week 8 of incivek and my rash is making me not well

[lexx0]

Hi folks I'm gonna start on my 9th week of incivek last week I had dry itchy eyes after that it all went down hill a pretty much have a rash all over my body I fell like I'm on fire due to the heat of the rash I'm getting shivvers I don't know if I should stop treatment after week 9 I've got antihistamines which I take 1 at night started that yesterday as the other 2 they prescribed did not agree with me,plus.I have a steroid cream for my rash I'm in agony people

[pooh55811]

I had the rash and it was really pretty bad. The over the counter meds and creams were useless, did not even touch it. My team had no clue on how to treat it but I did eventually get a referral to a Dermatologist.

Here is what I used and it worked (all prescriptions):
Hydroxyzine (Atarax) 50 mg every 6 hours
Fluocinonide ointment for body
Clobetesol Soln. for scalp
Hydrocortizone Valerate cream for face

I did not get drowsy with the Hydroxyzine.

I started with a lower dose of Hydroxyzine but i should have started with the higher dose. The topical creams and ointments (all prescrioption) helped, but they did not clear up the rash completely. It was the Hydroxyzine that really did the trick, after I got a high enough dose of it.

I would recommend seeing a Dermatologist on an urgent/emergent basis, like ASAP, like today or tomorrow. The rash needs to be treated aggressively or it is going to jeopardize your treatment. You really have to get it treated ASAP and get it controlled. The Derm doc will know the best way to manage it. Your treating doc should be able to get you in to see a Derm doc on an emergent basis. Your treatment may depend on it.

You cannot take oral steroids while on Incivek but several people have taken them after finishing Incivek (or after being pulled off Incivek). If your rash is as bad as it sounds, you may need oral steroids. However, hopefully, stronger and  high dose antihistamines and strong steroid creams and ointments may stabilize and control the rash. If you are only taking 1 antihistamine at night, I highly doubt that is sufficient.

Please see a Derm doc ASAP. Your treatment may depend on it.

[sph0611]

By the way, I had to stop the incivek at 11 weeks 2 days. I'll do my 24th and final (woohoo) shot on Friday. I've been undetected since week 2 and still am. I couldn't have gotten this far without my dermatologists help.

[Idyllic]

If you have not had a referral to a dermatologist I would ask for one just to rule everything else out and confirm that your irritation is or could be drug induced.

Having said that here is a thread that has links and additional threads with excellent advice and images about the Incivek-related rash.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Hepatitis-C/Stage-3-Incivek-Rash/show/1894957

You were eRVR so that is one very promising prospect. I am not sure about stopping the Incivek now as that is your doctor's call. One thing I will say is that the rash needs to be managed aggressively from the outset and rarely resolves on its own in any decent amount of time.

Either way now is the time to ask for the referral or at minimum insist your doctor for a more potent topical steroid and perhaps even a more efficacious antihistamine. The one Irup mentions above is a good one though imo albeit a bit sedating. It is called hydroxyzine (Vistaril, Atarax). It is an older med and to me works better than other antihistamines especially over-the-counter kind.

As far as topical steroids - I am not sure what you are using or what is available but the more potent topical steroids usually yield more relief.
Lastly at the risk of sounding repetitious I hope you can see a Dermatologist ASAP :)

[lexx0]

Thanks all for the support

[cheflady]

well done you saying you going to try getting to 12wk we all know how hard it is Please go back to doc and see if he can give you a stronger steriod cream means its going to be short term.  I hope it will soon ease and you get some respite. Good luck with rest of tx

[lexx0]

I know how you feel all my side affects came out in one go having the rash over your entire body dosent help but having it on your face is a nightmare i have it all over I am gonna try a finish my 12 week on incivek a was svr at week 4 I might get some sleeping tablets maybe I'll have a better sleep

[sph0611]

I also had a severe rash. It showed up about 5 days after starting incivek. I tried everything over the counter before I took myself to a dermatologist. He was shocked at how my skin looked. I waited too long to see him and by the time I did the rash was EVERYWHERE. Not pretty. He prescribed atarax, clobitisol, doxepin. All of this helped but the rash did not go away until I stopped the incivek. This is a nasty drug but apparently it gets the job done. I also went to the eye doctor and got a script for restasis. It's for dry eyes. Not a miracle cure but somewhat better. A dermatologist can really help and watch out for you. As a matter of fact mine called a couple of weeks ago to tell me that the FDA is now putting a warning label on the incivek box regarding severe rash possibilities. Good luck and keep us posted.

[lrup1952]

Hi,

I am sorry you are faced with this rash.  I have had a rash since the very beginning and am now in week 10 on incivik.  Week 3 it almost sent me crazy and felt like my entire body plus my head was on fire.  However it would calm down for a day or two before it reared it's ugly head again.  My nurse gave me vistaril (hydroxyzine), that I use when I can't sleep and a cream to put on it and added to try Cetaphl soap and cream and believe it or not it helps some.  When my rash is acting really ugly it hits my face and swells my eyelids and face and my ears become beet red.  My skin right now feels like it belongs to a large alligator and my scalp is a lovely shade of red.  I have never had the chills but have had a fever when it acts really ugly and my nurse stays on top of it really well.  At first I did not take showers everyday because the water burned me but now face it and lather up and lotion up really well and realized this actually makes me feel better..  I have also increased my water (over the gallon I was drinking) to keep my skin moisturized.  We are ending winter and going in to spring and as folks have warned, I will stay out of the sun.  I keep hoping when the incivik ends (april 11) this rash will go away.  I hope you can work something out with your dr. or a dermatologist so that you can keep going.  Many others who have completed treatment or are further along will have really good advice.  I did try baking soda made to a paste earlier on and that helped a bit.    I wish you the very best with getting this under control because I do know how it feels and it ain't good.  Take care.

[sirslic]

I also had a bad rash Dr made me stop after 9 weeks he said that as long as I was over 8 weeks it should be ok....I am now on week 22 and have been UD every 4 weeks