Sutent

Caring for my mom, Stage 4 Kidney Cancer. She had a hip
replacement to remove a 7 inch tumor in her thigh, has
nodules in the lungs, spots on the back, shoulder and neck.
She recently took two weeks of 50 mg of Sutent with every
possible side effect, raging GI distress, mouth sores in and out
of her mouth, yellowing of skin, loss of appetite and high
blood pressure. We went to City of Hope yesterday and they
pulled her off the drug for a week and will reevaluate next
week and put her on lower dosage or 50 mg every other day.

I have a couple of questions. She's been very blue... very quiet,
which is out of character even when she's down. The MD thinks
this is situational, but I'm worried it's more. She's checked out
which is frightening.

And does anyone have experience writing to medicare to
appeal to them to pay for Sutent? They refused since it was a
"New" drug. Although my mom had a supplemental insurance
policy which paid for half. I know there is a way to appeal to
Medicare, but not sure how to go about it.

Thanks for all the great info that's been posted here.

For information on appealing a medicare drug decision, see http://www.medicare.gov/publications/pubs/pdf/10112.pdf, http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/PartD_PartDAppeals.htm or http://tinyurl.com/nyv8c.

Depression often comes along with a cancer diagnosis; some think there's something biochemical going on. It may be situational, but medication can help. Depression can take away the will to seek treatment; it may be a matter of life or death to have her depression treated. You probably know more than the MD about the extent your mother's behavior has changed. I would urge him to treat her for depression.

Thanks for the information, I really appreciate the help.