[tpt]

Itch after stem cell mobilization, transplant

by tpt on Wed Jan 01, 2014 10:43 pm

Happy new year, first of all.

Has anyone of you experienced itches from induction therapies or SCT?

Dad has hepatitis b, and he claims that his hep b meds are the culprit to this itch. It's like huge mosquito bites that subsides after an hour or so, and it comes and go. But the hep b doctor insisted that it was not due to the meds, but instead due to the myeloma meds. The problem is, we can't stop the hep b meds until we stop the chemo.

Our induction therapies include VTD for 14 cycles, and recently SCT. The issue begin soon after we collected his stem cell, about a year ago, and around the same time we found out his hep b, and thus was administered tenofovir (then entecavir). Hence, we don't know whether it is due to cyclophosphamide (for SC mobilization) or the tenofovir.

Any comments will help. Thanks.

[Joy]

Re: Itch after stem cell mobilization, transplant

by Joy on Thu Jan 02, 2014 8:56 pm

I developed a rash shortly after being released from the hospital after my SCT. The doctors took me off all of the meds I had been sent home with (an antibiotic and magnesium) but did leave me on the Valcyclovir. They then added 2 antihistamines and pepcid. Nothing really seemed to change except that the rash slowly went away over a couple of months. They never really figured out what caused the rash but said that sometimes skin conditions arise after an SCT. My rash would come and go also, but the marks were small and flat, unlike mosquito bites. I also had dry scaling. A few times my eyes were very swollen. I looked like a lizard: Bald, scaly, no eyelids. A real beauty! As far as a timeline, I had my pre-harvest cytoxan on September 18, the harvest on September 30, SCT on October 8th and the rash started about October 23rd. My guess is that it was my body's reaction to the Melphalan, but the doctors thought that it could have been the antibiotic (Mepron) or just an overall reaction to the whole process. Another theory was that my body's reaction to hair regrowth. They could never be sure. Best of luck to your dad in solving his rash problem.

[tpt]

Re: Itch after stem cell mobilization, transplant

by tpt on Thu Jan 02, 2014 10:37 pm

I appreciate your comment.

You know what, he had dry scaling as well.

You may be right. Let's see in a couple of werks, and I'll report you back. Thanks.

[mikeb]

Re: Itch after stem cell mobilization, transplant

by mikeb on Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:23 am

About one month after my auto SCT (in May 2013), I developed terrible itching. Just when I thought I was finished with the worst of the SCT side effects. I did not develop a rash. In fact, you couldn't see much evidence of anything that should itch if you looked at my skin. Yet I itched all over, all the time. My doctor initially thought it was due to dry skin so I changed soaps and used lotions to combat the dry skin, but they didn't do much good. Eventually my doctor prescribed an antihistamine. That, and time, eventually helped and the itching gradually went away over the course of about another month. We never figured out what exactly caused it.

tpt, good luck to your father. If there is a hell, and if it's personalized, mine will be non-stop itching. So I can sympathize with what your dad must be going through. And, Joy, good luck to you in your continuing recovery from your SCT. Sounds like you're doing pretty well at this point. Keep it up!

[NStewart]

Re: Itch after stem cell mobilization, transplant

by NStewart on Sun Jan 05, 2014 8:44 pm

I developed an overall body rash about 1 month after my transplant. My doctor thought that it might be a graft vs myeloma reaction which would be really good. I was miserable and could have scratched all of my skin off if I hadn't had some self control. The oncologist had me stop taking all of my post ASCT drugs and to be sure not to use any soaps or laundry products with perfumes in them. That didn't help. He sent me to a dermatologist who prescribed a steroid ointment and antihistamines. Those helped keep things under control, but when I stopped using them the rash returned. This lasted for a couple of months.

For the first year whenever I was exposed to sun, even when I had sunscreen on, I developed the rash again. It never was as bad as right after the transplant, but I would have to start using the ointment and antihistamines again. Now, 4 years later, I occasionally develop a small rash somewhere on my body and use the steroid ointment for a couple of days and the rash clears up. Just another one of those things that I seem to have to deal with on a periodic basis. Now, though, the rash isn't itchy.

Nancy in Phila

[Z's]

Re: Itch after stem cell mobilization, transplant

by Z's on Wed Jan 08, 2014 2:35 pm

My husband had the same itching issue after his SCT. Drs. never could pinpoint the cause, however, it did go away after his body hair grew back. .