Another Cytoxan Odd Side Effect?

[txrepub4God]

I've gotten a weird side-effect from the Cytoxan and am curious if any of you had this happen. I have noticed dark patches on my skin, where my skin almost looks dirty. It would be nice if it was more even or tan-like, instead of splotchy & looking like I haven't bathed in weeks. It's mostly on my breastbone (under my chin) and on my forearms.

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[Pete]

I got what looked like a bruise generally on my belly and chest, but sometimes in the inside of the biceps. They dissipated within a few days. They weren't painful.

[Birdie]

I have noticed dark patches on my skin

Yep. Had that, still has that, and much more.

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[annekat]

I have had at least one splotchy area as on the left in Birdie's pic, but lighter in color, on my thigh, that hasn't gone away since dx in 2011. It is easier to see after a shower when the hot water has drawn out the appearance of it. I'm pretty sure it is WG related. Most of my WG spots and smaller splotches go away after a few days. I've always bruised easily but sometimes one will appear from an unknown cause. Sometimes, little red WG spots will gather around the perimeter of a bruise and disappear as the bruise heals. Weird stuff. None of it concerns me much, though.

[Birdie]

I have had at least one splotchy area as on the left in Birdie's pic

That's a pic of my left forearm, right one looks about the same. It started soon after prednisone and covered most of my arms, legs, feet and hands with a bit on my chest and shoulders. Everything but the top of forearms cleared up once pred was reduced. Now the teeniest bump bruises but doesn't rip the skin open like it did. Still have to keep arms out of the sun or they'll turn dark brown in 15 minutes and take a month or two for it to clear up.

[annekat]

That's a pic of my left forearm, right one looks about the same. It started soon after prednisone and covered most of my arms, legs, feet and hands with a bit on my chest and shoulders. Everything but the top of forearms cleared up once pred was reduced. Now the teeniest bump bruises but doesn't rip the skin open like it did. Still have to keep arms out of the sun or they'll turn dark brown in 15 minutes and take a month or two for it to clear up. Hmm, that's a lot more extreme than anything I've had and does sound like a reaction to the pred, the way it cleared up when you reduced it. I do know that pred can thin the skin quite a bit, and it is scary when it starts to rip open. The one time I noticed that was when using butterfly closure bandaids for a nasty cut, and when I removed one, there was a tiny tear in the skin where the closure had been tightly adhered. I was probably at around 20mg. at that time.

[txrepub4God]

Birdie, my dad's & mom's arms both looked like that. Both had COPD (emphysema) & Dad had diabetes while Mom also had heart failure. I attributed theirs to bad circulation, but I'm sure their meds could have been doing it, too. I know they were both on steroids at times.

[Birdie]

Birdie, my dad's & mom's arms both looked like that. Both had COPD (emphysema) & Dad had diabetes while Mom also had heart failure. I attributed theirs to bad circulation, but I'm sure their meds could have been doing it, too. I know they were both on steroids at times.

I think you're right. Pred is at least partly to blame especially for the easy bruises. I think cytoxin caused the brown patches like you asked about. It was all over and much worse than now, mostly cleared up soon after getting off cytoxin. So I'm blaming that for that part of the skin issue. It's not the major problem so have not been concerned about it. Fry the bigger fish.