Managing the treatment effects of TYKERB

Your healthcare team is there to help you with any side effects you may have during treatment, and to help you have the best quality of life possible.

Let your healthcare team know about all your side effects. Your doctor will help you understand when side effects are serious enough to call him or her.

Diarrhea

If diarrhea occurs, it usually happens during the first week of treatment with TYKERB. Keep in mind, though, that diarrhea can happen at any time during your treatment.^1,6 Diarrhea is defined as 3 or more loose or watery stools in one day.⁵

If you have diarrhea or a change in your normal bowel pattern, be sure to call your doctor or nurse. It is important to try to manage diarrhea as soon as it begins. It is a good idea to have medicines on hand that can treat diarrhea. Your doctor will tell you if and when you should take them. If diarrhea is not controlled, it can lead to dehydration (when the body loses too much water).⁷

If you have diarrhea, try making changes to the way you eat. It may help if you:

• Drink eight to ten glasses a day of sports drinks, broth, or other clear liquids to replace lost fluids and minerals
• Drink plenty of water
• Try the BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) diet to help lessen the number of bowel movements
• Eat low-fat, high-protein foods, such as lean meat and eggs, instead of fried, fatty, or spicy foods
• Eat cooked vegetables instead of raw ones and remove skins from fruits before eating them
• Avoid herbal supplements. Some may cause diarrhea⁸

Your doctor or nurse will advise you about things you can do or medicines you can take to help control diarrhea. Do not take over-the-counter medicines for diarrhea without talking with your doctor.

Rash

Rash is another side effect you may have.¹ It may make your skin itchy.⁹ Tell your doctor or nurse right away if you have a rash or if your skin feels itchy or painful.

Here are some simple steps for taking care of sensitive skin:

• Wash with a soap-free cleanser¹⁰
• Use a sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher)¹¹
• Use a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic skin cream or makeup made for sensitive skin¹⁰

Hand-foot syndrome

Hand-foot syndrome causes redness, skin peeling, and tingling or numbness in the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet. Talk with your doctor or nurse about ways to manage hand-foot syndrome.¹²

Nausea

Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach) is another side effect you may have. Ask your doctor or nurse about taking medicine to help control nausea and vomiting.¹ The following tips may help you if you have nausea:

• Eat before you feel hungry
• Eat small meals throughout the day
• Eat foods at room temperature
• Sip liquids all day long
• Go into another room to eat if cooking odors make you feel sick
• Avoid foods that are greasy, very sweet, or spicy¹³

Vomiting

Avoid triggers that may cause vomiting:

• Limit contact with food or odors that make you feel as though you might throw up. Avoid activities that may cause motion sickness (such as riding in a car)¹³
• Follow the tips for managing nausea. Controlling nausea may prevent vomiting

If you start to vomit, you may want to:

• Stop eating and drinking until the vomiting is under control
• Start with small amounts of water, broth, or other clear liquids when you are ready to eat again. If those stay down, then try soft foods like gelatin, plain cornstarch pudding, yogurt, strained soup, or strained cooked cereal. Slowly work up to eating solid food^13,14

Fatigue

Another common side effect that you may have is feeling tired (fatigue).¹ You may feel weak or worn out, as though you have no energy. Your arms or legs may feel heavy. You may feel out of breath or have trouble doing everyday things, such as taking a shower or making the bed. Some people have a hard time focusing. Ask your doctor or nurse what you can do to feel better.¹⁵

If you are tired, your body is telling you that you need to rest. Also, remind yourself to:

• Set realistic goals for how much you can get done each day¹⁶
• Spread out your activities throughout the day. Take breaks between activities¹⁵
• Balance rest periods with regular exercise to keep up your energy level. Check with your doctor before starting an exercise program⁹
• Do things that you enjoy and make you feel good¹⁵

Check out GlaxoSmithKline's Tykerb^® CARES support program to help patients and the healthcare providers who treat them.

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