Irresa side effect

[Irenenoodle]

Taking Irresa tablet for my lung cancer, do anyone have side effects on nail infection?

[Genie123]

Hi

Yes I'm on Iressa and been taking for nearly 5 yrs now and I have had a couple of nail infection and spots on my eye brows, but I get rid of mine with assencial oils from my therapist that she recommended. All the best

Jean x

[PLHLisa]

I've taken 125mg/day for 11 months. I've only had the occasional ingrown toe nail and hang nails. Nothing has turned infectious.

[Neil-SueD]

I guess side-effects may psychologically impact differently depending on whether you're a man or a woman. Being a man, I may have the advantage of caring a little less about appearances! I can imagine a lady may be potentially faced with more upset depending on the side effects, should they strike. I hope you are not troubled much.

I've been on Iressa for 10 months and quickly had bad mouth ulcers which are nowhere near as bad as they were. I now have dry flaky skin, spots, loose stools (which can be urgent but usually only once in the evening ... sorry for the detail!), tiredness and sometimes various finger and/or toenails get very sore at the side and occasionally with a little pus (infection). I have found these are rather slow to heal. Try Googling paronychia and onycholysis for more detail on this. My oncologist recently put me on a week of flucloxacillin antibiotic which initially made me rather unwell and didn't actually help clear up a particularly sore big toe. Things are once again improving on their own slowly. The hair on my head (I'm a rather bald bloke anyway) nowadays grows in odd directions! My beard seems OK, but hair on my body appears to be brittle and my eyebrows somehow bear the brunt of patchy and intermittent hair loss (it grows back) and spots, the latter rather like Jean has mentioned. Whilst all this can be annoying, the cancer is being kept at bay, so hurrah!

Good luck and keep your chin up,

Neil

[Irenenoodle]

Thank you all to answer my questions so soon, I still think I lucky have this medication which had least side effects compare with other treatment, I was trying soak my feet in the salt (rock salt) for 15 minutes seems helping, and often clean the toes with saline, then apply moisturizer, apply "Betadine " when it's infected.

Thanks & Good Luck !

Irene x

[RoyCastleHelpline Partner Ask the Nurse Roy Castle]

Hi Irene

It is encouraging to read all the responses that you have had with some really useful information.

I have placed a link below from Oncolink, where they provide nail care advice for those on Iressa which you may find useful:

oncolink.org/cancer-treatme...

If you wish to discuss anything you can call us on our free nurse led helpline number on 0800 358 7200

All the best

The Roy Castle Support Team

[Patti72]

My daughters dr suggested soaking fingers in hydrogen proxide 5 min twice a day with a round of antibiotics. Infection cleared up quick.