CancerCompass message board discussion started by SweetAdeline on 4/22/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,23308,0.htm Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ I was diagnosed three years ago with pancreatic cancer.  It was in the head and I had the Whipple surgery, radiation and 5FU chemo.  Now, three years later, I have metastic pancreatic cancer to my shoulder blade and a small lesion in my lung.  I got radiation and the lesion in my shoulder blade has shrunk but I still have the small lesion in my lung whice is shrinking slowly. The kind of chemo I am now getting is Gemzar intravenously once a week for three weeks and then a week off and they have added 100 mg Tarceva which I just began taking once a day yesterday.I am concerned about what symptoms I may get as it is very early as of now.  Basically, I feel great.  The Gemzar chemo is very tolerable and I will not lose any hair from it.  Reading some of the sites, I saw that the Tarceva may make me lose some hair + get a rash and have diarrhea.  Does everyone get the above symptoms?  How bad is the rash and does it go on one's face.  Is there anything they give you to make it better?\I guess fear of the unknown is taking place with me.Any answers would be appreciated.Thanks.  .       SweetAdeline Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 4/22/2008 SweetAdeline wrote:I was diagnosed three years ago with pancreatic cancer.  It was in the head and I had the Whipple surgery, radiation and 5FU chemo.  Now, three years later, I have metastic pancreatic cancer to my shoulder blade and a small lesion in my lung.  I got radiation and the lesion in my shoulder blade has shrunk but I still have the small lesion in my lung whice is shrinking slowly. The kind of chemo I am now getting is Gemzar intravenously once a week for three weeks and then a week off and they have added 100 mg Tarceva which I just began taking once a day yesterday.I am concerned about what symptoms I may get as it is very early as of now.  Basically, I feel great.  The Gemzar chemo is very tolerable and I will not lose any hair from it.  Reading some of the sites, I saw that the Tarceva may make me lose some hair + get a rash and have diarrhea.  Does everyone get the above symptoms?  How bad is the rash and does it go on one's face.  Is there anything they give you to make it better?\I guess fear of the unknown is taking place with me.Any answers would be appreciated.Thanks.  .      Hi,I've been on Tarceva for almost 19 months now (150 mg).  I never lost my hair.  But I did get the rash and diarrhea.  The rash came out about 7-9 days after the first pill.   I still get it off and on even now but not enough to worry about.  Mine came out on my face first but after the initial shock, it rarely shows up there now.   I still get it from time to time but usually where you can't see it and it doesn't last long.  My onc gave me a prescription for clobetasol propionate cream 0.05% and that usually dries it up in a day or so.  He also gave me a script for hydroxyzine hcl 25 mg for the itching if it got bad.  You can also try benadryl for the itch.   As for the diarrhea, I bought some anti-diarrheal caplets from the Dollar General Store and they worked faster and better than anything else I tried, including Immodium.  A couple of things you want to remember with Tarceva, stay away from grapefruit/juice altogether.  And be sure to take the med the same time each day, at least 1 hour before you eat or 2 hours after you eat.  I make sure I have 2 hours on each side so my stomach is empty.  It works very well for me.  I take mine at 2pm each afternoon.  I can't say you will have the same reactions because it works different for everyone and I'm not on any other chemo and never have been.  One important thing about the Tarceva is it crosses the blood/brain barrier and helps prevent brain tumors.  My CT brain scan was clear after 18 months of taking it.  I have stage 4 lung cancer, both lungs, no other mets.  I'm sorry you are faced with this disease a second time.  Once is enough for anybody.  I wish you well and hope it works as well for you.  If I can answer any other questions, I'll be glad to help.  It's scary I know.  God Bless you and please keep us posted on how you make out.  Chessie Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thank you so much for answering me.  It is so comforting to be able to speak with someone.We went to MD Anderson in Houston Texas and the funny thing is that the doctor there is communicating better with me than my own oncologist here in Chicago.  He just gives me one word answers and when I have questions I write to Dr. Fogelman (A GI research doctor experienced with pancreatic cancer) and he answers me fairly soon. He just answered one of my concerns regarding when the Gemzar which at sometime will stop working and I thought all of the other chemos would make me bald.  He said that most of the chemos for this kind of cancer would not create baldness.  I am relieved.  A woman does have a bit of vanity and that calms me to hear.Anyhow, thanks so much for replying.--Message edited by CancerCompass staff. For personal protection, email address removed. Consider private reply. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html--         SweetAdeline Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi Chessie, My spouse also has a terrible problem with diarrhea; would be very pleased to know the name of the medication you purchased at the Dollar Store.Prayers for your continued success. Joan   Joan l Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT