Sores that take longer to heal

This is really not something I have found as a result of the drugs. I’m on for prostate cancer.. I heal as quickly as I ever did, But my white blood cell count is right in the middle of normal and that’s very important for healing. Have you had your white blood cell count checked? You never know with prostate cancer if you’re going to have a blood test that’s out of whack. My red blood cell counts are low and my hemoglobin is low, but my platelets are normal. Those haven’t been a factor it seems for me.

@asolidrock
This is something you should see a dermatologist for. The are the experts on sores that don't heal.

Did you post this because you have had PC? Or treatments for PC that you think are caused by PC treatments?

Regardless I see a dermatologist every 6 months because of long standing BCCs and SCCs. About a year ago I had my first SCC and was told could have developed becuase of HPV virus becoming active.

HPV is NOT HIV. It is a very common viral infection that almost every adult has. Your immune system usually keeps in inactive but can resurface. I was told my SCC was most likely a reaction to my HPV.

I pass this on from my medical doctors not me giving medical information. I suspect, and is only my suspection, that my SCC and what dermatologist deemed from SCC could have happened as my immune system went down as I had 30 rounds of proton radiation prior to getting SCC.

See a dermatologist is my suggestion.

@jc76 what are SCC and BCC?

Following salvage radiation (39 treatments) and ADT, my white blood cell counts are low. I, too, find that most breaks in the skin take longer to heal. My skin has also become more photosensitive, so I’ve become much more careful about protecting it. Various docs agree that the lower white blood cell counts are probably my new normal, and they don’t seem overly concerned.

Quick answer: Go to your doctor and ask for a Fasting Blood Sugar ("FBS") blood test to be drawn...maybe a random urinalysis as well which includes a dipstick qualitative glucose value. There are tens-of-thousands of Type 2 Diabetics walking around this country and they do not know that they are diabetic.
Detail:
I am a Type 2 Diabetic. I was a Clinical Lab Director for most of my career, so I had an edge up on knowing the vague symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes. The first things I noticed were:
1. Cuts that seemed to take much longer to heal than they used too. And scars left that never used to occur. I recall looking down at my hand one time, and noticing a healing cut - still a little red - that had occurred about 3-4 weeks before. Normally such cuts healed within 7-10 days. I had a causal thought of: "hmm...that's weird, why is that taking so long to heal?" Then a few weeks later I noticed a 1/2" scar on that hand. I thought it was strange... why did it take so long to heal, and why did a simple cut leave a nasty scar? Type 2 Diabetics often have poor circulation, and the healing process is compromised.
2. Excessive urination ("polyuria"). I went to urinate about two hours after dinner one time. The flow started, and it flowed, and flowed, and flowed. I couldn't believe the volume of urine that came out of me. I stood there thinking: "but you did not drink anything to excess today or this afternoon/evening...weird." Type 2 Diabetics' bodies try to clear out the excess sugar from the blood by filtering it out through the kidneys and the urine produced.
3. Spontaneous situational or newly-perpetual "fuzzy/blurred" vision. Mine was like someone flipped a light switch. It could be before a meal (low blood sugar), or a while after a meal (high blood sugar). I'd be reading something or watching TV, and it was like a switch had been thrown. I went very slightly fuzzy/blurry. I'd blink trying to clear it out, but it wouldn't go away. At my next eye exam I described it to the doctor and she pondered it without coming to any conclusion. Type 2 Diabetics often loose their vision.
4. Itchy skin. I would scratch my forearms and shins until I bled. Sometimes I didn't know to what degree I had scratched and bled until one of my kids or my wife would say that I had blood stream down my leg. Excess blood sugar causes your skin to dry out and be irritated.
5. Fatigue. I'm not talking about "come home from work and you're pooped-tired" fatigue. I'm talking about waking up more tired than when you went to bed. I'm talking about standing up from my work desk or getting up to go to the kitchen for a mid-evening TV snack, or walking in the grocery store or mall wondering "why am I so knocked-out tired? I started taking naps at weird times because I just "had to." The excess sugar in your blood causes fatigue.
6. "Passing out" from too much sugar. I had a favorite ice cream. After dinner, I'd grab the pint from the freezer, sit down at the TV, and that is the last I remember. I'd suddenly wake up to loud laughter or whatever was on the TV that caused me to awaken. I'd look at the clock and it was 1:00 - 2:00 a.m. I had passed out after eating the ice cream. I'd ask my wife the next morning: "why didn't you wake me up to go to bed?" She would look at me and say: "I tried...I was even shaking you, but you wouldn't wake up, so I left you to sleep on the couch." Sometimes my kids tried waking me too she said. I'd be kind of mad, and say: "well at what point would you have decided to call 911 since I was laying unresponsive on the couch?" She'd snip back at me with attitude: "well I KNEW you were alive and breathing...so you weren't DEAD!!!"
All of those things added up to me easily concluding that I was likely a Diabetic. I went to the doctor and asked for the lab work. Not only did I have an elevated glucose, but my liver enzymes reflected fatty liver syndrome, often a consequence of Diabetes since your fat metabolism changes (elevated Triglycerides among other things). I was sent for an ultrasound of my liver. Sure enough, I had a fatty liver.
I have been in very good Diabetic control for years now...my Diabetologist/Endocrinologist is quite happy with me, but...once you are Diabetic, you are Diabetic "FOREVER." All of those "throw away your Metformin and use this natural/holistic approach to get rid of your Diabetes permanently" scams are just that: SCAMS. Stay away from them. Take it from me...you DO NOT want to be told by your doctor that you are Diabetic. It changes your life forever. If you are told that you are "Pre-Diabetic" STOP all carbs and sugar intake immediately...it takes control and self-discipline. Start seriously exercising. Start counting carbs and reading labels on all food. One thing I heard once when advising on your general health: DON'T EAT ANYTHING THAT COMES IN A BOX OR A BAG. All such foods are bad for you and contain sugar, carbs, fat, and salt to excess. That means: Cookies, chips, crackers, cereal, candy, pancakes/waffles, frozen or fresh pizza, and of course: soft drinks ("soda"). Even the sugar-free sodas cause Diabetes or make it worse. So...sorry...very long story...but go get your blood sugar tested. You may be one of the many walking around, not knowing that you are a Type 2 Diabetic.

@nikolai57
SCC: Squamous cell carcinoma.
BCC: Basal cell carcinoma

Both are common skin cancers with the SCC being tied to HPV.

I am so sorry to hear that you have yet another side effect due to your chemo : (((. Maybe this video can be of some help :

I'm scheduled for 2 more infusions. My oncologist depending on how i do with the last two wants to do 2 more for a total of 8.

@asolidrock

I am wishing you the best of luck. You are almost done with your prescribed treatments (2 more) and you might even be able to do 2 more extra infusions - that is a huge accomplishment ! You are very strong and are enduring all of those painful side effects in stride and I am sure that you will have excellent results in the end. I hope you did not loose a lot of weight - are you able to manage to have good nutrition and healthy diet that will support your body through chemo ?

Thanks so much. Actually I've gained weight in a sense; of course my diet hasn't been the healthies. The side effects aren't really as bad as it make them compared to some I'm sure.