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Are 5 years of immunotherapy and other medications finally sending my body into itching and spotty overdrive?

Singstrum12
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Eight months ago when I first posted on this site, I was itch and spot free…enjoying life to the full following all that went on after chemo, radio and surgery for  oesophageal cancer ( 2017/18) and  immunotherapy ( herceptin) for metastatic lung cancer (2020-date).. Over the last six months I am wondering if the effects of treatments, which include a whole hoste of other medications for heart and RA issues, are causing the above. I think that maybe ( older) my body is reacting to all this medication and treatments, in the form of spots and itching. Perhaps someone who has had a similar experience could let me know, if this is now going to be a continuing fact of life, or is there something that can be done to stop it. Heat ( sitting or lying in bed) is definitely a trigger and  medicated moisturising creams make it worse. I use a wet flannel to ease the itching. I sleep ok, but often wake up with lots of scratches which I must have done whilst sleeping.

I am 76 years old, like to keep active, and would be grateful for any advice available. I think my GP just put it down to ‘age’.

John

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    Hello John, 

    That itching and spotting certainly doesn't sound fun! It would be good for you to find out exactly what is causing this reaction, if it's the cumulative effects of treatment or it could be one specific medication that is having this side effect. Your doctor/medical team might be able to guide you as to which type of treatment is more likely to have this itchiness and spottiness as a side effect. 

    I can imagine this can get rather annoying for you and it may well be something other members of our community have also experienced. You may be interested to read the page we have on our website on causes of itching and we also have useful tips to cope with itching as well as a page on treatment for itching and that page mentions something interesting, that "the best treatment is one that gets rid of the cause" so identifying the cause is important. It might be worth perhaps getting a second opinion from another GP or a specialist just to make sure that your GP is correct in saying this is down to age - another opinion might be helpful just to try and determine the cause and see if it is linked to any treatments you have had in the past or are currently taking. Our bodies do funny things sometimes and it's not always easy to understand why. 

    It's very good that you have managed to identify your triggers so you can avoid things like these creams that make it worse and I hope that the wet flannel is helping relieve the itching. It's definitely worth talking to someone about it as you should not have to endure this and wake up covered in scratches. 

    Feel free also to get in touch with our cancer nurses on this free number 0808 800 4040 if you would like to talk things through with them and ask for advice on this - their helpline is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. 

    I hope that it all get sorted for you soon so you don't have to put up with this for too much longer! 

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

  • Hi John

    Skin rashes and itching are the most common symptoms of many drugs even after you stop taking them. My current treatment causes miserable eczema type rashes /spots and itching even in places with no rash. A visit to a dermatologist if you can get an appointment may help. Meanwhile try using emulsifying bath oil like Oilatum or E45 instead of soap. Use E45 or Balneum anti itch cream. In areas that are very inflamed try using over the counter hydrocortisone 0.1% cream or see your GP for prescription versions. This routine certainly helps for me. Try it for a few months. You can get the Balneum cream on prescription but not the bath oil. Hope this is of some help.

    Ed

  • Offline in reply to Farmer_Ed

    Thank you Lucie and Ed. Both sets of wonderfully guiding and reassuring advice. I will be following both and will let you know how I get on. In the meantime Ed, I hope what you are doing eases the very unpleasant stuff you have got going on. 
    john 

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