now I'M scared

[SoCalGal]

Ironic-feeling so calm yesterday and this morning... Just out of the shower and I see an angry rash. Wasn't there yesterday. It is exactly where it should not be - around the scar line, like the radiation "flush". Not particularly itchy. Just red from the hot shower and tiny pin pricks. Maybe this is why the Pet and CT did not agree last time. I had a pretty big bruise from acupuncture (same sternum area-between the breasts) and my onc said she spoke with the radiologist and she felt certain that the CT was right since all other signs were stable. Do I have skin lymphatic involvement?

I can't believe how yesterday I was fine and this morning the rash and I am a wreck! !**@#&#*)$*#@&$(t^!!!

[chrisy]

OK Flori,
Breathe.
Breathe again
Breathe again

It sounds like this rash suddenly appeared?

Flori, you know the drill. Don't aggravate it. If it persists, get it checked out. See how it looks tomorrow. Try not to panic - sometimes a rash is just a rash.

[BonnieR]

I don't have anything to offer on the medical side. But Beau looks like he has nice big dog ears and would cuddle up and listen to your concerns and provide comfort until you can get to a doctor.
Keep the faith.

[Sheila]

Flori...using a new soap or body wash? Heat and water and friction will intensify a rash....I know how stressed this makes you, but give it a day and see.....I am betting it is nothing but a rash, and we would be the only ones to be happy to have a plain old rash!!!!
Sending you positive vibes and a big hug!

[WomanofSteel]

Relax I am sure it is just a rash. I know it is hard for us to believe these things knowing what we go through, but let's tke a deep breath and wait a few before getting excited. You must remember this. A rash is just a rash. the fundamental things apply as time goes by.

[Shobha]

Flori, I can understand the fear. You are always so brave and strong and this has really upset you.

I am sending lots of positive vibes your way and praying hard that it just a rash and absolutely NOT cancer! God bless you!

[Ceesun]

Flori, I had similar thoughts of a new soap, body wash...just watch it and check it out if need be. Ceesun

[StephN]

Oh MY! This just goes to show how how keenly balanced our "teeter-totter" life is now.

Our emotions are running very close to the surface and it does not take much to shake us out of our hard-won sense of calm.

Did you put some cortisone cream on it? Whenever I get a red bump (which I do often), I just dab a little on and it goes away in a couple of days. My spring allergies are already devilling me.

If you need a punch biopsy get it asap.

[tricia keegan]

I don't have advice Flori but just wanted to send some good thoughts that this rash IS simply a rash!

[Mary Anne in TX]

Hi Flori!! I'm sending beautiful thoughts, sunshine, healing thoughts your way believing it is just a regular rash. ma

[PinkGirl]

Sori Flori ... I agree with everyone ... wait and see and get it checked out
if it doesn't go away .... sori you have this to deal with now.

WOS, you're a hoot ...

You must remember this
A rash is still a rash,
A sigh is just a sigh...
The fundamental things apply,
As time goes by.

[Carolyns]

Hi Flori,

It's times like these I reach for my Valium because (for me) in this type of situation only drugs can help to calm me down.

I had a rash pop up on my chest recently right after a shower. Mine was red - prickly - itchy and it freaked me out. I took a little corner of a Valium and went back to work. The next day it was gone.

Other times when I get really nervous and I know that I can't shake the fear - I go to the doctor because they are only a few blocks away.

I am sorry that you feel like a wreck today and I hope that the rash resolves soon.

Carolyn

[jones7676]

I understand your fear, but it may be just a rash. Watch it, try to stay positive and if it doesn't go away have it addressed pronto.

Heck, now that I have been through chemos I have my daughter pick out my "bathing etc" items because she uses natural and the most non-allgergenic items there are. I had many scares and it is much healthier for me etc.

Let us know how we can help!

[vickie h]

Hey Flori
What a teeter totter world we live in. I am hoping you get that checked out right away and not wait past Monday, if possible. I have a rash on my right breast (which is the IBC) but it is slightly raised, not pin prickly like yours. It sounds more like something you ingested yesterday, but I know how diligent you are and this kind of things can send us scurrying.
I'll be praying for you this week-end. If you can, go to Whole Foods and get some Suki Oil (the one with Myrhh in it), put some on the rash and if it is an allergy it will disappear in a day. It is the finest oil and works everytime.
Let me know how you are...I'll drive some down to you, if that's what it takes, but I'd have to leave today because I'll be in beautiful, downtown Bakerfield all week-end at a soccer tournament.
Love, Vickie

[MJo]

The doctor is in. I diagnose post traumatic stress syndrome.

Your have the symptoms: Bouncing off the walls.

Rash -- boiiing %#&(&%@(
Liver enzyme change -- boiiiiing %%&))@#
Scar tissue lumps -- boiiiinnng &&&(&(#%#
headache -- boiiinggg boiiinggg
dizziness -- booiiiinnngg booiiinng &((&(*#

I can't go on.

[ElaineM]

Are you using anything new on your skin? Are you eating or drinking anything new? Are you taking any new meds or supplements? Are you wearing new clothes or using new towels? Have you been in a new environment?
The powder used as a binder in my generic blood pressure medicine caused a rash on my face and neck. The doc had to get permission from my insurance to prescribe the brand name of the blood pressure medicine. The rash disappeared after that.
Get it checked out by your oncologist, radiation oncologist or a good dermatologist if you need answers.

[Lani]

where when you give a chemotherapy agent AFTER radiation the area radiated gets skin problems --one reason they like to give the chemo before the radiation

Certain agents are more likely to be culprits than others.

Hope you oncologist can see you soon and ease your mind.

[Lani]

J Oncol Pharm Pract. 2009 Feb 25. [Epub ahead of print]Links
The use of sodium hyaluronate for the treatment of radiation recall dermatitis.

Bauer SM, Bauer C.
University of Michigan, College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, MI.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a high-molecular weight polysaccharide, a glycosaminoglycan that enhances fibroblast movement and metabolism during wound healing, increasing collagen fibers forming granulation tissue. We describe a 42-year-old female, who developed radiation recall dermatitis following an allogeneic stem cell transplant from an unrelated donor (MUD-PBSCT). Her skin was treated with a topical sodium hyaluronate gel twice daily (RadiaplexRX, MPM Medical). There was marked improvement after 5 days of therapy without discontinuation of any of her therapeutic agents. At a time when the health care providers were faced with considerable treatment dilemmas, this patient demonstrated improvement in the symptoms of radiation recall dermatitis with the topical application of sodium hyaluronate and no change in her medication profile. This agent could successfully allow practitioners to treat radiation recall dermatitis without discontinuation of the recall trigger drug and thus jeopardizing the outcome of the treatment regimen.
PMID: 19036906

[Lani]

Since the article was written there have been reports of radiation recall with avastin for pancreatic cancer, and an anti EGFR monoclonal antibody for head and neck cancer from a quick review of pubmed searching for radiation recall dermatitis

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/art...medid=18317586

it is open access. a list of chemodrugs which could be culprits
from the article:
Docetaxel
Doxorubicin
Gemcitabine
Paclitaxel
Trimetrexate
Methotrexate
Hydroxyurea
Tamoxifen

the % of cases of radiation recall due to these each of these agents varied -- the first few on the list were around 13%, the last few on the list about 5% and those inbetween were between 5 and 13%. That is NOT the percentage of the people getting those drugs after radiation therapy that develop radiation recall dermatitis--that is a rare phenomenon, but I wonder if all cases are recognized as such and correctly diagnosed.

If your skin problem doesn't fit this at all, sorry for adding to the confusion, but hopefully I have added to the armantarium of knowledge of others, so they may not become unduly concerned if they develop a skin problem which might fit this description.

Perhaps it will also explain to many why chemo tends to be given before radiation therapy.

[freyja]

I want to say just try to keep the boat steady. Take comfort in anything and everything you can. You've made it through 13 years of these fears, we know you can sail through this...despite the rocky sea.