I am on Velcade/dex right now. The other day, my rib cage started to hurt almost like I have a cracked rib or pulled muscle in my rib cage/side/back, although it started after a good nights rest. Grrr now I have something starting that looks like poison ivy.
I have heard of people getting shingles with treatment. What exactly does shingles feel like? Is it the blisters that hurt or something else?
Doctors are off for the weekend so will see mine on Monday, but every time any new pain or rash happens I think, oh great, now what's this from. LOL
The area where it looks like poison ivy is around where my bra goes from my back to my chest. I have never had poison ivy and haven't been exposed that I know of, although it could be possible. It doesn't itch or hurt at this time, just noticed it last night.
What should I use on it in the mean time until seeing the doctor?
Thanks for any tips,
Terri
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Terri Michigan - Name: Terri Michigan
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 45
Re: Is this the start of shingles (or a Velcade side effect)
Hi Terri,
Just after my husband was first diagnosed, he got shingles that did not hurt, which really seemed unusual given all the ads on TV where the people talk about how painful shingles are! He had two rash areas, sort of like poison ivy, on his stomach. His oncologist diagnosed it as shingles and put him on acyclovir.
I don't know what to suggest you use in the interim, but it's good you plan to have it checked out next week.
Best wishes,
Chris M.
Just after my husband was first diagnosed, he got shingles that did not hurt, which really seemed unusual given all the ads on TV where the people talk about how painful shingles are! He had two rash areas, sort of like poison ivy, on his stomach. His oncologist diagnosed it as shingles and put him on acyclovir.
I don't know what to suggest you use in the interim, but it's good you plan to have it checked out next week.
Best wishes,
Chris M.
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Chris M.
Re: Is this the start of shingles (or a Velcade side effect)
My friend is prescribed acyclovir for cold sores that she gets all the time. I got some meds from her and have decided to take that until I go see the doctor on Monday.
So far, it doesn't hurt, itches if you were to mess with it, but leaving it alone has been fine. Also, it does not seem to be spreading at all, thank goodness. Also the rib pain is almost gone. Must have just pulled something in that area or something. Who knows. It seems like I am always in pain somewhere or another.
Thanks for the reply, I will keep you posted about what the doctor says.
So far, it doesn't hurt, itches if you were to mess with it, but leaving it alone has been fine. Also, it does not seem to be spreading at all, thank goodness. Also the rib pain is almost gone. Must have just pulled something in that area or something. Who knows. It seems like I am always in pain somewhere or another.
Thanks for the reply, I will keep you posted about what the doctor says.
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Terri Michigan - Name: Terri Michigan
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 45
Re: Is this the start of shingles (or a Velcade side effect)
Hi Terri!
Most doctors should be able to tell you if your rash is due to herpes zoster by looking at the area affected and listening to your report on the pain, so if you know one, perhaps even an experienced nurse, you could have the answer without waiting.
They say that it is important to start antiviral medicines immediately to speed up recovery. I took them straight away but I cannot say they helped in reducing the pain, which was quite intense and lasted 5 weeks.
It consisted of a background steady pain, as if somebody was rubbing some parts of the body inside you, plus sudden sharp pangs in various places of the area where the rash was. This condition affects the skin and the nerves, and the pangs are a sort of nerve spasm. These pangs could stop me from walking and make me close my eyes and lean my head against the wall in pain. While they did not last long, they were very frequent. Add total exhaustion and you have the full picture!
Having said all of this, I remember that my husband had the shingles too, but for him it was a matter of a few days of pain only. Most people suffer for 3-5 weeks, and I read that in some cases the neuralgia persists for months or years.
I do hope that in your case it is either a mild case or a Velcade side effect, hopefully a treatable one.
Most doctors should be able to tell you if your rash is due to herpes zoster by looking at the area affected and listening to your report on the pain, so if you know one, perhaps even an experienced nurse, you could have the answer without waiting.
They say that it is important to start antiviral medicines immediately to speed up recovery. I took them straight away but I cannot say they helped in reducing the pain, which was quite intense and lasted 5 weeks.
It consisted of a background steady pain, as if somebody was rubbing some parts of the body inside you, plus sudden sharp pangs in various places of the area where the rash was. This condition affects the skin and the nerves, and the pangs are a sort of nerve spasm. These pangs could stop me from walking and make me close my eyes and lean my head against the wall in pain. While they did not last long, they were very frequent. Add total exhaustion and you have the full picture!
Having said all of this, I remember that my husband had the shingles too, but for him it was a matter of a few days of pain only. Most people suffer for 3-5 weeks, and I read that in some cases the neuralgia persists for months or years.
I do hope that in your case it is either a mild case or a Velcade side effect, hopefully a treatable one.
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Annamaria - Name: Annamaria
- Who do you know with myeloma?: I am a patient
- When were you/they diagnosed?: April 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 58
Re: Is this the start of shingles (or a Velcade side effect)
Hey there,
Welcome to my nightmare.
Spasms and cramps around the rib cage commenced some 5 months into 15mg Revlimid (lenalidomide) treatment starting. Lengthy health checks and head scratching led to the idea of internal shingles, set off by "who knows".
Here we are today pay with a internal pain management stimulator implanted into my spine to "sleep" the problem away.
It has taken the sting out of the matter, but I can tell you .... there'll be all sorts of theories and very little sure fire solution unless you find an expert who has seen it before
Welcome to my nightmare.
Spasms and cramps around the rib cage commenced some 5 months into 15mg Revlimid (lenalidomide) treatment starting. Lengthy health checks and head scratching led to the idea of internal shingles, set off by "who knows".
Here we are today pay with a internal pain management stimulator implanted into my spine to "sleep" the problem away.
It has taken the sting out of the matter, but I can tell you .... there'll be all sorts of theories and very little sure fire solution unless you find an expert who has seen it before
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Alex
Re: Is this the start of shingles (or a Velcade side effect)
Sounds an awful lot like shingles. Are you on acyclovir with your Velcade therapy (anyone on proteasome inhibitors - Velcade (bortezomib), Kyprolis (carfilzomib), or trials with others -- should be on prophylactic antiviral therapy to protect from shingles).
I would contact your doctor to start treatment with Famvir (famciclovir) as soon as you can. They should have someone on call to prescribe a med for you. With that set of signs and symptoms, they should be able to call in a prescription without having to see you.
Best of luck.
I would contact your doctor to start treatment with Famvir (famciclovir) as soon as you can. They should have someone on call to prescribe a med for you. With that set of signs and symptoms, they should be able to call in a prescription without having to see you.
Best of luck.
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Dr. Ken Shain - Name: Ken Shain, M.D., Ph.D.
Beacon Medical Advisor
Re: Is this the start of shingles (or a Velcade side effect)
As Dr. Shain has said, you should get medical attention immediately. I developed shingles on my face 3 years ago. I recognized what it was and asked a neighbor, who is a primary care doctor, to look at the rash to confirm my suspicions. She prescribed acyclovir immediately and I started taking it right away. Because I work in healthcare, I was out of work for almost 2 weeks until the blisters had scabbed over. When the blisters break, you are highly contagious.
I am still taking acyclovir prophylactically because I still have problems with the eye that was infected.
Good luck,
Nancy in Phila
I am still taking acyclovir prophylactically because I still have problems with the eye that was infected.
Good luck,
Nancy in Phila
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NStewart - Name: Nancy Stewart
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 3/08
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Is this the start of shingles (or a Velcade side effect)
During my husband's first cycle of dex / Doxil / Velcade, he developed a poison ivy type rash that was determined by a dermatologist to be a reaction to one of the meds. He was already taking acyclovir at the time. The rash started very near the injection site on his stomach and spread to his sides, back and upper arms.
He took Benadryl [diphenhydramine] as per the dermatologist to get the rash under control and he also took baths in lukewarm water and added apple cider vinegar to the bath. It took about one week for the rash to go away. We are in the second cycle now and the rash hasn't come back.
He took Benadryl [diphenhydramine] as per the dermatologist to get the rash under control and he also took baths in lukewarm water and added apple cider vinegar to the bath. It took about one week for the rash to go away. We are in the second cycle now and the rash hasn't come back.
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Jean Ruth Howard - Name: Jeannie
- Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 47
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