Tarceva

[kickincancer]

My mom says that she has back aches and is really stiff first thing in the morning. I know the weather could be a cause but just wondering if anyone else has had aches from the tarceva? She has scans next week so I think a lot of it may be in her mind too. Please remember her on Monday Dec. 12th. THanks

[bunny]

my mother has been on Tarceva for about 2 months now, and she hasn't had any achiness. they're also increasing her dose slowly, though. she has had very, very dry skin and few 'spots' of the rash we hear about but for the most part has had no real side effects.

good luck with the tests, keep us posted.

xoxo

amie

[Shar]

I'm in my 9th month of Tarceva and I haven't experienced any achiness. Everybody is different though.

Good luck with it hope it all goes well,

Sharon

[Leslie221]

I haven't had aches with Tarceva. Could be just the cold season or flu going around. Will keep you mom in my thoughts on the 12th. Once we've had this diagnosis, every little physical difference conjurs up worry. Sometimes an ache is just an ache. Hope so for your mom.

Leslie

[Lisa O]

I wish your mom the very best of luck. I really understand that your post means that you are concerned that your mom is very worried about her upcoming appointment and may be developing stress symtoms? Sometimes that happens but please be very careful never to imply that her symptoms are in her mind. So many of us end up keeping little developments to ourselves for fear that we are becoming complainers or overworriers. I know you are being reassuring, but it could be the cold weather, or a bug, or anything... but it may be best not to give her the impression you think her symptoms are in her head. The medical community does enough of that. I mean this in the best possible way. I want to make sure she does not hesitate to tell the doctors all new symptoms.

[Jyoung20]

Hey,

Just wanted to let you know that I have also been having lower back pain. Could be Tarceva-could be cold weather. It seems to come and go but is most painful in the morning.

GOD BLESS!!

Jamie

[bcbcbc]

I'm on Tarceva 2 months now--initially 150 mg daily then 150 mg 2 days on/1 day off. Dosage reduced due to rash bloom.

Funny you should mention back pain. This past week I have had an on/off pain in upper right back near shoulder blade. This corresponds +/- to the location of my tumor in the upper right lobe. So far ibuprofen handles it.

Of course this is something that could be totally unrelated to the cancer though I will take it up with my onc on next visit. My shoulders took quite a pounding in my misspent youth.

The only other problem I've been having with Tarceva has been some gastric distress now and then. I'm trying to be a little more careful with my diet.

All the docs I see seem amazed at my prognosis. I haven't lost any significant weight in 15 months since diagnosis. I've recovered nicely from a serious bout with pneumonia that seemed provoked/aggravated by Alimta.

What the oncs don't know/don't want to hear is that I've now been taking AHCC for 15 months. This stuff was recommended to me back when I was first diagnosed by an MD who is not an oncologist but who follows alternative medicine. It's a Japanese mushroom derivative widely used as an immune system booster in Japan as part of first line treatment.

Coincidentally--or maybe not--the only time I went off the AHCC was in September when I came down with the pneumonia. I had run out of the capsules briefly, then ended up in the hospital where I had no access to them.

Needless to say I've jumped back on that ever since and haven't missed a beat. Other than what I've read, the opinion of the doc who recommended the stuff and my own anecdotal experience I of course have no basis to know if this stuff is doing anything.

Nevertheless it puts a twisted smile on my face to think that a Brooklyn psychiatrist friend may have saved my life with Japanese mushrooms while all these oncologists dosed me to near death with their stinking toxic chemos.