Warning -
if the discussion around acne, menstrual cycles, pus, or other non-fun things
will upset, sicken, or irritate you, please stop reading....now......this
discussion will not be for you. It's for those of us dealing with the nasty
reality of post-chemo latent side effects. Thank you for reading...
****************************************************
I have posted before about my issues with post-chemo acne. It came to be with a serious vengence back in February, and after much work on changing my cleansing reginem, my makeup, and my overall care for my skin, I thought I had it under control. Until recently. Most of the breakouts lately have been in synch with my menstrual cycles. Big fun.....but, it provides an explanation.
Until this week. The past couple of months, I have had a pretty steady round of under-the-skin infections on the left side of my face. I can't say that they are pimples or acne, because rather than being surface infections, they are UNDER the skin. They are painful, inflamed, sore, tender, and swollen.
All week, I have been battling the infection, hoping that by cleansing my face, using some topical creams (like you use when you have a cut on your finger) and keeping my fingers away from my face would make a difference. It sure did - this morning, I woke up to about a 2 inch diameter infection on my face (yes, I know it's an infection because of the yellowish-green pus coming from it....fun, right?) that actually caused my eye to swell shut a little bit. I can still see out of my eye, but it is noticable, at least to me. I am very unimpressed.
When I was at the drs office last week (just my general check-up) I asked her about this issue, and she gave me a prescription for a cleanser and a topical antibiotic cream. I haven't filled them yet because they are $10 for cleanser and $55 for the antibiotic. Not cheap.
I go to the oncologist this afternoon for a 3 month follow-up, and I am going to bring this issue up. See if Bill has me use the prescriptions that I have in hand, or if he wants me to try something geared more towards post-chemo effects. I'm not sure if this is due to a single source (i.e. post-chemo side effects, stress, etc.), or a combination of several things. I tend to think it's the latter, but it's all so up in the air that it's hard to tell.
Additionally, today I am having a chemo-brain day, BIG TIME. I haven't had this in a while, and I wonder whether the issues with the infection on my face is a result of my body somehow purging left-over chemo, which might also cause my chemo brain? Who knows. Probably a good idea that I'm going to the doctor's today.
All in all, as I said on my facebook posting this morning, I'm hoping that this is a not a precursor to today's doctor's appointment. I'm nervous about the results of the CEA blood test from last week. The last couple of doctor's appointments, they have called me with the results of the bloodwork before I went to the appointment with my oncologist. So far, I haven't recieved a phone call with the results. I want to think that no news is good news, but I'm still VERY nervous.
Could my nervousness be adding to my stress, which in turn causes me to be chemo-brain dumb AND have acne that turned into a facial skin infection?
Who knows....
Stupid *bleeping* cancer.
****************************************************
I have posted before about my issues with post-chemo acne. It came to be with a serious vengence back in February, and after much work on changing my cleansing reginem, my makeup, and my overall care for my skin, I thought I had it under control. Until recently. Most of the breakouts lately have been in synch with my menstrual cycles. Big fun.....but, it provides an explanation.
Until this week. The past couple of months, I have had a pretty steady round of under-the-skin infections on the left side of my face. I can't say that they are pimples or acne, because rather than being surface infections, they are UNDER the skin. They are painful, inflamed, sore, tender, and swollen.
All week, I have been battling the infection, hoping that by cleansing my face, using some topical creams (like you use when you have a cut on your finger) and keeping my fingers away from my face would make a difference. It sure did - this morning, I woke up to about a 2 inch diameter infection on my face (yes, I know it's an infection because of the yellowish-green pus coming from it....fun, right?) that actually caused my eye to swell shut a little bit. I can still see out of my eye, but it is noticable, at least to me. I am very unimpressed.
When I was at the drs office last week (just my general check-up) I asked her about this issue, and she gave me a prescription for a cleanser and a topical antibiotic cream. I haven't filled them yet because they are $10 for cleanser and $55 for the antibiotic. Not cheap.
I go to the oncologist this afternoon for a 3 month follow-up, and I am going to bring this issue up. See if Bill has me use the prescriptions that I have in hand, or if he wants me to try something geared more towards post-chemo effects. I'm not sure if this is due to a single source (i.e. post-chemo side effects, stress, etc.), or a combination of several things. I tend to think it's the latter, but it's all so up in the air that it's hard to tell.
Additionally, today I am having a chemo-brain day, BIG TIME. I haven't had this in a while, and I wonder whether the issues with the infection on my face is a result of my body somehow purging left-over chemo, which might also cause my chemo brain? Who knows. Probably a good idea that I'm going to the doctor's today.
All in all, as I said on my facebook posting this morning, I'm hoping that this is a not a precursor to today's doctor's appointment. I'm nervous about the results of the CEA blood test from last week. The last couple of doctor's appointments, they have called me with the results of the bloodwork before I went to the appointment with my oncologist. So far, I haven't recieved a phone call with the results. I want to think that no news is good news, but I'm still VERY nervous.
Could my nervousness be adding to my stress, which in turn causes me to be chemo-brain dumb AND have acne that turned into a facial skin infection?
Who knows....
Stupid *bleeping* cancer.
Comments:
Caroline said...
Oh,
no, it doesn't sound like you are having any fun! But I would get to the doctor
and get some antibiotics. If you have a compromised immune system left over
from chemo you dont want infections runnning rampant. Good luck!
October
17, 2009 at 4:01 AM
(I
know I'm a bit slow/behind), but was I at the same dinner?? I didn't notice
this infection on your pretty face...or your eye being swollen shut!! I know
you've mentioned the post-chemo acne...but nothing swollen or oozing. :) Either
you are crazy or I was wayyy to into tickling Kevin...
You looked great...always do...chemo blows....you so kicked cancer's ass!!
Xoxo,
Randi
You looked great...always do...chemo blows....you so kicked cancer's ass!!
Xoxo,
Randi
October
25, 2009 at 4:13 PM
Later:
Just got
in from the doctors, and I am still officially a
Colon-Cancer-Ass-Kicking-Cancerella. (LOVING THE TITLE!)
CEA is at 1.4 (needs to stay under 5 to be considered normal for me), and my CBC was normal.
I have to admit that I was nervous about this office visit for a number of reasons. The lack of inforfmation about the results. This was my first time (since I was diagnosed) that I have been to an oncology appointment by myself. And, I was terrified that I was going to get and have to deal with bad news along. This wasn't helped when I got into the room and the nurse told me that he needed to pull blood. Now, you know that I was nervous about this because I hadn't yet heard from the doctor's office about the results from my CEA test last week. So, when he said this, I went into PANIC mode. Why - what do you need this for? What didn't come out right? You can't test CEA levels here - what else is wrong? So, my blood pressure today was a little high (can't imagine why...), and the nurse took the blood that he needed. I headed to the restroom while they processed the numbers and came back to Bill (the PA I was seeing) and the nurse talking in the hallway. Hmmm....Bill kind of looked at me sheepishly and said, "Um, we didn't need your blood. That request was for someone else..."
Whew.
That's when Bill told me that both CBCs (LOL!) and my CEA levels are well within normal. Thank goodness. So glad to hear it. Next appointment is in January, bloodwork and PET scan. I also spoke with him about the acne issue, and he recommended that I definitely try to meds that my PCP gave me, so I just filled those. Am going to grab the kids from daycare then head back home to apply the first dose. We'll try this for a while and see what happens. If it doesn't work, it's off to a dermatologist for me.
Tonight, I get to go to dinner with Randi and Mike to celebrate another three months of remission, clean colon health, and living a kick-ass life.
CEA is at 1.4 (needs to stay under 5 to be considered normal for me), and my CBC was normal.
I have to admit that I was nervous about this office visit for a number of reasons. The lack of inforfmation about the results. This was my first time (since I was diagnosed) that I have been to an oncology appointment by myself. And, I was terrified that I was going to get and have to deal with bad news along. This wasn't helped when I got into the room and the nurse told me that he needed to pull blood. Now, you know that I was nervous about this because I hadn't yet heard from the doctor's office about the results from my CEA test last week. So, when he said this, I went into PANIC mode. Why - what do you need this for? What didn't come out right? You can't test CEA levels here - what else is wrong? So, my blood pressure today was a little high (can't imagine why...), and the nurse took the blood that he needed. I headed to the restroom while they processed the numbers and came back to Bill (the PA I was seeing) and the nurse talking in the hallway. Hmmm....Bill kind of looked at me sheepishly and said, "Um, we didn't need your blood. That request was for someone else..."
Whew.
That's when Bill told me that both CBCs (LOL!) and my CEA levels are well within normal. Thank goodness. So glad to hear it. Next appointment is in January, bloodwork and PET scan. I also spoke with him about the acne issue, and he recommended that I definitely try to meds that my PCP gave me, so I just filled those. Am going to grab the kids from daycare then head back home to apply the first dose. We'll try this for a while and see what happens. If it doesn't work, it's off to a dermatologist for me.
Tonight, I get to go to dinner with Randi and Mike to celebrate another three months of remission, clean colon health, and living a kick-ass life.
Comments:
Carol
Pack Urban said...
Loving
the new template and photo for your blog. Looks great! So ab-fab to hear your
numbers are still great and that your PET was great and you don't have to go
back until January! Hooray! Go, go, you cancer-ass-kicker, you!
October
16, 2009 at 3:34 PM
GREAT
NEWS! I am so happy for you!
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
October
16, 2009 at 5:18 PM
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