Treating Tarceva rash

[Shar]

Hi Guys,

I am hoping somebody can help me with suggestions in how to treat a severe rash from Tarceva. Mine is on the scalp and is at the point of being extremely painful. For 12 months I took Minocycline, which I guess I have built up a resistance to, as it no longer benefits me at all. Then we tried Doxycycline to no avail. I just finished a month of Clindamycin which has had no effect either.

For now I am back on Minocycline with Prednislone. Not holding out a lot of hope for it working, but fingers crossed. I can tolerate whatever is thrown at me with this rash, but some relief would be fantastic.

Thanks,

Sharon

[recce101]

Hi, Sharon:

Have you tried any of the over-the-counter scalp relief products at your local drug store? I've had good results with Longs (our local store brand) Scalp Relief, a clear nongreasy liquid that contains Salicylic Acid 3% as its active ingredient, the same active ingredient that's in T/Sal Therapeutic Shampoo. I wash what little hair I have with Johnson's Baby Shampoo and follow up with the Scalp Relief after the hair and scalp have dried. The first couple of times I used it my scalp was red and tender, so there was a pretty good sting initially, but it quickly subsided and gave me several hours of comfort. Now the tenderness has cleared up, so I just use it when the scalp starts to feel dry and itchy, and there's essentially no sting. I drip the liquid onto a small folded piece of paper towel, then pat it on and rub it in.

I also take oral Doxycycline, and I put Clindamycin gel on any new red bumps that appear here and there -- but haven't used it on the scalp. One night when I was fairly new to Tarceva (before I had the scalp relief liquid) I developed a horrendous itch which I finally got to subside by rubbing in a large quantity of my regular skin moisturizing lotion. Of course it made quite a mess, so I spent the rest of the night in a recliner protected by paper towels, and it took a long time to wash it out the next morning, but at least a got some sleep. I bought the scalp relief product later that day.

Hope you find something that works! Aloha,

Ned

[Ry]

John tried scalp products and they did not help him. He found that using a good moisturizing conditioner or cream rinse made a difference. He figured since lotion helped his skin rash the same might be true of the scalp.