The doctor/dermotologist specializes in Tarceva related issues, plus cancer related conditions. They are all totally booked in NYC. I asked if they could slot me into a cancellation, and they say they don't slot in replacements. I guess he's so overbooked, that one lost appointment lessens the wait.
Hello. I am so glad to read a lot of the posts have positive experiences with Tarceva. I wish my experience was the same, but it was not. My mother who is 61 has stage IV lung cancer, which has spread to her lymph nodes, liver and now pancreas. She has been battling this cancer for 4 years now and Tarceva is her third clinical trial. She started 5 weeks ago on the Tarceva. She started with a rash on her buttock area that was so bad she couldn’t sit for long periods of time. As if that wasn’t bad enough she then started the constant bouts of diarrhea. She became severely dehydrated 6 weeks into the Tarceva therapy and we rushed her to the ER where her Blood pressure was almost non-existent. They admitted her to the ICU where she stayed for 11 days and finally began to recover (they stopped the Tarceva the day she went into the hospital). The doctors have not confirmed this but, my family and I feel she may have had a minor stroke. Her speech is slurred a bit, one side of her face droops a tiny tiny bit and she is unable to walk anynmore without help. Anway, She was getting better her rash was healing up, no more diarrhea and she decided that she wanted to finish the 3 more weeks of Tarceva. Which was to our amazement because after her hospital stay we went to see her cancer doctor and CT scans had showed that the cancer in her liver and lymph nodes had gotten worse while on the initial 6 week treatment of Tarceva.
Well she has been back on the Tarceva for 2 weeks now and last night her Blood pressure was almost non existent again. She has a terrible rash again and has no life at all. Everything she does is an effort.
I write this because I want to inform everyone of what could happen also with Tarceva. If you take it and have great results, GREAT! But, if you take it and have severe side effects like my mom, dont go back on it. I have watched her suffer so much in this past 4 years, but this has to be the worst yet. Tarceva was NOT for her and it's not for everyone.
If you do take it, DRINK LOST OF WATER! Stay hydrated and if you get SEVERE diarrhea go and see your doctor. I m not claiming to be an expert or anything I just wanted you all to know my experience with this drug and maybe help someone not to go through what we have gone through. THANKS for reading.
Sorry your mom is having such problems. Pepto Bismol may help with her digestive track. I find that Neutrogena makes two products which help the dryness of the hands and feet. It is Neutrogena Norwegian Formula, one is foot cream, and it helps the cracks on my heels. The other is hand cream. There is another product which is effective, but it is hard to find. It is called Bag Balm, which comes in a green metal can. It is used on horses, to condition their skin. I don't like the smell, but it works.
Just checking to see how you are doing. Did your Dr have anything to say about the supplements? It is hard to keep up with the water, but I do notice it when I slip up. The problem is when I keep up with the water is that my exercise increases with trips back and forth to the john at night. Let me know how you are doing.
Ernie
Dear Ms. Curemom:
Thank you very much for sharing your experience.
We were trying to follow your recommendation for treating itching, using the following:
A. Plux Foam (aka Clobetasol propinate)
B. Eboclin
C. Benzaclin (aka Clindamycin)
D. SLK Anti itch cream.
We found A and C but we could not find B and D. I asked our pharmacit too and they could not identify the medication on their system.
Could you please direct us to where and how we should be able to obtain items B and D.
Thank you very much in advance,
Sam