Sqad, are you around?

[naomi24]

Someone I know has had spinal cancer, and is now pretty much disabled. Every few months a vivid red rash appears all over her body, causing pain, a high temperature, and severe swelling of her face and eyes. It makes her really ill, but it doesn't seem to be caused by an allergy or any sort of nervous reaction. Doctors appear to be at a loss to find an explanation, so I just wondered if you have ever come across anything like it, or whether you can think of anything that might be causing it. Thanks.

[Sqad]

Hi naomi............bit more about the spinal cancer and her drug therapy please.

It sounds like angioneurotic oedema, the commonest cause is drug induced.

Can you help?

[naomi24]

Hi Sqad, thank you so much for getting back to me. I really appreciate it. The tumour was in the top part of her spine - between the shoulder blades, and the cancer subsequently spread to the lymph glands. She underwent surgery about 20 years ago. She takes three types of medication - Tramadol, Prochlorperazine, and Amlodipine for her blood pressure, but she suffered the rash before she started taking the Amlodipine, so I think we can rule that one out. Is that any help?

[Sqad]

naomi....no that doesn't help.


I will give it further thoughts.

20 years on with a malignant spinal tumour with secondary spread ??? sounds a bit odd.

[naomi24]

Why does it sound odd? Is that unusual for some reason?

[Sqad]

naomi....depending upon the type of malignancy, then one is looking at a survival rate of 25% living for 5yrs...............20 yrs is "odd".

I will give it further thoughts.

[Sqad]

naomi,mylove, nothing comes to mind. I presume that during an attack, she has blood tests.

Sorry.

[naomi24]

Gosh! Well that really is a shock, because she's been for regular hospital appointments for all this time and she's 80 now Sqad. She weighs just over 5 stone and has done for years - but she's still here.

She has had tests which have come to nothing, but I've always thought they have been in the wrong area - dermatology - which is why I called for you to see if you could throw any light on it. I intend asking her consultant if this can be pursued from a different angle because I have long suspected that it might be somehow linked to her medication.

Thank you so much for taking the time and trouble to try to help - and if anything springs to mind, please let me know. You'll always get me in R&S. Thanks again Sqad. x