Guest guest Posted December 14, 2005 Report Share Posted December 14, 2005 Thanks for replying Narice. I'm glad you are remaining a part of this board. I will update you all once we talk to the doctor. Nita > > Phil only had two doses of Erbitux. He got the rash though a very mild form, > but the problem for him seemed to be his counts. Knowing now that his liver > was failing I hesitate to say that what we thought was Erbitux side effects > really were the chemo and not the liver failure. > > Since they have tried a lot of chemo drugs I would want to know all the > risks and benefits for HIM. Erbitux is very strong and frankly unless they think > it will significantly improve things you may really want to consider if it > will be worth the side effects listed below. > Narice > > > > > Erbitux > cetuximab (seh TUX ih mab) > > > > What is the most important information I should know about Erbitux? > • Erbitux should only be administered under the supervision of a qualified > healthcare provider experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents. > • Serious side effects have been reported with the use of Erbitux including: > severe allergic reactions (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; > swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; hives; and low blood pressure); lung > problems (cough, difficulty breathing); skin problems (rash, dryness, > inflammation, infection); and others. Talk to your doctor about the possible side effects > from treatment with Erbitux. > • Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight or artificial UV light (e.g., > sunlamps) during treatment with Erbitux. Exposure to sunlight may increase the risk > or severity of skin related side effects from this treatment. If exposure to > the sun is unavoidable, a sunscreen should be used and protective clothing > such as a hat, long sleeves, and pants should be worn. > > > > What is Erbitux? > • Erbitux is a cancer (antineoplastic) medication. Erbitux interferes with > the growth of cancer cells and slows their growth and spread in the body. > • Erbitux is used in the treatment of cancers of the colon and rectum. > • Erbitux may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this > medication guide. > > > > What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using Erbitux? > • Do not use Erbitux without first talking to your doctor if you have an > allergy to Erbitux or mouse protein. You may not be able to use Erbitux, or you > may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment. > • Before using Erbitux, tell your doctor if you have any other allergies, > medical conditions, or if you take any other prescription or over- the-counter > medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products. > • Erbitux is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not > known whether Erbitux will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use Erbitux > without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant > during treatment. Discuss with your doctor the appropriate use of birth > control during treatment with Erbitux if necessary. > • It is not known whether Erbitux passes into breast milk. Do not take > Erbitux without first talking to your doctor if you are breast feeding a baby. > > > > How should I use Erbitux? > • Erbitux should only be administered under the supervision of a qualified > healthcare provider experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents. > • Erbitux is administered as an intravenous (into the vein) infusion. Most > often, Erbitux is administered in a hospital or clinic setting. If you are > administering Erbitux at home, your healthcare provider will give you detailed > instructions regarding preparation, administration, and storage of the > medication. > • Your doctor will determine the correct amount and frequency of treatment > with Erbitux depending upon the type of cancer being treated and other > factors. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns regarding the > treatment schedule. > • Your doctor will probably want you to have regularly scheduled blood tests > and other medical evaluations during treatment with Erbitux to monitor > progress and side effects. > • Your healthcare provider will store Erbitux as directed by the > manufacturer. If you are storing Erbitux at home, follow the directions provided by your > healthcare provider. > > > > What happens if I miss a dose? > • Contact your doctor if you miss a dose of Erbitux. > > > > What happens if I overdose? > • If an overdose of Erbitux is suspected, seek emergency medical attention > or contact your healthcare provider immediately. > • Symptoms of a Erbitux overdose are not known. > > > > What should I avoid while using Erbitux? > • Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight or artificial UV light (e.g., > sunlamps) during treatment with Erbitux. Exposure to sunlight may increase the risk > or severity of skin related side effects from this treatment. If exposure to > the sun is unavoidable, a sunscreen should be used and protective clothing > such as a hat, long sleeves, and pants should be worn. > > > > What are the possible side effects of Erbitux? > • Serious side effects have been reported with the use of Erbitux including: > severe allergic reactions (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; > swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; hives; and low blood pressure); lung > problems (cough, difficulty breathing); skin problems (rash, dryness, > inflammation, infection); and others. Talk to your doctor about the possible side effects > from treatment with Erbitux. > • If you experience any of the following serious side effects from Erbitux, > seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately: > ·an allergic reaction (including difficulty breathing; closing of the > throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; hives; or low blood pressure); > ·cough or difficulty breathing; > ·skin rash, dryness, or inflammation; > ·inflammation at the injection site; > ·fever; or > ·little or no urine production. > • Other, less serious side effects may also occur. Continue taking Erbitux > and talk to your doctor if you experience: > ·nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, or abdominal pain; > ·weakness; > ·swelling; > ·insomnia; > ·headache; > ·hair loss; or > ·itching. > • Other side effects have also been reported. Discuss with your doctor any > side effect that occurs during treatment with Erbitux. > > > > What other drugs will affect Erbitux? > • Other medications may interact with Erbitux. Talk to your doctor and > pharmacist before taking any other prescription or over-the- counter medicines, > including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products, during treatment with Erbitux. > > > > Where can I get more information? > • Your healthcare provider may have additional information about Erbitux > that you may read. > > > > • Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, > never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the > indication prescribed. > • Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by > Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no > guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time > sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare > practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not > warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically > indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, > diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an > informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring > for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a > supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and > judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or > drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or > drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. > Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare > administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained > herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, > warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have > questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or > pharmacist. > Click here for more information on Erbitux from the manufacturer. > > Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.01. Revision date: > 3/11/04. > > Popular Searches > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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