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Terri,
Is Ruth totally menopausal now? Perhaps she is having a reaction like I did.
During the chemo, and even now, I get itching attacks. Not like normal, getting into the shower just makes it worse. I cannot get over-heated or I start to itch all over. I now take a Claritin each day. My pricks were a histamine reaction, and the Claritin works.
Also patch test any kind of lotion, soap, shampoo, she puts on her skin. About all I can use now is unscented 365 from Whole Foods or Curel. Check the labels. Just about everything has cocoa butter, aloe, lanolin, alcohol, etc. that could be setting off "pricks". None of this bothered me before, but with the dry skin post-menopausal and all the chemo and radiation, lots of things set me off.
I was taking Neurontin because the Taxol left me with peripheral neuropathy. Burning feet and legs and hands that were twitchy and made sleeping difficult. Does she have decreased sensation? Or do the 'pricks' localize to her limbs? I avoided taking the Neurontin (gabapentin) for a year because I, too, didn't want another drug.
But my PCP finally convinced me, and she was right. Neurontin works. Ruth should try it if the anti-histamine isn't the cure. I was off neurontin the last two months because of my latest debacle. I was on dilantin, which is also used for PN. It also blocked the PN. Off that now because of severe allergy to it. But the PN is creeping back and I am willing to try it again. I had no side effects with the Neurontin. Lots of people have been taking it a long time without problems. Don't be afraid of it if it helps.
Carla
Carla
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