[KarenaD]

Blisters on finger - shingles from Velcade?

by KarenaD on Sat Jan 23, 2016 10:54 am

I woke up this morning to find several, painful blisters on my right hand ring finger, and I'm wondering if they could be caused by shingles? (I have no other blisters elsewhere)

I am currently on cyclophosphamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone (CyBorD) induction therapy (10 treatments completed thus far), and I'm taking 800 mg per day (400 mg morning / night) of acyclovir as a preventative measure against shingles.

Has this happened to anyone else, and if so, how did you deal with it?

Thank you,
Karen

[Ellen Harris]

Re: Blisters on finger - shingles from Velcade?

by Ellen Harris on Sat Jan 23, 2016 12:31 pm

I would definitely check in with my oncologist on this. Shingles are usually on the trunk, sometimes arms and legs but they can really happen anywhere. It could be a rash, or allergic reaction to any one of the meds. Maybe you could take a picture of it on your cell and send it to your oncologist? Mine is reachable by cell phone. I realize not all are.

Good luck, and let us know what happens!

[lwem]

Re: Blisters on finger - shingles from Velcade?

by lwem on Sat Jan 23, 2016 1:56 pm

Hi Karen -

After RVD induction, my husband developed blisters on his fingers as well. They were painful, and I thought they might be staph of some kind. The myeloma specialist suggested we go to my husband's primary care, he had no idea. His primary care doctor looked at them, had no idea what they were, but didn't think it was an infection. He gave my husband an antibiotic (Keflax); they eventually went away after about a month.

Interestingly, they were on the same fingers where he had neuropathy.

We never did find out what they were. If you get any answers, please post here, as we are still curious. He was on Velcade for induction, but had ceased Velcade a month or more before they appeared.

I hope you get some answers!

[Multibilly]

Re: Blisters on finger - shingles from Velcade?

by Multibilly on Sat Jan 23, 2016 3:18 pm

See:

https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/velcade-side-effects-small-blisters-or-pimples-t1043.html

and:

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a607007.html

"....What side effects can this medication cause?

- ...Skin blisters that are itchy or painful"

[lwem]

Re: Blisters on finger - shingles from Velcade?

by lwem on Sat Jan 23, 2016 4:18 pm

Multibilly -

Thank you for that link/thread and the confirmation of what it might be. It is interesting though, as I mentioned in another thread here today, my husband stopped treatment months ago (I think last Velcade injection was in late September?) due to neuropathy, and the finger blisters popped up some time in December (they're gone now). He still has peripheral neuropathy, and M-spike has continued to go down (no M-spike as of last week). I wonder how long Velcade does its work?

[Multibilly]

Re: Blisters on finger - shingles from Velcade?

by Multibilly on Sat Jan 23, 2016 8:12 pm

Laurie,

Can't help you regarding your question about the delayed onset of blisters. Maybe somebody else can. But I guess it is now an academic question since the blisters thankfully disappeared.

[KarenaD]

Re: Blisters on finger - shingles from Velcade?

by KarenaD on Mon Jan 25, 2016 5:30 pm

I went to the doctor today, and, thankfully, I don't have shingles. The doctor didn't know what was causing the blisters, but did not think there was any infection. Since the blisters are smaller today and no longer painful (they seem to be resolving on their own), I was not prescribed any antibiotics. I suppose the blisters must be caused by some sort of allergic reaction. Oddly enough, like Laurie (Iwem's) husband, I have also had some mild neuropathy in the same finger. And...it's interesting to note on the Bortezomib link provided by Multibilly that itchy or painful blisters are a potential side effect of that medication.