Mark, yuck.  Not good news.  Be glad it doesn't itch! This advice is only
semi-scientific, alot of it is just intuition:  stop eating all saturated
fat and sugar, if you can, and anything else you think might be remotely
toxic.  My skin reacts to them and has been hypersensitive on tx.
Increase your H20.  Definitely get more opinions.  Everybody needs to
learn.
Man I hope this helps.

kj

Re: update on rash on legs  

Group: alt.support.hepatitis-c Date: Fri, Jan 6, 2006, 3:03am (CST+6)
From: dwilde1@austin.rr.com (dortski)
"Mark" <me@home.com> wrote in message
news:47irr1ln0667r159gs4r7ecqnjqv7dlr8t@4ax.com...
BCLD checked me out and then sent me to a dermatologist. Went to him
this morning and it is not a typical dry skin type of rash. It is
actually not on the outside of my skin but underneath the outside layer
of my skin. He thinks it is a reaction to interferon or valopicitabine.
He talked with BCLD and said there was nothing he could give me or do to
prevent it. He said it was not dangerous but if it continued to get
worse he would have to recommend stopping treatment. We agreed to
continue and watch for a week and see what happens.
I noticed it on my ankles and lower legs Monday. It spread up my legs
pretty heavy this week and is also on my sides, some on my back and on
the underside of my arms. It is not as heavy above the waist as on my
legs. It hasn't spread any more the last 2 days, so I hope it will stop.
It is not itching bad or causing any discomfort. Tomorrow is shot day so
I guess I will know this weekend if it is going to get better or worse.
I can't believe something like this has come up that may cause me to
stop tx when I was doing so well. I wonder if it would be worth getting
another Dr's opinion? The trial paid for the dermatologist so i haven't
been out anything. I wonder if an allergy specialist might be worth
going to?
Another concern is that if it is the interferon, which I really think it
is, then I wouldn't be able to do ANY type of treatment. Will keep you
posted as to my progress.
Mark
Sheesh Mark, if it were me, I would want to get another opinion. An
alergist might be good as well as an internal medicine specialist. I
don't know if there is anyone in the group who has or knows of someone
having to stop tx due to a rash. Did the dermatologist recommend
anything like Benedryl? I would think a derm. guy would know how to
treat an alergic reaction, but what do I know? We needs kjoh on the job,
she is amazing a research!Hopefully it will settle on it's own. Good
luck with your decision. Hang in there kiddo!
dort
////////////
It doesn't sound like an allergic reaction to me since there's no
itching.  I haven't heard of a rash due to interferon before, it's
usually the ribavirin.  But since you're not taking ribavirin, I'd think
it's probably due to the trial drug.  Get another opinion. elmo

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