HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Save thousands dollar to take medicine with grapefruit

Lolly · 02-11-2008, 10:02 PM

I participated in a teleconference with GSK when this article was first published, and basically their admonition was in the clinical trials conducted on Tykerb, the only reliable way to mitigate side effects was to give the drug on an empty stomach. Their trials looked at side effects with food (or drinks like grapefruit juice) and without, and with food the side effects were all over the map. So a person might be inclined to experiment on themselves, but at the risk of having some very unpleasant and potentially serious side effects. And definitely not without consulting one's oncologist.

<3 Lolly

02-11-2008, 10:02 PM	#2
Lolly Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,756	Don't try this at home! I participated in a teleconference with GSK when this article was first published, and basically their admonition was in the clinical trials conducted on Tykerb, the only reliable way to mitigate side effects was to give the drug on an empty stomach. Their trials looked at side effects with food (or drinks like grapefruit juice) and without, and with food the side effects were all over the map. So a person might be inclined to experiment on themselves, but at the risk of having some very unpleasant and potentially serious side effects. And definitely not without consulting one's oncologist. <3 Lolly __________________ Sept.'99 - Dx.Stage IIIB, IDC ER/PR-, HER2+++ by IHC, confirmed '04 by FISH. Left MRM, AC x's 4, Taxol x's 4, 33 Rads, finishing Tx May 2000. Jan.'01 - local/regional recurrence, Stage IV. Herceptin/Navelbine weekly till NED August 2001, then maintenance Herceptin. Right Mast. April 2002. Local/Regional recurrence April '04, Herceptin plus/minus chemo until May '07. Gemzar added from Feb.'07-April '07; Tykerb/Abraxane until August '07, back on Herceptin plus Taxotere and Xeloda Sept. '07. Stopped T/X Nov. '07, stopped Herceptin Dec. '07, started Avastin/Taxol/Carboplatin Dec. '07. Progression in chest skin, stopped TAC March '03, started radiation. Herceptin has served as the "Backbone" of my treatment strategy for over 6 years, giving me great quality of life. In 2005, I was privileged to participate in the University of Washington/Seattle HER2 Vaccine Trial.