Tarceva - Skin Rash Side Effect And General Cancer Information - Websites

Hi, I've been doing research on the Internet for my Mom who has lung cancer and is taking Tarceva.  She's been taking it for about 8 months with great results.  Unfortunately, she does have side effects - severe itchy-dry skin, severe diarreha with abdominal pains and fatigue.  I've found two helpful websites besides this one that I thought I'd pass along in hopes that they'd help you also.  For great information about skin care for those taking Tarceva: http://www.practicaltruisms.com/GoodSkin.html   and for any questions you may have:  http://onctalk.com  Good luck to you all!

We have been using honey as a topical treatment and it is working well, believe it or not.

I have been doing something simular to the honey that you mentioned. For the Tarceva rash on my face, which wasnt much of a traditional rash, but huge painful acne whiteheads and cysts with very dry skin. I made an aspirin mask, which I make and use daily and it has helped this rash an unbelievable amount. I mix about 4 generic uncoated aspirin with a few drops of water til they dissolve. Then add a few drops of honey and make a  paste (feels gritty like a scrub). gently massage it over slightly dampened skin to remove the dry dead skin and leave it on as long as you want - it rinses easily with warm water. its soothing and helps with the redness if youre consistant with using it. Aspirin is a pretty good acne medicine too - maybe youve heard of spot-treating a pimple with a dissolved aspirin. Of course if youre allergic to aspirin id stay away, but its s worth a try, you probably already have all the ingredients anyways! I also treat the rash with a mild glycolic acid in the morning after my shower (aspirin mask before shower) and differin at night. The aspirin mask seems to speed up the process. (my skin is better than it ever has been at the moment, clear and smooth after 3 months of a horrible acne rash)

I started to get a rash on my chest too and i actually have a little aspirin mask on it now.  

As for the upset stomach, I havnt found anything OTC that helps it. I just have to watch when I eat since it seems to get upset about an hour after  a meal. 

 

On 12/10/2006 The Daughter wrote:

Hi, I've been doing research on the Internet for my Mom who has lung cancer and is taking Tarceva.  She's been taking it for about 8 months with great results.  Unfortunately, she does have side effects - severe itchy-dry skin, severe diarreha with abdominal pains and fatigue.  I've found two helpful websites besides this one that I thought I'd pass along in hopes that they'd help you also.  For great information about skin care for those taking Tarceva: http://www.practicaltruisms.com/GoodSkin.html   and for any questions you may have:  http://onctalk.com  Good luck to you all!

Hi,  I've been taking Tarceva for several months and in the beginning had a terrible rash and diarrhea.  The doctor prescribed a cream called   clobetasol propionate 0.05%.  Once applied, the rash vanished in two days; I couldn't believe it.  I just applied it each time the rash started and it disappeared.  The doctor also prescribed hydroxyzine hcl 25 mg to take for the itching.  That worked also.  As for the diarrhea, I bought an over the counter Anti-Diarrheal pill and as soon as it started I took 2 pills If it continued, I took 2 more as directions say.  That stopped it.  I also found that wearing panty liners helped if I was away from home.  The side affects are a lot to live with, but I had my 2nd PET scan yesterday and the tumor is not growing, in fact it has shrunk some.  So it was well worth it.  Hope this helps.  Good Luck and God Bless.  Nancy

 

 

On 6/23/2007 Chessie wrote:

 

On 12/10/2006 The Daughter wrote:

Hi, I've been doing research on the Internet for my Mom who has lung cancer and is taking Tarceva.  She's been taking it for about 8 months with great results.  Unfortunately, she does have side effects - severe itchy-dry skin, severe diarreha with abdominal pains and fatigue.  I've found two helpful websites besides this one that I thought I'd pass along in hopes that they'd help you also.  For great information about skin care for those taking Tarceva: http://www.practicaltruisms.com/GoodSkin.html   and for any questions you may have:  http://onctalk.com  Good luck to you all!

Hi,  I've been taking Tarceva for several months and in the beginning had a terrible rash and diarrhea.  The doctor prescribed a cream called   clobetasol propionate 0.05%.  Once applied, the rash vanished in two days; I couldn't believe it.  I just applied it each time the rash started and it disappeared.  The doctor also prescribed hydroxyzine hcl 25 mg to take for the itching.  That worked also.  As for the diarrhea, I bought an over the counter Anti-Diarrheal pill and as soon as it started I took 2 pills If it continued, I took 2 more as directions say.  That stopped it.  I also found that wearing panty liners helped if I was away from home.  The side affects are a lot to live with, but I had my 2nd PET scan yesterday and the tumor is not growing, in fact it has shrunk some.  So it was well worth it.  Hope this helps.  Good Luck and God Bless.  Nancy

 

 

Regarding stomach ailments, Mom was prescribed Protonix.   It really worked to control the stomach ailments.   Her rash progressed so much that she was put on Tetracycline temporarily to get it under control.  Now that she is off chemo, we are hoping that the rash will subside.