tarceva

My son is 37 and was diagnosed with stage 4 nsclc with mets to spine  4/08. had chemo and a few radiations to his spine. Tumours started to grow again 4/09. Eventually started on tarceva 6/09. Took a while to get it as he lives in england. NHS have started to pay  for tarceva if the doctor applies for it  and states that the patient smoked 0-5 cigarettes a day. I also asked if he could have celebrex with it and gave him the info on the 1 small study which showed that it increased the chances of it working from 15-33%. It is not approved in england and the doctor felt it would not help, but would not hurt either. So he started on it and after only 4 days the rash started. So I hope this means that the tarceva is working. Any good tips for this rash that looks like acne pimples.

thanks Maggie

 

Maggie...

So sorry your son has to deal with cancer but the Tarceva has helped me.

I got the rash in 8 days & was given a scrip for Clindamycin Phosphate Gel usp, 1%.

It helped a lot & it could work for your son. I have periods when the rash goes away & then it will come back again but seems to be less bothersome each time.

Hope this helps....God bless.....Connie

 

On 6/26/2009 connie may wrote:

 

Maggie...

So sorry your son has to deal with cancer but the Tarceva has helped me.

I got the rash in 8 days & was given a scrip for Clindamycin Phosphate Gel usp, 1%.

It helped a lot & it could work for your son. I have periods when the rash goes away & then it will come back again but seems to be less bothersome each time.

Hope this helps....God bless.....Connie

 

Thankyou all for your input. My son was put on tetracyline for 2 weeks and some creams. The side effects of the teracycline are worse than the rash. He had a fever and bone/muscle pain all over his body. Was nauseated and fidgity so he could not sleep. He stoppped the antibiotics 3 days ago and feels much better. Now he is worried because the rash has gone. he thinks the Tarceva is not working. I told him that the antibiotic could still be in his system and also that people have told me that their rash comes and goes and is not meaning that the tarceva is not working. I hope I am telling him the right thing. I try to keep him positive all the time.