sue123's Cancer Blog

Sue I haven’t been on that drug but I will check around to see if there is anyone who has…
Hang in there
Your in my prayers
Cheryl

Posted on October 1, 2008 at 2:23:09 PM by cheryl58

Hi Sue; No I haven’t heard of it either but I always find going to GOOGLE will take you to sites where people blog their thoughts on varying drugs.
Weezie

Posted on October 1, 2008 at 3:22:34 PM by weezie

Sue: here is a site to go to regarding the drug you were talking about

http://erbitux.com/erbitux/erb/home/index.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&channelId=-88553

I hope this helps ..If I find any other information I will post it. Good luck Sue, I am always thinking of you in your battle. You are one brave and wonderful gal.
Weezie

Posted on October 1, 2008 at 3:31:17 PM by weezie

Sue; Here is another website.

http://health.nytimes.com/gst/health/healthsearch.html?term=erbitux&x=12&y=14#

Weezie

Posted on October 1, 2008 at 3:34:50 PM by weezie

Hi Sue,

I am new to this blog. However, I have read many of the blogs over the past year and I appreciate everyones posts. It really helped me in hard times. My husband has stage 4 colon cancer with mets to the liver diagnosed Oct. 2007. His first chemo treatment was Erbitux, Oxalyplatin and Xeloda for 8 weeks. The plan was for 3-4 months but this regiment worked great on getting rid of the cancer. My husband got a rash (like pimples) all over his face and chest. We got cream from the doctor to control the rash. Some say if you get the rash that it’s a good sign. The Erbitux really shrunk his tumor so that he could do surgery sooner. My husband was to take Erbitux again after surgery but was tested for the K ras gene to see if Erbitux would still work but tumor mutated. So the erbitux won’t work for us any longer. My husband felt like Erbitux did the most to rid cancer compare to the others. Read about all the side effects but it can really work well. Good Luck!

Posted on October 1, 2008 at 11:02:41 PM by tammy

I have heard of that stuff it comes imclone and costs 30000 thousand dollars a month It is the company that got Martha Stewart in trouble.
I understand they have to make a profit but gee wiz if it costs that much most people will never get it, so whats the good?

Posted on October 2, 2008 at 8:52:17 AM by munro2

testing again

Posted on October 2, 2008 at 3:18:08 PM by laniemarie427

I’ve learned my lesson to sign in. The last time I wrote a novel, I lost the whole thing. Anyway, I took Erbitux w/ the Oxciliplatin and 5FU from Dec to June ‘08 (6 mos of hell) for my stage 3 c colon cancer diagnosis. I have my 1 yr colonoscopy recheck in a few weeks. Trying not to think about it. I had qualified for a drug study which one ‘arm’ included the erbitux. Usually it’s only covered for metastatic cancers. I was included in the trial because my sigmoid colon tumor fit the bill by 1 cm. Way to go tumor! yay! (ha ha) And so if your Dr says let’s start this, I would not say no. Onc. felt it would give me an extra 10-15% boost on my survival rate. WHOO HOO! (but it least it’s SOMETHING) Now I’d get the basic steroid and antinausea drug first, then the Erbitux by itself for the 30-40 min (in the beginning, I’d have to wait 1 hr in between…agony to have “more time” to sit at the “cancer center”) but then they realized that no one was having an allergic reaction after their 1st dose. I rememeber back (and I did make notes, but one couldn’t pay me to revisit that book right now…if not ever) to the evening or 2 after my 1st and 2nd dose and I called my Dr crying because I felt like I had a bad sunburn on my face and lips. The hotness feeling continued, but waxed and waned. The white pimple like spots started to crop up like wildfire on my nose and there was no stopping it. Then my chin, then my cheeks, and all over my face. I tried Clindomycin (sp? which was too drying), Triminacolone cream (beware, steriod cream takes redness away but is like fertilizer to acne), Elidel (studies have shown can cause cancer! ha! and cream seemed to only feel soothing), and then the Derm. gave me something for Rosacia.

The rash was localized to my face. I am 35 and never had acne. So that was fun. Now I have blotchy scaring and it’s just going away, 4 mos. post chemo.

The weirdest part about Erbitux was the curling of the eyelashes, eyebrows looked thicker, and not sure if it was from the chemo knocking out my fertity at the time or from the steroid face cream, but I developed fine hairs on my cheeks. It’s gone now. (not really noticable though)

My eyelashes are still funky when applying mascara. Most of them would grow super long but straight. My eye dr had to pull some out as they’d start to grow towards my eyes. On one occassion towards the end of chemo, I must have pulled (w/ tweezers) about 15 defunct eyelashes per eye. Strange.

I’ll check in more often, especially after my colonoscopy. I am rarely on this board (busy w/ 3 little ones) and I must run now!

PS—major symptom w/ chemo was and is the neuropathy (fingers, hands, feet, ankles)

i wrote in on this a few weeks ago
feel free to email me directly if anyone has any questions

i also want a t-shirt (especially a SURVIVOR one) any idea on where to find this?

thanks
melanie

Posted on October 2, 2008 at 3:33:33 PM by laniemarie427

Sue I will ask my Dr. about Eritux right now I am on Taxatere 3 weeks on 1 week off. Good luck with your treatment. Your in my prayers
Cheryl

Posted on October 5, 2008 at 4:31:54 PM by cheryl58

Hi Sue,
I have read your blog about your bout with cancer.I haven’t heard of the drug Eritux.I hope it is helping you.I will put you on our prayer list.Also I wanted to give you a word to research,”mangosteen”. Research this word. There were some studies done on the mangosteen fruit puree at Harvard university with some mice. They were injected with cancer and the one that was given the mangosteen lived. Research it for your self and see what you find.Also you can go to pubmed.com and find info there also. Tke care and God bless.
Betsy

I’m the founder of the Farmington Compassion Club and Southfield Compassion Club. Our club meets monthly to discuss issues that affect the medical marijuana community in Michigan. Topics include the law, qualifying conditions, how to become a qualifying patient, how to find a caregiver and much more.

Some anticancer drugs cause nausea and vomiting because they affect parts of the brain that control vomiting and/or irritate the stomach lining. Anorexia is the most common symptom in cancer patients. It may occur early in the disease process or later, in cases where the cancer progresses. THC is a proven appetite stimulant.

Our first Farmington Compassion meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 19, 2010 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Farmington Community Library.

Southfield Compassion’s first meeting is scheduled for February 1, 2010 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Southfield Community Library.

Meetings are open to the public and you must be over 18 or have a parent/guardian present. Our meetings are designed to provide a safe and comfortable environment for patients/caregivers and the community to learn, network and gain emotional support. We will have an attorney present that specializes in the MMMA for question/answers.