Gemzar

judye
judye Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Rare and Other Cancers #1
My 76 year old Dad just finished radiation and chemo for pancreatic cancer. The Doctor is thinking of starting him on Gemzar. Has anyone had any experience with this? What does it do? The side effects don't sound good at all. My e-mail is etchr@aol.com

Comments

  • mikeb
    mikeb Member Posts: 3
    My husband has been going through Gemzar treatments since April, 2003. Side effects are nausea (for which they can give you drugs), loss of appetite (again drugs can help), tiredness and weakness in the legs and, on the plus side, he's still here and will be for a long time. It has extended his life and for how long, we don't know.
  • doogaman
    doogaman Member Posts: 2
    mikeb said:

    My husband has been going through Gemzar treatments since April, 2003. Side effects are nausea (for which they can give you drugs), loss of appetite (again drugs can help), tiredness and weakness in the legs and, on the plus side, he's still here and will be for a long time. It has extended his life and for how long, we don't know.

    My Wife, just started chemo yesterday with Gemzar and today was extremely fatigued, sleeping alot, although her appitite was good.What symtoms did your husband have when he first began gemzar and have they stayed the same, does his energy level go up as the week goes by. My wifes diagnosis was bile duct cancer with met's to the liver, she has been experiencing quite a bit of pain still the onco said part of this could still be her body getting used everything thats been done to her with the whipple,and partly the cancer, and that she might notice a decrease in pain after being on the gemzar.Any feedback would be appreciated.
  • MadelynJoe
    MadelynJoe Member Posts: 96
    Gemzar
    I took Gemzar in 2005 at age 55 and it was not a bad chemo. My skin felt rather tingly and I had some foot swelling but medication took care of that. I have a friend that is on it now and she's not feeling bad (she's 51). Search for "Gemzar" and do your research.

    I am almost a 5 year Non Small Cell Lung Cancer survivor and I have no evidence of disease on my last CAT in December!

    My husband, Joe, is a 6 1/2 (almost 7) year Prostate Cancer survivor and I personally know several people that were diagnosed as Stage IV and are living happy and healthy lives today.

    God bless you and your Dad.

    Madelyn
  • Oneshot
    Oneshot Member Posts: 153 Member

    Gemzar
    I took Gemzar in 2005 at age 55 and it was not a bad chemo. My skin felt rather tingly and I had some foot swelling but medication took care of that. I have a friend that is on it now and she's not feeling bad (she's 51). Search for "Gemzar" and do your research.

    I am almost a 5 year Non Small Cell Lung Cancer survivor and I have no evidence of disease on my last CAT in December!

    My husband, Joe, is a 6 1/2 (almost 7) year Prostate Cancer survivor and I personally know several people that were diagnosed as Stage IV and are living happy and healthy lives today.

    God bless you and your Dad.

    Madelyn

    PC trials
    I posted a site or two for you under Pancreatic Cancer.

    Take Care and GOD BLESS!
    Oneshot
  • Nunu123
    Nunu123 Member Posts: 11
    Oneshot said:

    PC trials
    I posted a site or two for you under Pancreatic Cancer.

    Take Care and GOD BLESS!
    Oneshot

    Gemzar with radiotheraphy
    My husband gas been on Gemzar combined with chemo before surgery. This week they did some sort of a blood test which shows tumour (cancer marks or something) and it has doubled. I was very upset, apparntly someone mention last week that this marker increases due to the combinationj of chemo and radio (swelling).
    Is it normal to double though?