cure

good luck all

how long have you had the itchy skin? Is it getting less? 

Hi, everyone. The same symptoms started for me in December, which was 5 months after finishing chemo (Taxotere, Carboplatin, Herceptin, Perjeta), 3 months after I started Tamoxifen, and 1 month after finishing radiation. I've been on just Perjeta and Herceptin since October and will finish in May. My diagnosis was for triple positive breast cancer, right side, one positive node.

I do think it's hormonal and heat related. It starts with feeling a little warm, like if I'm being active or wearing too many layers, and then bam, I'm *roasting* and I've got these nasty little itches all over.

I've tried a number of approaches. Keeping the house humid, using Neutrogena shower oil after showering, and keeping lotions on my arms, hands, and legs all seem to help keep dry skin at bay. It still isn't quite enough, though.

The thing I've found that will shut down an attack is aloe vera gel, which is usually on the same aisle with sunscreen and remedies for sunburn. The gel always seems slightly chilly, which feels great, and within a minute or so, the maniacal itching shuts down. I haven't tried keeping it in the fridge to make it even colder, but that might be worth a shot. It can dry kinda sticky, which some might find annoying, but I'm usually so glad to not be itching that I don't care. :-)

Another thing that I tell myself works is eating maybe half to 2/3 a cup of sorbet. If you eat it fast enough you get a rush of cold that normally would be unpleasant but is kinda nice when you feel the wave of heat coming on.

Good luck and positive thoughts to everyone. :-)

I was sure glad to find people with the same symptoms i have been experiencing.  I mentioned this itching, burning, tingling sitution during my treatments, and after i was done with all my chemo and  noone would listen. The oncologist herself shrugged her shoulders at me and the nurse I was crazy! After they do there part, they don't want to hear about any residuals from the meds I had my cancer in 2014 and I still have issues with it. I cant go in the sun, if i get into a hot vehicle, I have be careful with the water tmp. in the shower.  As I am writing this i am researching this dilemna ........

My pin prickles happened whenever I had a hot flash Or would sweat.  It started about one month after chemo ended. They were absolutely agonizing for nine months. I talked to my oncologist but he had never heard of such a thing and sent me to a neurologist to test for neuropathy. A friend of mine and I were talking about hair loss and she suggested I take the supplement hair, skin and nails. I started taking it and noticed that my pin prickles went away. I had seen a neurologist,  had all sorts of different tests done. Only for him to say it was not a neurological problem. I have continued  taking hair skin and nails and am almost pain-free. The days I forget to take the hair skin and nails the pin pickles come back as bad as they ever were. I still have hot flashes but they don't hurt. Before I felt like I had thousands of slivers or pins jabbing me all at the same time. 

Also have prickly skin issue. No rash, no hot flashes, but triggered by sun or heat (when cooking, etc). Just finishing breast cancer (Her2+) treatment: chemo  (taxotere/carboplatin/perjeta, herceptin) last fall, then lumpectomy, then 5 weeks radiation. Continuing w/ Herceptin every 3 weeks until July. This SE just manifested - I think it's the Herceptin. Oat-based lotion helps. I'm going to also try aloe vera & hair-skin-nails supplement. What is brand name?