Anyone suddenly have major diarrhea on tykerb?

[DeenaH]

After months with no problems? I started taking tykerb with herceptin in early January. I had the occasional loose stool, but sometimes would even get constipated. I was tolerating it really well for 5 months. Then I had a lung wedge resection on a Friday, and major diarrhea set in on Monday night. It has been constant diarrhea. Everything goes right through me. I have been tested for Cdiff twice (neg), had a colonoscopy with biopsies that were normal. Tried taking vancacin just in case the Cdiff test was false neg. No dice, it did nothing. I have tried immodium and limotil with no success. I was trying to get to my next pet/CT before making any treatment changes, and the scan is tuesday. I started navelbine 1 1/2 weeks after the diarrhea started, so it isn't that. After so long, I have landed in the hospital with dehydration, very low potassium and magnesium, 1.4 white cells (getting neupogen shots for that), and 8.2 red cells (getting 2 units of blood for that). They will also be trying to figure out the cause of the diarrhea. Anyone else had side effects from tykerb set it months after starting the drug?

Thanks for any info. I am really scared about dropping tykerb. Especially if it isn't the culprit.

[Rich66]

Seems like Florastor brand probiotic (over the counter at Walgreens, Walmart) has helped my mom's situation.
I suppose you've perused these..but there are a number of posts here:
http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=40043

[DeenaH]

I haventried everything, and read all of the posts about tyker and diarrhea. What is strange about my case is that I was fine for 5 months on tyker, then I had lung surgery and the diarrhea started. Why all of a sudden?

[ElaineM]

If I were in your situation I might try changing my diet temporarily. I would reduce fat in the diet, and eat less of the whole grain foods and more white grains temporarily. I might try a diet similiar to what a person with the flu might eat and slowly add back the foods I took out of my diet one by one until I could eat normally without problems.
Even if Tykerb is the culprit one can learn to eat healthy without too much diarrhea. You can try to reduce the Tykerb dose temporarily for a few days and see if that makes a difference. You will still be getting some benefit from the Tykerb. You can add back a little Tykerb every few days until you reach the normal dose and see if that helps. Just make sure you tell your doctor what you are doing.
Rich is right about probiotics. They help straighten things out in the gastrointestinal system. If you can't get the medication he suggested eat more good quality yoghurt or other foods with the same healthy bacteria that yoghurt or the probiotic medication has.

[Rich66]

It's a long shot but...did you have blood given during or after the surgery? Seems there may be a small chance of that causing problems.

[hezzy_9805]

Im taking Tykerb and Xeloda and w/out my diphen/atrop (generic title) I'm a wreck living in the restroom. I think its the best control med stopping diarea

[pibikay]

Hema intially had diarrhea when she started tykerb/xeloda.After a few courses of immoodium she was fine.After a break of 5 months it was back with pain in the stomach.So back to immodium and Pan 40.It stopped a couple of days ago and we are keeping our fingers crossed