Question re: scalp bumps or folliculitis during chemo.

[woodsprite]

Have any of you developed bumps, not quite pimple like, during chemo? About 90-95% of my hair has fallen out. I’m on day 16 of chemo round 2. I have been using the Mustela baby unscented shampoo and moisturizer, along with putting an ice pack on the area 2-3x day. My dr prescribed a 1% solution of clindamycin. Been using it for a few days, but it doesn’t seem to be doing much. They seemed worse tonight, but I hadn’t had an opportunity to ice the area until now.

Just was wondering how you handled them if you experienced this.

After chemo 3, they plan on doing a CT scan to see if I’m ready for surgery.

[rampartc]

1. are you taking erbotux? (setuxamid?)

this kind of rash is a known side effect. the clindamycin is supposed to help, but ....

i've lost my hair and its growing back (3rd round of chemo, 8 treatments per round.) so who knows with this stuff. hope your tumor shrinks enough that the surgeon can get it.

[woodsprite]

2. Yes! I guess that's it!

The chemo nurse didn’t give it a name! The stuff low on my nape and neck don’t seem to be reacting as fast to the meds. I was thinking it might be because my pillow or collar may be irritating it or rubbing the meds off.

[rampartc]

3. that kind of cancer have you ?

mine is a squamous cell carcinoma, about the size of a grapefruit on my neck. the nurses here are very nice but i'm sure they draw straws to see who has to take me for chemo.

[woodsprite]

4. Endometrial adenocarcinoma. It's my second bout

But the drs are not committed to calling it a recurrence since it’s been 15 yrs since the original diagnosis and treatment (surgery only - total abdominal hysterectomy including tubes and ovaries). This was a total surprise. Went in for a CT scan for kidney stones and they found either a 4x3 or a 5x7 cm tumor in the pararectal fat layer. The size depends on what CT scan is read 🙄

I really like my care team, and we all seem to be on the same page, have similar sense of humor, etc. There is one I keep a closer eye on. It’s a teaching hospital and she’s one of the teachers. I’ve had 2 chemo treatments so far (Taxol and Carboplatin regimen). The first one she almost hung someone else’s Taxol infusion as mine. The second one she was going to detach everything and release me before hanging the the last Carboplatin. I’m glad the steroids don’t let me sleep through the treatments!

Your neck sounds painful. Do you have to do radiation as well as chemo?

[rampartc]

5. i have had a lifetime limit of radiation

my nurses are very food at checking each other, and everything is scanned into the computer, so i'd be very surprised to get the wrong drugs.

this did hurt, and i imagine my death will be quite horrible if i let it go that far, but the tumor is shrinking a little (depending on how the dr squuints), and i can still eat and breathe so as long as medicare is picking up most of these enormous bills .........

anyway, woodsprite, thanks for talking to me.

[Habibi]

6. Hi, woodsprite, how's it going?

I've been reading your posts in here. Just decided to look into the group since I'm having a recurrence of my ovarian cancer and will be going back to chemo this week.

I had scalp folliculitis during frontline chemo almost 4 years ago. The oncology nurse prescribed a cortisone cream that did little; I had somewhat better luck with plain old witch hazel.

This time around I'm trying a couple of different things. My derm recommended Neutrogena T/Sal shampoo to keep the pores cleaner, so I have that. Then a few days after the first infusion I'm having my hairstylist buzz my head before it becomes inflamed (less messy, too!)

Hope you're tolerating the rest of your treatment okay. Hang in there!

[woodsprite]

7. Hi! Sorry to hear you're going through all of this again.

They gave me clindamycin to take care of mine. It seems to work well. I was wondering if stress can be a factor in aggravating it since I had another bout a few days before surgery.

I’m third day out from surgery and I just got my remaining catheters and IVs out. I think I’ll be in here another few days. I have a roommate that had similar colon surgery and suffers from dementia. The staff had been treating her so nice and have so much patience with her.