Itching on Herceptin?

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tropicmom
tropicmom Member Posts: 88
edited June 2014 in HER2+ (Positive) Breast Cancer

 I'm back on herceptin after being off for a year. I am starting to get severe itching on my upper arms.  I can't see any rash, but it's driving me crazy.   I actually had it towards the end of my last bout with herceptin, but didn't connect it.  Went to my  regular md and she told me to get some anti itch lotion (like sarna.)  I've been using twice daily ever since and haven't had much trouble. I've had three tx of herceptin 1 every 3 weeks. The lotion doesn't help, benadryl or cortisone cream doesn't help.  And doc said not to go overboard on cortisone cause it thins the skin.

And I'm a really bad scratcher.  Sometimes i don't notice I'm scratching till I've almost got blood streaming down my arms.

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  • skmarm
    skmarm Member Posts: 36
    edited August 2010

    Tropicmom,

    I had severe itching all over my body from about the fifth week of Taxol + Herceptin.  The oncologist thought it was a reaction to the Taxol and prescribed Benadryl (which didn't help) and later, Atarax (which also didn't help).  There no rash at first, just a lot of itching.  As I continued to scratch, often a rash would come up.

    Three weeks after I finished Taxol, I was itching even worse and my oncologist decided it wasn't Taxol and sent me to an allergist who did tests (they were all negative for allergic reaction).  I am still on Herceptin, but we were never able to tie it to Taxol or Herceptin.

    Anyway, creams never helped.  What did help - almost immediately - was a combination of twice daily Pepcid (which calms a histamine produced in the abdomen) and a medication call Xyzal (taken once a day at bedtime).  Both medications are well tolerated, with minimum or no side effects, and they worked like a charm!  I stayed on this for six weeks and then tried a day or two without medication and had no further symptoms. 

    I hope this helps!

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  • carcharm
    carcharm Member Posts: 486
    edited August 2010

    Thanks for posting this. Everytime I work out/ sweat my arms itch. I have also broken out in these bumps that open up and turn red and itch like crazy. I get welts in my mouth. I am finishing up herceptin this month but I thought maybe it was cuz my skin is dry from menopause.

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  • amlg1
    amlg1 Member Posts: 596
    edited August 2010

    I was nearly finished 4 tx to go and during infusion throat and ears started to itch.Had a reaction,and never had anything before that.I did have to get benedyl,and a steroid,for the rest of my infusions.I would let your onco know,about itching.

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