Topic: Anyone on Gemzar?

Hi Franny,

I feel like I'm getting the flu for a couple of days after but nothing like what you've experienced.  Only one time I was in agony with pain and it was early on in my tx.  Are you on the 3 weeks Gemzar, 1 week off?  I ask because my labs, especially my platlets, divebombed so I was switched to every second week -- much gentler.  Are you getting Neulasta shots too?  Maybe an adjustment in the strength you're receiving.  Or maybe the Gemzar and a separate flu bug hit you at the same time?  I'd give it one more time and if you have such horrible SEs maybe you should ask your onc about a lower dose or trying something else.  Sorry I'm not much help...

Elizabeth

Denny123:  Congratulations on your 5 year remission.  I hope we all have such good results.

wickedfran:  Sorry you ended up in the hospital.  Yes, Gemzar seems to be a very strong med and I hope it whoops our cancer well.  The information I was given at the beginning of my tx said a common SE is flu like symptoms specifically body aches, fever, headache and fatigue.  It sounds like what you experienced.  Hopefully your next tx will be better; maybe they could lower the dose.  I hope you are feeling better now.

Elizabeth:  I think I will be doing 2 wks on, 1 wk off as I just can't seem to get to the 3rd tx mainly because my PLTs have bottomed out.  I am on Neupogen now which has helped my WBC.

Bonnielv:  Sorry this is hitting you so hard.  I hope you feel better soon.  I am sure seeing your grandchildren will help you feel much better.  Have fun with them.

Linda

konakat:  I am so sorry they are making you wait longer for your PET/CT.  The waiting is always the hardest part.  I really hope for your sake that it will be good news and that the extra dose will make all the difference in the world.  I really have good feelings about Gemzar for all of us, it just seems to be such a powerful drug, how can it not provide us all with good results?  Elizabeth, you said you are not working right now, have you applied for SSDI?  I know it is a bit of a cut in pay, but after I took advantage of the disability insurance for my car loan, and my parent student loan for my daughter, it has not been too bad.  There is a lot of paperwork involved, but it is very much worth it.  Enjoy your trip to Cape Cod, and try to leave Cancer at home when you go.  Take care, Linda

Thats right, I forgot about your earlier thread about your job interviews and being torn about going back to Canada or staying here.... my chemo brain is always in charge.  It is bad enough having mets but I feel very bad you have all this financial stress on top of it.  I wish I had some ideas to help... I know you have been job hunting and I hope you find some luck there soon.  Either way it is going to be hard for you to work and deal with chemo.  I tried for a while, I have worked since I was 17, and I worked through my original tx back in 2006.  Once I developed mets to my spine, the pain and the fatigue from chemo was just too much.  I stopped working back in Oct. 08 at the age of 52.  It was very hard to do, but it was the right decision for me.  I am sorry SSDI is not an option for you.  If you moved back to Canada, would there be SSDI or something similar for you to apply for?  In the meantime, I hope your mother is able to help you through your temporary situation.  If you ever need someone just to talk to, send me a PM with your phone number and I will give you a call.  Best of luck, Linda

Franny.

I was on Abraxane since Nov. and was getting really sick from it so onc took me off it and gave me 2 Gemzar treatments. I was still sick from the SE of Abraxane so I don't know but I got the first one but when I went for the second treatment of Gemzar and also gave me Zometa the same day I got so sick she thought she was going to send me to hospital.  I have to say I had the same SE as you so she took me off and I have been on a break from all chemo since June.  I feel so much better. I don't want any part of Gemzar but she mention maybe she will put me on Navelbine but I have no idea what thats going to be like.  I have to wait and see.

Good Luck

Geech

thanks,nanalinda. 

since i am in a fevered fog i posted this on my tumor fever thread instead of here.  so i shall paste it here where it makes more sense.

update..had first gemzar on wednesday.  have been in bed with a fever since thursday.  it is now sunday.  i woke up shivering so hard on thursday night that i pulled or fractured something in my shoulder (bone mets as well).  so in addition to the fever and liver pain, it is very hard to move around.  have gone as high as 101.7, but could have been higher...i didn't take temp in middle of night.

that's my news.  i hope the rest of you gemzar ladies are well!  if anyone has had this experience, please let me know how you coped.  appreciate it!

elizabeth... thanks.  the picture was taken hiking the cliffs in cinque terre, italy.  the most beautiful place i have ever been.    my daughter was living and studying in spain for a year, so we joined her for a bit, staying on lake como, italy.  gorgeous.  did not see hide nor hair of george clooney, however.

 the problem i have with calling the doc is....i seem to be prone to fevers after several of the different chemos i have tried recently.  i have dutifully called and was told that i could not be neutropenic that soon after an infusion, and i probably caught a bug of some sort, and of course i was encouraged to go to the ER.  the nurse/PA/oncall doc always has told me this is a very unusual reaction to chemo...the have "never heard of it."  so now i wait them out.  about an hour ago, my fever broke for the first time and i actually feel a bit better.  tonight will tell if it is gone for this round.  i am due for my second infusion on wednesday.  not too excited about that.  i am familiar with the neutropenia from my first go-round in 1997.  i had high dose adriamycin and was neutropenic after each dose.  did go the hospital for those.

konakat...i take one mg of ativan to sleep.  it helps enormously.

 hugs to all the gemzar ladies!

update...fever is finally gone!!!  normal temp all day today, monday!  called doc's office and discovered that there is a rare side effect of gemzar called pneumonitis (sp?).  symptoms include prolonged fever and dry, raspy, unproductive cough.  i am going in for a chest xray on wednesday to rule this out before my next dose.  it is a wonderful thing to be fever free.  take care, everyone.

 konakat...i hope you are sleeping well!

I have to go to the pharmacy tomorrow and will pick some up.  I might sleep well tonight -- spoke to Mom tonight and she's sending me money to cover my living expenses for 2 months (well, if you don't count my mastercard and line of credit!).  But still -- takes a lot of weight off my mind. Two more weeks until my PET -- I really, really hope I have good news to share.  Good news for a change would be nice!!!

Roachrp -- so happy you're feeling better -- I hope it gets under control for next tx!!

Thanks everyone!

well ladies....wednesday doc called me in for the ....... we've run out of chemo options and your liver is much worse.....i asked about surgery, radiation......he set me up with the head of radiation oncology who agreed to try to radiate the right lobe of my liver if the left one hadn't progressed much.....turns out the ct on friday showed left lobe progression as well, but they decided i have no other options, so i have had two rads treatments and am set up for 13 more but no one sounds very hopeful at all.  please send positive thoughts and energies this way.  i sure could use them.  had to tell the kids how much worse things are.  heartbreaking.  husband and 84 year old mom are having a super hard time.  cancer sucks.  i'm not ready for this.

I am so sorry to hear your news roachrp.  I hope the radiation will do some good for you.  I am sending hugs and prayers for you and your family.  I am so, so sorry!!  I hate this disease!  If you ever want to talk, send me a PM with your number and I will call you.  Take care of yourself and keep us up to date on how the radiation tx is doing.  Hang on to hope.  Linda

konakat:  I hate that you have to wait until the 31st for your PET!!!  I will continue to hope for good news for you when you finally have it done.  Avastin can give an added boost to the Gemzar and I hope it gives you what you need.  Hang on to hope!!!  Linda

Geech:  That is so amazing to me that you got really sick after getting Gemzar and Zometa on the same treatment.  I wonder if the two drugs together cause terrible side effects?  Well I'll make sure that I don't get those two drugs together at the same time.  I just received Avastin and Gemzar this past Tuesday and I've been fine. No major side effects. I've been really amazed. I hope it stays this way so I can continue my treatment.  I'll keep you posted as my treatments go on. Sometimes we are the ones who have to inform our doctors about treatment side effects and drugs that don't work well together!

roachrp:  I am so sorry about your results.  It's so hard to get news like that and nobody wants to hear anything like that from their doc. I'll keep you in my prayers and hopefully the radiation will do some good. Keep smiling! 

 Franny

Question about Gemzar: Hair loss?

I have some hair right now, just wondering if I should get it styled or if it's gonna fall out again soon.

Randy

konakat:  Dizzy spells!  I have been having them too.  I attributed it to my low H&H and even mentioned it to the nurse yesterday.  She said my hematocrit wasn't quite low enough yet for a blood transfusion, but since I was symptomatic she would bring it to the onc's attention.  I have also been having some shortness of breath which also goes along with low H&H.  I have also been retaining some fluid in my feet and ankles, so they are going to order a MUGA to check my heart (damn Adriamycin 3 years ago).  Have you had Avastin before?  It caused my blood pressure and heart rate to increase, but they were well controlled with meds.  I am still on the meds even though I stopped Avastin a few months ago.  You also might have some sinus problems... dryness.  Saline nasal spray helps with that.  I hope the Avastin helps.