Suppose To Begin With Tykerb In A Month Or So..

I am her2 positive with mets. to lung area (so far it is staying there)..anyway..after 6 mos. of avastin/taxotere..which showed good results..I am presently taking herceptin treatments.. one, every three weeks for a three month period then after this next pet scan in May the dr. is talking about putting me on tykerb which is the pill form of herceptin.. has anyone out there in this forum been on this medicine, and how have you faired with it?  Are the side effects tolerable..they have been so far with the herceptin except for a little diarhea and tiredness..  how is the tykerb administered?  Do you go to the pharmacy to get a prescription refilled or what?  Lots of questions..??  It is always informative to hear from others here, who have already been where I find myself heading.. 

thankyou for any input..it is much appreciated, and usually very helpful..

Jodie

I started Tykerb in December 07 and will take it for a year. At first had severe bowel probs but my body got used to the med quickly. You do not want to eat food within an hour of taking this med! I also have a rash that started about two months into taking drug. Other than that, it is the easiest of all of my treatment so far.

Good luck to you. Keep looking up!

 

On 4/28/2008 chillywillie wrote:

I started Tykerb in December 07 and will take it for a year. At first had severe bowel probs but my body got used to the med quickly. You do not want to eat food within an hour of taking this med! I also have a rash that started about two months into taking drug. Other than that, it is the easiest of all of my treatment so far.

Good luck to you. Keep looking up!

Dear ChillyWillie

Thankyou for the reply...may I ask, what happens when eating within the hour of taking tykerb?  the bowel upset you were discribing?  I have had that some what with the herceptin and I am hoping it will get better.. I have trouble taking oral medication..even tylenol sometimes so I am concerned about how my system will handle this stuff..  the herceptin has also been pretty easy on me except for what I mentioned above..

But, thankyou again for your message and I will keep all of this in mind as I embark on my treatments with tykerb..

I was also wondering??  How often do you take this medicine?  I have read that they were trying to get it dosed to where it didnt have to be taken 4 time a day..is this the way you are taking it?  Is it everyday or once every three weeks like the herceptin?  After you have taken it for the year..do they tell you what then?  Lots of questions but I am wondering now about all of this..

Jodie

 

On 4/29/2008 Jodie wrote:

 

On 4/28/2008 chillywillie wrote:

I started Tykerb in December 07 and will take it for a year. At first had severe bowel probs but my body got used to the med quickly. You do not want to eat food within an hour of taking this med! I also have a rash that started about two months into taking drug. Other than that, it is the easiest of all of my treatment so far.

Good luck to you. Keep looking up!

Dear ChillyWillie

Thankyou for the reply...may I ask, what happens when eating within the hour of taking tykerb?  the bowel upset you were discribing?  I have had that some what with the herceptin and I am hoping it will get better.. I have trouble taking oral medication..even tylenol sometimes so I am concerned about how my system will handle this stuff..  the herceptin has also been pretty easy on me except for what I mentioned above..

But, thankyou again for your message and I will keep all of this in mind as I embark on my treatments with tykerb..

I was also wondering??  How often do you take this medicine?  I have read that they were trying to get it dosed to where it didnt have to be taken 4 time a day..is this the way you are taking it?  Is it everyday or once every three weeks like the herceptin?  After you have taken it for the year..do they tell you what then?  Lots of questions but I am wondering now about all of this..

Jodie

 

Hi I have been on Tykerb since July07. I have had the bad poopies too !!! I wanted to let you know it is not so bad. But be careful in the sun. I don't usually burn easy and I have to wear sun block 50 !!! And my skin sometimes feels like it is on fire, so just be careful. My skin breaks out too but they have medication to take care of that. I also got a small rash no biggy. And my skin on my hands and feet are dry. When I first started this medication my hands would feel a strange sensation when I went from cold to hot water,now that only happens if I get too much sun.(very strange).I take 1250mg once a day that is 5 tablets. I was doing the Hercptin treatments but it was damaging my heart. I like this better no needles !!!  Hand in ther you can do this, Kick cancers butt !!!!! stillafighter !!!