Itchy skin

[spinning1]

Good morning,

My husband is on imbruvica and has developed a severe rash all over his body. He is constantly scratching and often times causes it to bleed. His ankles swell up as well. Anyone else having this reaction.

[Hidden]

had it all over my body. took one course of medrol dosepak 4mg. went away in about 2 weeks, Now comes back as occasional rash in different parts of the body,

[cllady01 Former Volunteer]

Call your oncologist and relate the bleeding from scratching. If he has scratches that are bleeding, anything anyone suggests be put on them might cause a further problem.

Any open wound is fodder for an infection, getting help to stop the need to itch and to assess the bleeding situation and any need to heal the open wounds from the scratching is important.

I hope he gets relief soon. Scratching is not good--

[spinning1 in reply to cllady01]

Thank you!

[cllady01 Former Volunteer in reply to spinning1]

should have said "open wound is breeding ground for infection." But, you get the idea. Hoping to hear you have gotten it sorted.

[Handley]

Hi Spinning

Yes, I have! But not simultaneously. I am on a clinical trial (FLAIR) and set to receive Ibrutinib and Venetoclax, altho' I haven't got as far as the Venetoclax yet due to sepsis intervening and putting all on hold.

My experience after an interrupted 2 months on Ib is that some things tend to be transitory, be it joint pain or other things. I had a swollen lower leg for around 4 days but still called it in and was whisked to hospital to check for thrombosis - which it wasn't. More recently I had itchy shins for 2 days (antihistamine cetirizine + emollient) and now rash all over upper chest. Looked quite livid and itched like hell but now on way out after 5 days. I was given cetirizine twice daily and taken off my prophylactic antibiotic (Co-trimoxazole). However, was it a reaction to the antibiotic or would it have gone anyway...….! It wouldn't have been due to the Ib as I had not taken it for 25 days when it began.

All you can do is call it in and try suggestions/prescriptions offered. However, I do believe those of us on Ibrutinib (+ other treatments too I expect) may have to put on a brave face to what hopefully will just be short-term unwelcome side effects.

Get your husband to wear a thin sock on each hand at night. It will reduce damage by scratching and may even remind him not to do so. Simple ideas often help! Good luck to both of you and try not to worry too much. Cheers Handley

[ttomo]

Good morning! I’m one month into the Alliance Trial ( I+O+V) and developed a whole body rash after two weeks. They immediately stopped Ibrutinib, Allopurinol, and Bactrim until it resolved. Also had painful mouth sores. Everything cleared up in a few days. Now I’m back on Ibrutinib but have not resumed Allopurinol or Bactrim. My numbers suggest I no longer need Allopurinol, and they will put me on monthly treatments of Pentamidine as a substitute for Bactrim. The rash tried to come back after two days of Ibrutinib so I started taking Zyrtec at night, and that seems to have solved the problem. I should add that my rash did not itch.