Itching, rash and bumps after CLL/SLL treatments? - CLL Support

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Itching, rash and bumps after CLL/SLL treatments?

blur81 profile image
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Itching, rash and bumps after CLL/SLL treatments?

My husband finished his second round of treatment last January. Since he started his first treatments about the 4th month in, he broke out into a rash, kind of like hives. After his second treatment he broke out with a rash and now we are in July and he is breaking out with swollen bumps and some look like pimples or boils and some of them pop and ooze without touching them. He mostly gets them on his head, face and chest and sometimes a few on his arms and legs. The doctor normally puts him on steroids and a few times he has been on antibiotics. Does anyone know what could cause this or how long it will last? We live in Southern California.

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LovecuresCLL profile image
LovecuresCLL

Which treatment? Somebody here may say it is “due to the treatment”.

It doesnt sound like it is shingles but when it comes to CLL....the number one thing on skin that we need to rule out first is shingles. Which is tiny painful (burning itch) blisters. With CLL it can be in both sides of the body.

As a CLL....skin rashes are a major problem for me and many others, you need a great dermatologist to help you with your skin. Don’t race to take oral steroids either . Try topical steroids if they want to give you steroids all the time. A skin biopsy can help too to figure which treatment is best.

As CLLers we are more predisposed to skin cancer....another reason to find a good dermatologist and stick with them,

Find one and go frequently to the derm to stay on top of your skin,

Whenever there are blisters or vesicles you must rule out shingles first and foremost but it isn’t always easy to rule out shingles so let a professional look at your skin right away. You may need an antiviral and you also have to rule out skin infections especially in the day and age of MRSA (methicillin resistant staph aureus) and then you need an antibiotic.

And oncologists make lousy dermatologists . But show your CLL specialist too for all the good it will do. I would go see a skin doctor right away. Unless you think it’s shingles then you need an antiviral like acyclovir right away. Then I call my derm to get next day or that same day appointment, push for that. Say it is an “emergency” even if you have to see a derm PA or nurse,

blur81 profile image
blur81 in reply to LovecuresCLL

Hello,

Thank you very much for your response. We are waiting to get him into his Dermatologist. She is wonderful. His primary has put him on antibiotics and he is starting to clear up. His Dermatologist has put him on steroid cream from the previous breakouts, but for some reason he still has these breakouts. His Dermatologist does not want him going on oral steroids either. She said from his first treatment he has developed Rosecea. So one of the creams is for that. She has given him different creams to try but when we go back I will ask them to do a biopsy to see what it could be this time. Thank you again. He is in remission since his last treatment in January and I am hoping it lasts for more than the 3 years others have mentioned.

LovecuresCLL profile image
LovecuresCLL in reply to blur81

You are welcome. I hope it clears quickly. I hope you get a diagnosis from biopsy. What CLL treatment did you just do?

Good luck and best wishes always,

-John

bigunwill2 profile image
bigunwill2

Be sure to find a dermatologist who understands cancer treatments. I loved my old dermatologist, but she did quite get the connection with treatment and skins outbreaks. My new one is at UTSW and is very familiar with the connection.

I have had light cases of shingles—light because I take acyclovir 400 twice a day, bumps in my head and face, and horrible reactions to mosquito bites. The bites get blisters, swell and get hot. If I have several bites, I sometimes have to take antibiotic for day or two.

Although, this week I got stung by wasp—put soda and vinegar paste on it and had no reaction.

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