Itching

Rashes and itching are very common side effects from immunotherapies and your father has been through several of those!  Depending on where the radiation was, it can also do a number on your skin.  It is important to see what his doc recommends of course, but it is a problem that many of us deal with and have discussed on this board.  Treating the skin almost as if you have eczema (dye free/fragrance free products, water that is not too hot in baths and showers, moisturizing daily after bathing, etc) helps.  Some folks swear by certain products like Gold Bond lotion.  I like cetaphil.  Many of us use topical 1% hydrocortisone cream when particular areas are rashy.  Benadryl and products like loratadine (claritin) and cetirizine (zyrtec) can help…but he should probably check with his doc before using them.  Hope that helps.  Yours, Celeste 

Rashes and itching are very common side effects from immunotherapies and your father has been through several of those!  Depending on where the radiation was, it can also do a number on your skin.  It is important to see what his doc recommends of course, but it is a problem that many of us deal with and have discussed on this board.  Treating the skin almost as if you have eczema (dye free/fragrance free products, water that is not too hot in baths and showers, moisturizing daily after bathing, etc) helps.  Some folks swear by certain products like Gold Bond lotion.  I like cetaphil.  Many of us use topical 1% hydrocortisone cream when particular areas are rashy.  Benadryl and products like loratadine (claritin) and cetirizine (zyrtec) can help…but he should probably check with his doc before using them.  Hope that helps.  Yours, Celeste 

Rashes and itching are very common side effects from immunotherapies and your father has been through several of those!  Depending on where the radiation was, it can also do a number on your skin.  It is important to see what his doc recommends of course, but it is a problem that many of us deal with and have discussed on this board.  Treating the skin almost as if you have eczema (dye free/fragrance free products, water that is not too hot in baths and showers, moisturizing daily after bathing, etc) helps.  Some folks swear by certain products like Gold Bond lotion.  I like cetaphil.  Many of us use topical 1% hydrocortisone cream when particular areas are rashy.  Benadryl and products like loratadine (claritin) and cetirizine (zyrtec) can help…but he should probably check with his doc before using them.  Hope that helps.  Yours, Celeste 

I have had a rash since I started yervoy and keytruda (7 months) and my doctors gave me   A cream called cortic DS 1% cream but it did nothing to help. Now I have a cream that is a topical cortico steroid ointment. This helps when I can't stand the itching but I use it very sparingly as I believe it counteracts the effects of the keytruda. In the 6 months I am only onto my second 15gm tube. I just put it on the biggest lumps on my skin. What has your dr recommended. Anne-Louise 

I have had a rash since I started yervoy and keytruda (7 months) and my doctors gave me   A cream called cortic DS 1% cream but it did nothing to help. Now I have a cream that is a topical cortico steroid ointment. This helps when I can't stand the itching but I use it very sparingly as I believe it counteracts the effects of the keytruda. In the 6 months I am only onto my second 15gm tube. I just put it on the biggest lumps on my skin. What has your dr recommended. Anne-Louise 

I have had a rash since I started yervoy and keytruda (7 months) and my doctors gave me   A cream called cortic DS 1% cream but it did nothing to help. Now I have a cream that is a topical cortico steroid ointment. This helps when I can't stand the itching but I use it very sparingly as I believe it counteracts the effects of the keytruda. In the 6 months I am only onto my second 15gm tube. I just put it on the biggest lumps on my skin. What has your dr recommended. Anne-Louise 

According to my dermatologist I had the worst rash she ever saw. The venurafinib caused it from my ankles to my neck . It was solid. The other meds lik yervoy also. Not so much the taf mek or keytruda.

Anyway to get some relief although short is to spray on some aloe. Also a good rub down of olive oil. I tried other things but those seemed to be the best for me. 

Knowing cortisone has steroids I didn't use the doctors cream and quit the cortisone which didn't work anyway. I didn't want the steroids to affect my immune system which is having a hard enough fight.

Artie

According to my dermatologist I had the worst rash she ever saw. The venurafinib caused it from my ankles to my neck . It was solid. The other meds lik yervoy also. Not so much the taf mek or keytruda.

Anyway to get some relief although short is to spray on some aloe. Also a good rub down of olive oil. I tried other things but those seemed to be the best for me. 

Knowing cortisone has steroids I didn't use the doctors cream and quit the cortisone which didn't work anyway. I didn't want the steroids to affect my immune system which is having a hard enough fight.

Artie

According to my dermatologist I had the worst rash she ever saw. The venurafinib caused it from my ankles to my neck . It was solid. The other meds lik yervoy also. Not so much the taf mek or keytruda.

Anyway to get some relief although short is to spray on some aloe. Also a good rub down of olive oil. I tried other things but those seemed to be the best for me. 

Knowing cortisone has steroids I didn't use the doctors cream and quit the cortisone which didn't work anyway. I didn't want the steroids to affect my immune system which is having a hard enough fight.

Artie

I totally agree with the aloe idea for the skin.  Try some aloe from a natural food store if you can. 

I had an itchy rash on my chest for the first year of treatment on Keytruda.  Then the second year the rash on my chest disappeared and formed on the back of my scalp.  I did not want to use any sort of drugs or prescriptions because that is just my choice.  So I used coconut oil…and that helped the immediate pain and itching, but didn't really help for the long run.  So I use Natures Gate Colloidal Oatmeal lotion.  It is fantastic.  I buy it at Whole Foods on online.  That is the only lotion that has ever worked for my dry skin in the winter months as well.  And I no longer have any rashes at this point…and my skin is happy.  It's such a huge relief. 

All my best, Laurie

I totally agree with the aloe idea for the skin.  Try some aloe from a natural food store if you can. 

I had an itchy rash on my chest for the first year of treatment on Keytruda.  Then the second year the rash on my chest disappeared and formed on the back of my scalp.  I did not want to use any sort of drugs or prescriptions because that is just my choice.  So I used coconut oil…and that helped the immediate pain and itching, but didn't really help for the long run.  So I use Natures Gate Colloidal Oatmeal lotion.  It is fantastic.  I buy it at Whole Foods on online.  That is the only lotion that has ever worked for my dry skin in the winter months as well.  And I no longer have any rashes at this point…and my skin is happy.  It's such a huge relief. 

All my best, Laurie

I totally agree with the aloe idea for the skin.  Try some aloe from a natural food store if you can. 

I had an itchy rash on my chest for the first year of treatment on Keytruda.  Then the second year the rash on my chest disappeared and formed on the back of my scalp.  I did not want to use any sort of drugs or prescriptions because that is just my choice.  So I used coconut oil…and that helped the immediate pain and itching, but didn't really help for the long run.  So I use Natures Gate Colloidal Oatmeal lotion.  It is fantastic.  I buy it at Whole Foods on online.  That is the only lotion that has ever worked for my dry skin in the winter months as well.  And I no longer have any rashes at this point…and my skin is happy.  It's such a huge relief. 

All my best, Laurie

My husband is on Yervoy and the itching was horrible! The creams didn't help so he ended up on 60mg prednisone for four days. By day two the itch was virtually gone. Perhaps a steroid might help you Dad. Wishing him all the best! 

My husband is on Yervoy and the itching was horrible! The creams didn't help so he ended up on 60mg prednisone for four days. By day two the itch was virtually gone. Perhaps a steroid might help you Dad. Wishing him all the best! 

My husband is on Yervoy and the itching was horrible! The creams didn't help so he ended up on 60mg prednisone for four days. By day two the itch was virtually gone. Perhaps a steroid might help you Dad. Wishing him all the best!