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Hi Paula/Charlene,
Sad to say I restarted Esbriet 267 mg tablets on May 17 and had to stop on May 31. I started as follows:
Thursday 5/17/18, 1 tab/2x, Fri – 1 tab/3x, Sat – 1 tab/3x, Sun – 2 tab/3x, Mon – 2 tab/3x, Tue – 3 tab/3x, Wed – 3 tab/3x. Thereafter 3 tab/3x until May 31.
Rash (hives) started again with itching, primarily in areas prone to sweating – underarms, chest, groin. On June 1 I went to my family physician because it looked like a yeast infection was starting in the genitalia. I was prescribed Clotrimazole and Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream (antifungal). After 2 days the burning and build up of white material (yeast?) subsided, but the hives remain. I had an additional complaint on Friday’s visit – a blocked right ear for which I was prescribed Debrox (Carbamide Peroxide 6.5%) to remove ear wax. So far the blockage remains and I have only partial hearing in the right ear. I will probably go back Monday to have the ear irrigated and flushed out. I started using the cream again prescribed by my Dermatologist for the hives (Triamcinolone Acetonide). I will refuse to take Prednisone again.
I’m not sure this episode is related to Esbriet, but I have stopped taking it and will not continue with this drug. I’ll talk with my Pulmonolgist on the next visit (July 24) to see if he wants to switch me to OFEV. I am not having any other symptoms related to IPF at this time. No shortness of breath or dry cough. My oxygen saturation is holding at 98%. Even though the high resolution CAT scan indicated IPF, I still wonder if the diagnosis is a false positive or if I am at the earliest part of the condition and not showing outward symptoms.
Al