New to this board

[DollyPardonMe]

Hi. I would like to introduce myself my name is Dolly. My husband is the one with cancer, he is a white male, 52 years old and was a heavy smoker for about 30 + years (he quit smoking in Oct. 2003). He has lung cancer (adenocarcinoma). I'm looking for information on the drug Iressa. He was diagnosed in May 2003 with Stage IV. He has taken taxol & carboplatin (6 treatments) with good results (shrinkage approximately 50%). In Feb of this year cancer starting growing again and was taking gemzar or something in that family of chemo drugs. Scans showed it's now growing again and Dr. suggests Iressa to hopefully hold the growth. We are current waiting for insurance to ok this prescription. Perhaps someone on this board has been through this scenario and can shed some light on this subject for us.

[dadstimeon]

Hi Dolly,

Welcome and sorry to hear about you’re husband. This is the best place with the best people. Great support, caring and sharing. I’m also on Iressa (since middle of Jan04) as a maintenances treatment and have had great success on it. Been very fortunate and lucky no side effects. Took pretty much the same thing your husband (see my signature) did. Below are some sites on Iressa and others that you might find helpful. Hope the Iressa works well for your husband. Hope this helps. Peace, take care and God Bless.

Rich

http://www.about-nsclc.com/content/patient/nsclc (Iressa)

http://www.about-nsclc.com/content/prof/about (Iressa)

[The Power Of People Helping People / The Power Of Knowledge / The

Power Of God / The Power Of Believing / The Power Of Positive Thinking / The Power Of Never Taking No For An Answer / The Power Of Laughter / United We Stand, Divided We Fall / That’s The Key]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/quer ... h&DB=books (NCBI / BookShelf)

http://www.about-nsclc.com/content/patient/nsclc (Iressa)

http://www.about-nsclc.com/content/prof/about (Iressa)

http://www.findcancerexperts.com (Find Cancer Experts)

http://www.curetoday.com/currentissue/d ... index.html (Toolbox: Resources You Can Use)

http://www.cancerindex.org/clinks8h.htm (Resources for Caregivers)

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=U ... sa&spell=1 (Medicaid)

http://www.thehealthinsurance.com/medicaid.htm (Medicaid)

http://www.thebeehive.org/health/contests/medicaid.asp (Medicaid)

http://www.lungcancerfyi.com/lung_cancer_faq.html ((Lung Cancer - Frequently Asked Questions)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/treatme ... osurg.html (Surgery - General Information & What to Expect)

http://www.lungcancerfyi.com/lung_cancer_glossary.html (Lung Cancer Glossary)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (Receive the PLWC Bulletin)

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/health/hos ... p_home.htm (Directory Of American Hospitals)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/tests/index.html (Lung Cancer Online / Test And Procedures)

http://www.vh.org/adult/patient/cancerc ... index.html (Understanding Blood Tests / A Guide for Patients with Cancer)

http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/tr ... ng/patient (SCLC)

http://www.meds.com/pdq/smallcell_pat.html (Medicine OnLine / SCLG)

http://health.allrefer.com/health/prima ... -info.html (Diseases And Conditions / SCLC)

http://www.hospicefoundation.org (Hospice Foundation Of America)

http://www.hospiceweb.com (Hospice Web)

http://www.hospice-america.org/consumer.html (Hospice Association Of America)

http://www.hospicenet.org (Hospice Net)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 151,00.asp (PLWC Feature: Talking to Someone With Cancer)

http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/ ... 87526.html (3-year-old keeps her smile in battle with rare cancer)

http://www.rfalung.com (Radio Frequency Ablation Of Lung Cancer)

http://www.lungcancercoalition.org (Global Lung Cancer Coalition)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (PLWC Feature: Financial Support Resources)

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/nycu/healt ... hqcanc.htm (Best Hospitals)

https://www.alcase.org/advocacy/sign_the_petition.html (Advocacy /Sign the Petition)

http://www.cancersymptoms.org (Oncology Nursing Society)

http://www.plwc.org/plwc/MainConstructo ... 008,00.asp (Questions to Ask the Doctor)

http://www.alcase.org/education/publica ... reath.html (With Every Breath A Lung Cancer Guidebook / From ALCASE / A Wealth Of Information / Free)

http://www.cancersurvivaltoolbox.org (The Cancer Survival Toolbox / Free / From NCCS)

http://www.centerwatch.com (Clinical Trails Listing Service / Center Watch)

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&editi ... ung+cancer (Lung Cancer In The News)

http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org/pro ... /guide.asp (The Wellness Community / National Cancer Support, Education And Support / Free)

http://www.drugs.com (Drug Information Online)

http://www.alcase.org (ALCASE / Alliance For Lung Cancer Advocacy, Support, Education)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov (Unites States / National Library Of Medicine)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/encyclopedia.html (Health Information / Medical Encyclopedia)

http://www.google.com (Great Search Engine)

http://blochcancer.org (R.A. Bloch Cancer Foundation, Inc. / Please read: A Letter to all newly diagnosed cancer patients)

http://www.cancer.org (American Cancer Society)

http://www.cancer.gov (Cancer Information Service / NCI)

http://www.cancerresearchcenter.org (Cancer Research Center)

http://www.aicr.org (American Institute for Cancer Research; Nutrition Hotline / AICR)

http://www.cancerhopenetwork.org (Cancer Hope Network)

http://www.acor.org (Association of Cancer Online Resources / Free Online Lifeline For Everyone Affected By Cancer & Related Disorders)

http://www.meds.com/lung/lunginfo.html (Lung Cancer Information Library)

http://www.lungusa.org (American Lung Association)

http://www.ama-assn.org (American Medical Association)

http://www.docguide.com/news/content.ns ... g%20Cancer (Doctor’s Guide / Lung Cancer)

http://www.healthfinder.gov/Scripts/Sea ... ?topic=506 (Healthfinder)

http://www.medicinenet.com/Lung_Cancer/article.htm (Medicine Net)

http://www.cancerindex.org/clinks2l.htm (Cancer Index / Lung Cancer Resources Directory)

http://www.nfcr.org/site/PageServer?pag ... ncers_lung (National Foundation For Cancer Research)

http://www.patientadvocate.org (Patient Advocate Foundation)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/effects ... fects.html (Lung Cancer Online / Hematologic (Blood) Effects)

http://www.cancerlinks.org/lung.html (Lung Cancer Links)

http://www.cancer-free.com (Cancer Free Connections)

http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/C ... ung_cancer (Health Insite)

http://www.lungcancerclaims.com (Lung Cancer / Lung Cancer Information Page)

http://www.cancerlifecenter.com/engine. ... =dictionar (Cancer Life Center/ Cancer Dictionary)

http://www.canceryellowpages.com/Resour ... G%20CANCER (Cancer yellow Pages)

http://icare.org (ICARE / The International Cancer Alliance)

http://www.vh.org/index.html (Virtual Hospital)

http://www.lungcanceronline.org/support/financial.html (Lung Cancer Online / Financial, Legal & Insurance Issues)

http://cancernews.healthology.com/focus ... cancernews (Cancer News)

[Donna G]

I have a friend who just started Iressa, her insurance did not pay. She said she just wrote out a check for the first month rx, $900. Hope yours kicks in. Her theory is if it saves her life what is money? Keep us posted how your insurance pans out. Donna G

[Frank Lamb]

Welcome Dolly,You will find lots of caring & knowing people here.Responses are sometimes a little slow here on weekends but there are several folks on this board that have been on Iressa.I'm sure you will hear from them.I think for the most part most of them have had good results.

[TeeTaa]

Hello Dolly!

I don't know a darn thing about Iressa, but I wanted to welcome you to this site. It's been a Godsend to me and my family.

And by the way - I just love your sign-in name!! How creative!

Blessings,

TeeTaa

[Andrea]

Hi Dolly,

My office manager's brother in law has been on Iressa for a long time now and it is keeping his cancer stable, he is Stage IV and has hardly anyside effects!!!!

Keep us posted and best of luck to you!

[DollyPardonMe]

I would like to thank each and every one of you for responding. I feel better out this pill Iressa. I really do think our health insurance will cover this but the Dr. has to tell them what treatments he has already had (like they couldn't check their own records for what they had already paid for!). So it will be about 1 week until we know for sure and if they don't we will just pay for it ourselves.

[Don Wood]

Hi, Dolly! Good luck with the Iressa. Don

[Lisa O]

Well Hello Dolly!

(Sorry couldn't help myself). I am on Iressa and have had a pretty easy time on it. I have some rash (sometimes bad - sometimes not), some stomach upset, and some hair and nail issues but overall pretty tolerable. It has kept me stable over one and a half years. I wish your husband luck on it! Keep us posted and feel free to pm me if you have more questions.

[Nushka]

Dolly,

I can't answer your question but want to welcome you to this board. It has been a lifesaver for me. I hope your husband does well with Iressa.

Nina

[Guest bean_si (Not Active)]

Hi Dolly

I have not been on any of the drugs mentioned so can't help you there. I do want to welcome you on board & let you know I'll be praying for you both.

Cat

[Ry]

My husband is doing well on the Iressa. It has kept his cancer stable for over a year now. I wish your husband the same...

[Snowflake]

Welcome, Dolly!

I hope you find the answers you are seeking!

Becky