Tarceva Side Effect

My doctor started me with 50 mg of Tarceva, will increase to 100, then 150. After 2 weeks, slight original nausea has gone away, but horrible fatigue. No rash at all yet. I cannot stay awake long enough to function much at all. Anyone else have this problem?

Hello Jean2,

My doctor started me on 150mg about a month ago. My side effects have been dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. My rash was almost immediate. So perhaps 50mg isn't enough to bring it out on you...but believe me, it will blossom soon enough.

The first two weeks were bad, but now it has subsided since I was given antibotics. I have a feeling it will all be back as soon as I'm finished with the medication. I have 2 weeks left on it.

There was a message on this site under a different title which gave me an idea. Instead of taking the Tarceva in the morning, like I had been doing, I switched to 'two hours after suppertime'. This way if I do have fatigue, like you do, I'm sleeping, so no problem?

That theory has not completely worked out, still get dizzy at times, and nauseaous but it's not as bad as before.

Looking forward to your reply. Jeanne

Jeanne O,thank you for your reply. The doc has now upped my dosage to 75mg and in two more weeks to 100, etc. I've been taking it 2 hrs after lunch. I tried morning at first but got too hungry and also needed to take other meds. Night won't work because of meds again, so I just try to sleep immediately after lunch then take the Tarceva. I am utterly exhausted all the time though, has this happened to you?
Thanks, Jean2

Hi Jean2,

Thank you for answsering me.

I am soo glad that your doctor raised the dosage. I know Traceva has some unpleasant side effects but Chemo wasn't very pleasant either.
You didn't say, but did you get the rash yet? If you haven't then that should be on the way soon. My doctor started me with the highest dose and my rash appeared immediately. It might have better to do it gradually like they are for you...but who knows. It's soo hard to second guess doctors.

In the beginning I took Tarceva the first thing in the morning. But it put me back to sleep and I had a hard time functioning during the day. So I decided to take it 2 hours after supper so that I could sleep the night. Well, that works better, but it doesn't put me to sleep. I need to take something else to do that. I am soo sick of taking meds. My room looks like a drug store exploded.

I have been exhausted since the day they diagnosed me - I had a very hard time breathing because of fluid on my lungs. That itself will exhaust you beyound belief.

Still having a problem with getting around. I haven't left the house on my own steam for months now because of being exhausted all the time.

Jean, if you want you can email me directly to --- Message edited by CancerCompass staff: for personal protection, email address removed. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html ---. Please feel free to do that.

Not sure this message board allows this, but our communication is very slow, so it might be better if we have any quesitons about this illness, that we can do it directly.

If anyone has any other views on this subject, I would love hearing from them.

Thank you. Jeanne O.

you said that you were given a antibotic for your rash did it help and did the rash come back after antibotic

Hi Maggiem,
I did stop the antibotic because it was making me sicker then when I didn't.

I did this with my doctor's permission.

It did help, and No, the rash has not come back after I stopped.

Now, every once in a while there is a little white head that appears on my face. But nothing like the awful stuff that was all over my nose and cheeks in the beginning.

If you are still having a problem with the rash, you might like to call your doctor and see if an antibotic is an option for you.

I still have alligator skin. I'm told that this is from the Tarceva too. Also I have constantly 'cold'. Does anyone else have this problem? My doctor said to use skin softener, but since I am allergic to most of that stuff, I haven't found one that works without giving me itchy eyes and sneezing. Help, please!

Jeanne

Anybody on this combination?
I have ben on it for 5 chemo sessions. Really got rid of my cancer in the lung, hip and back.
Now I find that I have spots on my liver?
No one knows what it is.
Could be lung cancer...another primary cancer in the liver.....though I have been told that what it looks like is atypical for liver cancer.
Maybe toxicity to all the drugs?
Help!
Candu

I started Tarceva on Sept 7 ---By the 11th My rash started and progressively got worse over the next 10 days---My dosage started at 150mg--and I weigh under 100 pounds---The rash seemed to break out almost exclusively where My body had been exposed to the sun---in addition to the inside of my nose and ears. I was taken off tarceva for about 2 weeks and now have started again with 100mg. The rash has somwhat gone away--but still extremely red.My advise to anyone on this drug---STAY OUT OF THE SUN.The doctors said my rash-reaction was very extreme--so I think the sun was partially the problem --and the other problem was giving me too much. I also take it in the evening because it will make you tired. With a 1 and a 2 year old in the house, there is no time for exhaustion!

Hi to anyone,
Does anyone have insurance for this Tarceeva, or do have to pay
yourself? My mother, age 85, has lung cancer and her doctor has
now recommended Tarceeva, but it is $2500.00 per month and
now coverage for it. Has anyone found a way to get it covered by
the government?
thanks

The company "Genentech,Inc." that makes Tarceva has a dept. that will negotiate with the insurance company. Your doctor would have the info. The company has an information packet for patients. The contact info is supplied in this packet. Sorry, I don't have mine any longer or I would pass on the phone #. Good Luck, God Bless.