Anyone on gemzar?

SOPHIE333
SOPHIE333 Member Posts: 92
in Peritoneal Cancer #1
Hi all,
Mum will probably change from carbo/taxol which only worked for 8 rounds to Gemzar in february. The option is to stay with only hormones if still in remission. We hope for that. But anyone of you only on Gemzar? I can not remeber I seen it here on the board?

Mum is a stage IV PPc since feb 2011. At the moment she is on vacation in Thailand!

Sophie

Comments

  • Tasgirl
    Tasgirl Member Posts: 85
    #2
    Hi Sophie
    I had a few cycles
    Hi Sophie
    I had a few cycles of Gemzar/Carbo and I found the Gemzar to be really hard on my body. I was able to train for a marathon while on Carbo/Taxol (very slow) but on Gemzar I found my blood levels were really bad. I have a friend who has done Gemzar and she had no problems so I guess it is different for everyone.
    Glad to hear that your mum is travelling.

    Jenny
  • westie66
    westie66 Member Posts: 642
    #3
    Tasgirl said:

    Hi Sophie
    I had a few cycles
    Hi Sophie
    I had a few cycles of Gemzar/Carbo and I found the Gemzar to be really hard on my body. I was able to train for a marathon while on Carbo/Taxol (very slow) but on Gemzar I found my blood levels were really bad. I have a friend who has done Gemzar and she had no problems so I guess it is different for everyone.
    Glad to hear that your mum is travelling.

    Jenny

    Gemcitibine
    (Gemcitibine and Gemzar are the same.) I also had 12 treatments of gemcitibine and cisplatin. I didn't have any trouble with the gemcitibine except they had to put a heat pad on my arm over the infusion site as it just ached and ached. I had more problems with the cisplatin. After the first treatment, I ended up in the hospital with terrible bleeding from the colon. I had to have 2 transfusions. After that the oncologist reduced the amount and infusion rate of both of the chemicals. I had no other problems; I could even drive myself to and from treatment.
    Cheryl
  • AussieMaddie
    AussieMaddie Member Posts: 345 Member
    #4
    Tasgirl said:

    Hi Sophie
    I had a few cycles
    Hi Sophie
    I had a few cycles of Gemzar/Carbo and I found the Gemzar to be really hard on my body. I was able to train for a marathon while on Carbo/Taxol (very slow) but on Gemzar I found my blood levels were really bad. I have a friend who has done Gemzar and she had no problems so I guess it is different for everyone.
    Glad to hear that your mum is travelling.

    Jenny

    Similar story here
    After Carbo/Taxol, I was put on Taxol/Gemzar.

    As said, it played up with blood levels badly. Have just had a transfusion as well as a draining of fluid from the ascites (it has not been seen in previous scans. 11 litres of fluid were drained before I told the doctor/technician that my stomach was sore (maybe my stomach was getting used to being in touch with its sides. I don't know. I just know that I want those scans more frequently from now on.

    I never did feel that the Taxol/Gemzar was helpful to me. Now it's a matter of going off chemo for a while before starting a different combination.

    That's been my experience.

    AussieMaddie
  • AussieMaddie
    AussieMaddie Member Posts: 345 Member
    #5
    westie66 said:

    Gemcitibine
    (Gemcitibine and Gemzar are the same.) I also had 12 treatments of gemcitibine and cisplatin. I didn't have any trouble with the gemcitibine except they had to put a heat pad on my arm over the infusion site as it just ached and ached. I had more problems with the cisplatin. After the first treatment, I ended up in the hospital with terrible bleeding from the colon. I had to have 2 transfusions. After that the oncologist reduced the amount and infusion rate of both of the chemicals. I had no other problems; I could even drive myself to and from treatment.
    Cheryl

    Mix up?
    I was sure I had replied to this thread but can't find my reply. It might show up elsewhere.

    (My earlier reply is now showing up under this one. Go figure!)

    AussieMaddie

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