Hello everyone,
Wishing you all a very happy and healthy New Year.
My husband had an episode of severe hives in June 2011 while he was on Carbo Alimta due to very low immunity.
He has been on Tarceva now for the past four months. He had some mild rash on the face and some ingrown toenails. Last few days he was complaining of severe pain and burning due to some pimple like rashes that had appeared on his body on the side where he first had the hives in 2011.
I am wondering whether a person can have a second attack of hives and if so, I believe the Tarceva may have precipitated this current attack. I don't thnk Tarceva causes herpes zoster hives but as he already had this before, perhaps a medication that causes skin rashes and other skin problems could also cause the hives to re-appear. What do you think?
I don't think that ordinary Tarceva rah would be so painful, itchy and burning.
Thanks for listening
Reply # - January 1, 2013, 06:12 AM
Reply To: Herpes zoster and Tarceva
Good Morning Apra and Happy New Year!
Not sure about the hive situation, but last June my husband had a terrible and severe rash on his face & back. His oncologist prescribed doxycylcine & hydrocortizone creme to combat infection and symptoms. He was blistering, hot red and very itchy. He uses Cetaphil to clean his skin and Vanicream to moisturize. Many suggestions can be found on: www.tarceva.com - but, he also required an office visit for some IV fluids and his onc. also took him off Tarceva for a few days- giving his system a break. He then reduced him to 100mg from 150mg to help combat side effects. All of this was helpful to my husband. I am hoping you and your husband find comfort quickly.
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43 y/o husband- Native American/Non Smoker - dx metastatic adenocarcinoma with EGFR+ mutation in 3/2012. 16x palliative radiation @ T7. Started Tarceva 4/2012 @ 150mg then reduced to 100mg due to overwhelming side effects. Was doing well until last CT in 11/2012 showed acquired resistance/ progression. Hoping for medical miracle.
Reply # - January 1, 2013, 08:46 AM
Reply To: Herpes zoster and Tarceva
Heartspy,
Thank you for your prompt reply. So sorry about your husband's progression. What is the plan now?
Thank you or your kind wishes and the detailed advice from personal experience. We will try he Doxycycline tomorrow.
Reply # - January 1, 2013, 01:22 PM
Reply To: Herpes zoster and Tarceva
I hesitate to reply after heartspy's (wonderful name) excellent answer. It's very likely she has given you what you need. But I wanted to go down the path of possible herpes zoster or shingles as we often refer to it. There would more than likely be a specific pattern (of which I'm not sure) around the torso. It is often a bothersome complication for those with cancer so I'd say it's at least a possibility. But I'd look for more specific symptoms before moving into a medication like pregabalin or neurontin. But they have been found to be very helpful and can be used short term so side effects wouldn't linger.
Always,
Janine
Reply # - January 1, 2013, 06:48 PM
Reply To: Herpes zoster and Tarceva
Tarceva (erlotinib) doesn't tend to cause enough immunosuppression to cause people to develop shingles (herpes zoster) infection, though I suppose it's possible. As for hives, that's a different process, but it doesn't tend to follow the pattern of a single nerve on one side of the body (a "dermatomal distribution" is the term, if you want to do a google search for an image that illustrates it). Tarceva can cause hives, but it's not as common of a skin side effect as a rash with pimples.
I do think it makes sense to try an antibiotic like doxycycline or monocycline, as well as a topical or systemic steroid.
Good luck.
-Dr. West
Reply # - January 2, 2013, 07:31 AM
Reply To: Herpes zoster and Tarceva
Thank you Janine, and thank you Dr. West,
I think it is not hives or herpes zoster. Perhaps just the Tarceva rash. But very painful. Now it is turning into blisters. Yes I will enquire about Doxycycline and the topical Steroids. We are now using T-Bact cream and ointment.
He is very weak after the mediastinoscopy and pleurodesis of the right lung which was done at the same time. We are thinking of asking for Glucose IV infusion as he is not eating well.
The surprising thing is that the doctor did not find any lymph nodes during mediastinoscopy and the pleural effusion was also tested and came out negative.
I wonder how the first test of pleural effusion from the same lung tested positive. But when I asked fr the cell blocks they could not give it.