Don’t do anything rash

Just a quick update on proceedings: I have been feeling really well besides what seems is a permanent cough and runny nose.  However out of the blue 3 weeks ago I woke up with a rash on my arms. I’ve seen a rash like this before: I developed an allergy to a couple of the antibiotics last year January when getting over the PCP (pneumonia). I had it again mid-last year after my 2nd cycle of Brentuximab. Antihistamine and corticosteroids sorted it out and now I avoid those drugs (won’t have to have Brentuximab again with a bit of luck!).

But anyway, this was a weird one as I’m not on any medication these days. It was getting worse and was now covering my entire body. A trip to the GP who also suspected some sort of allergy. He gave me prednisolone (a corticosteroid) to calm things down. The problem with any sort of steroid treatment is it lowers your immune system. It worked, the rash cleared up, but a week later my cough got worse and I started having high temperatures. Now I live my life on high alert these days: I start each day with a good feel of the lymph nodes, make sure they’re all nice and small and that I’m not feeling any strange aches or pains. I hadn’t felt anything …but I was having fevers. And fevers instantly bring back memories of relapses. It’s one of the 1st signs and can come on before you develop any swollen nodes (in my experience). I decided being a Friday that another trip to the GP was in order. He confirmed a crackle in my left lung and prescribed a common antibiotic.

Over the weekend I didn’t feel any better and could only get up and operate after dosing up on paracetamol. The other thing was I’d had 2 nights where I’d sweated heavily in my sleep. Another sign of the big L is night sweats. So by Sunday evening, still spiking regular temperatures, I had pretty much convinced myself that I was relapsing, and sort-of come to terms with it strangely.

Monday was back to the doctor and a phone call to my specialist lymphoma nurse to get her take on it all. However I was feeling unexpectedly much better and the fevers were gone. Could it actually have been a chest infection after all? The doc thought so. My lymphoma nurse said to monitor it and call back with any return/new symptoms. Blood test results from the quack had come back all good. The fevers haven’t returned and I’ve felt a bit stronger ever passing day since. Phew…!

It might still be something sinister, but I doubt it. I am about to find out for sure though: on the 1st March I go for my next radioactive x-ray zapping session. I have a PET scan and results a week later. I am hoping all will be well, that this was just a blip, and that I can now really look forward to some health happy months ahead …and maybe get back to work. I’ll keep you posted!

Oh, one small matter: the rash is back. Can’t work out whats causing it. Must be something I’m eating. For the life of me can’t work out what. But I can live with a rash, if it really really wants to live with me. For now, anyway!

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.