Anyone been on Gemzar? Starting next Wednesday.

awynn804
awynn804 Member Posts: 9
in Breast Cancer #1
Hello to all,

I am a Stage IV Breast Cancer survivor with Mets in my Liver and Bones. I have been in and out of remission since 2007. Just thankful to God for each and every day and moment. Just got my 3 month CT scan results and it appears that Halaven has not been working for me. So on to the next and newest chemo drug for me. Gemzar is the next step. Don't know much about it and seems to have the same side effects as almost everything else. Anyone out there on it? All comments are welcome.

Comments

  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #2
    Hope this helps
    I have never taken it, but thought I would share the chemocare site (started by Scott Hamilton, Olympic skater). There are great tips there regarding side effects and self care. Here are their self care tips for gemzar:

    "Gemzar Self Care Tips:
    •For flu-like symptoms, keep warm with blankets and drink plenty of liquids.
    •Drink at least two to three quarts of fluid every 24 hours, unless you are instructed otherwise.
    •You may be at risk of infection so try to avoid crowds or people with colds, and report fever or any other signs of infection immediately to your health care provider.
    •Wash your hands often.
    •To help treat/prevent mouth sores, use a soft toothbrush, and rinse three times a day with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of baking soda and/or salt mixed with 8 ounces of water.
    •Use an electric razor and a soft toothbrush to minimize bleeding.
    •Avoid contact sports or activities that could cause injury.
    •To reduce nausea, take anti-nausea medications as prescribed by your doctor, and eat small, frequent meals.
    •Avoid sun exposure. Wear SPF 15 (or higher) sunblock and protective clothing.
    •In general, drinking alcoholic beverages should be kept to a minimum or avoided completely. You should discuss this with your doctor.
    •You may experience drowsiness or dizziness; avoid driving or engaging in tasks that require alertness until your response to Gemzar is known.
    •Get plenty of rest.
    •Maintain good nutrition.
    •If you experience symptoms or side effects, be sure to discuss them with your health care team. They can prescribe medications and/or offer other suggestions that are effective in managing such problems."

    Chemocare Gemzar

    http://www.chemocare.com/bio/gemzar.asp
  • awynn804
    awynn804 Member Posts: 9
    #3
    CypressCynthia said:

    Hope this helps
    I have never taken it, but thought I would share the chemocare site (started by Scott Hamilton, Olympic skater). There are great tips there regarding side effects and self care. Here are their self care tips for gemzar:

    "Gemzar Self Care Tips:
    •For flu-like symptoms, keep warm with blankets and drink plenty of liquids.
    •Drink at least two to three quarts of fluid every 24 hours, unless you are instructed otherwise.
    •You may be at risk of infection so try to avoid crowds or people with colds, and report fever or any other signs of infection immediately to your health care provider.
    •Wash your hands often.
    •To help treat/prevent mouth sores, use a soft toothbrush, and rinse three times a day with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of baking soda and/or salt mixed with 8 ounces of water.
    •Use an electric razor and a soft toothbrush to minimize bleeding.
    •Avoid contact sports or activities that could cause injury.
    •To reduce nausea, take anti-nausea medications as prescribed by your doctor, and eat small, frequent meals.
    •Avoid sun exposure. Wear SPF 15 (or higher) sunblock and protective clothing.
    •In general, drinking alcoholic beverages should be kept to a minimum or avoided completely. You should discuss this with your doctor.
    •You may experience drowsiness or dizziness; avoid driving or engaging in tasks that require alertness until your response to Gemzar is known.
    •Get plenty of rest.
    •Maintain good nutrition.
    •If you experience symptoms or side effects, be sure to discuss them with your health care team. They can prescribe medications and/or offer other suggestions that are effective in managing such problems."

    Chemocare Gemzar

    http://www.chemocare.com/bio/gemzar.asp

    Thank you so much for the
    Thank you so much for the information.

    I will slso share the site with a friend who just got diagnoised with Stage IV Ovarian Cancer.

    Hopefully, this will be a help to her as well.

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