Neuropathic Itch driving me CRAZY!

RosesToeses

I finished my dd Taxol a few weeks ago and most of the neuropathic stuff are mostly gone (hand and foot pain, pins and needles--still have numb finger and toe tips but that's something I can easily live with), but I developed a crazy strong itch on my back, upper arms and thighs at the same time and nothing seems to help it.



I was taking Cymbalta which helped the hand and foot pain, but did nothing for the itch. I'm off that now and still itching.



I'm taking Vitamin B6 which controls what's left of the hand and foot, I tried going off of that and it didn't change the itch one bit either way.



I've been putting on heavy lotions (with and without oatmeal ingredients) but it doesn't seem to make any difference.



I've also tried Icy-Hot, Capaisan Cream, Aspercream, and the narcotic painkillers. Most of these are at least distracting which helps, but don't really stop it.



My oncologist doesn't have any idea and isn't very helpful on this--very helpful with the pain, but not the itch and doesn't seem to believe its related to the neuropathy. Maybe it isn't, but it started at the same time and there's no rash or sign of irritation, and Benedryl doesn't help either.



Have any of you dealt with this? Any ideas to make it go away?

bluepearl

Try scratching the other side. I get itching under the arm from the removal of nodes but I find scratching the other arm helps. But, it eventually goes away once the nerves heal. I found a 100 mg complex Vit B helps nerves heal better without causing depletion of other Vit B's which happens when you only take one type. Itching IS related to nerve damage and since it isn't related to allergies etc. none of the stuff works. There's a complicated mirror image effect where your mind is thinking it's scratching the right area when, in fact, you are scratching the opposite area but your brain gets fooled, even when you KNOW it's a mirror image...so maybe try standing in front of a mirror! I know that scratching the opposite worked for me even without mirrors. Just be rest assured that it WILL go away and that helps too.

Melrosemelrose

I've been playing hives detective myself these past four weeks and hopefully I'm done with them.  I developed the hives after taking Tamoxifen for 7 weeks and dealt with them for 4 weeks until the last few days.  The hives were mainly were on my chest, back, torso.  The hives usually started at night and I would wake up with the hives.  I would take one dose of Benedryl and they would clear up.  I also used Benedryl cream at times.  I talked to my onco who put me on a two week vacation from Tamox to see if it is that and also stopped taking Benedryl since it impedes the Tamox.  Now that I'm into week 2 of my Tamox vacation, I no longer have the hives.  I took a few days of Zyrtec which helped the itch and is okay to take with the Tamoxifen.  I also changed my laundry detergent ( from Tide free to All- clear)  and also changed the body soap I was using ( from Cetaphil soap bar to Aveeno Body Wash).  I don't think that my hives are food related since they don't seem to come on rapidly after I eat any particular food.  I did a little research about hives and found out that chemo can affect the balance of one's immune system and hormones after chemo is completed.  I also learned that one can develop the hives as a side effect of going through menopause.  My oncologist said that she would refer to an allergist if I thought it would help.

I know it is frustrating to figure out what is causing the hives since you have to look at what you are eating, what you are washing your clothing/linens in, what you are applying to your skin ( lotions/ body soaps), what you are in contact with (enviromental), what OTC meds and prescription drugs you are taking and when you have the hives.   You may ask your doctors to run a blood test to see what you are allergic to. 

Here's to hoping that you feel better soon!!!!  

NjeanRN

I have one dd Taxol left and have been lucky to escape any neuropathy but I have noticed my back is always itchy since starting Taxol!! I thought it was coincidence. I have switched from lotion to jojoba oil which helps somewhat. Has anything worked for you?

RosesToeses

Hi Njean, so sorry you're dealing with this too!



I found that Eucerin Skin Calming lotion (with the oatmeal) helped the most out of lotions, but didn't make it go all the way away. I also found oxycodone at night (I had taken 1 for other pain and discovered it that way) also helped and let me sleep--I talked to my onc about that because it sure seemed like overkill, but she said that, basically, "you're dealing with cancer and chemo and if it's what helps then don't worry about it"



The best news, though, is that as time went on after the taxol, the itch just got less and less and it's completely gone now (almost 2 mo after my last taxol).



Good luck, and I hope it goes away quickly for you!

Outfield

I had a horrible neuropathic itching in my feet only with Taxol.  It lasted for a few weeks after.  A prickly kind of itching that I totally knew was not something wrong with my skin, which looked utterly normal.  I tried capsaicin too:  the burning hot pain did disguise the itching a little.  But the only thing that really gave me relief was ice water.  Feet are easy to immerse; it doesn't sound like all your involved places would be.  Could you try rubbing an ice cube on them?  Also, heat provoked it.  I wore sandals all the time for a while.  I also wore no shoes for my radiation to lessen the chance I'd have an "attack" of it on the table.

madeditor

I use ice packs. It usually takes about 20 minutes before the itching goes away. I finished chemo Dec 31, 2014 and still deal with the neuropathy and the itching

sas-schatzi

RoseToses, I used to put different sizes of wash clothes, hand towelsand smaller towels. Wet them, ring out very well, role them up and put them in the freezer. It's a variation on the ice bag, but they cover a wider surface. My itching was body wide. Hence the different size towels.

Another variation on the ice bag is a zip lock bag with half isopropyl alcohol and half water. It will be a slush b/c the alcohol won't freeze. It is malleable. Very nice for joints b/c it conforms to the shape of the joint. I double bag it when I got to us it, in case there is a leak.

Lula73

vagisil cream helps immensely. Yes, you read that right. No other itch relief creams have what it had in it in the US anymore. Brings relief within seconds. ! Usually buy the Walmart brand - vagicaine. Good luck!