Has anyone had experience with Alimta

hoppy2
hoppy2 Member Posts: 10
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
My husband was receiving Carbo & Gemzar - he had to stop chemo because of pnemionia - They will be starting him on Alimta in two weeks. He will get B12 shots with it and has to take steriods the day before, the day of, and day after treatment. We have no idea what to expect with this drug.

Comments

  • aptosed
    aptosed Member Posts: 2
    #2
    Chemo/ Alimta
    I was dx'd with bilateral lung cancer with mets to the brain in January o8. I had been skiing at Squaw Valley the week before developing the first of two Deep Vein Thromboses followed by the diagnosis of the LC.
    I was on Gemzar and Carboplatin for a time when first starting my chemo in February of 08. The gemzar and carbo was difficult therepy and really left me weak. The gemzar was stopped while I had radiation to my brain for my metastasis. Post radiation I was switched to Alimta and carbo. I believe that it was the carbo that would leave me down for three or four days.
    My MRIs and subsequent CT scans of my lungs have since shown some impovement and I am now on Alimta therepy only every three weeks. This particular therepy is much kinder and doesn't feel nearly as debilitating. For the time being we trying to make life seem reasonably "normal".
    My best wishes to you with your treatment. I hope it is well tolerated.

    ed
  • hoppy2
    hoppy2 Member Posts: 10
    #3
    aptosed said:

    Chemo/ Alimta
    I was dx'd with bilateral lung cancer with mets to the brain in January o8. I had been skiing at Squaw Valley the week before developing the first of two Deep Vein Thromboses followed by the diagnosis of the LC.
    I was on Gemzar and Carboplatin for a time when first starting my chemo in February of 08. The gemzar and carbo was difficult therepy and really left me weak. The gemzar was stopped while I had radiation to my brain for my metastasis. Post radiation I was switched to Alimta and carbo. I believe that it was the carbo that would leave me down for three or four days.
    My MRIs and subsequent CT scans of my lungs have since shown some impovement and I am now on Alimta therepy only every three weeks. This particular therepy is much kinder and doesn't feel nearly as debilitating. For the time being we trying to make life seem reasonably "normal".
    My best wishes to you with your treatment. I hope it is well tolerated.

    ed

    Alimta
    Ed,
    Thanks for the reply, ot makes me feel better. My husband did well on the carbo & Gemzar - Tired but that was all. Someone told me that the drugs you get with one week on and two off were harder to deal with. It sounds that you have had pretty good experience with just Alimta. We will not know exactly when he starts on it until after his dr. appt Sept 3
    I hope you continue to show improvement.
    Margaret
  • hoppy2
    hoppy2 Member Posts: 10
    #4
    aptosed said:

    Chemo/ Alimta
    I was dx'd with bilateral lung cancer with mets to the brain in January o8. I had been skiing at Squaw Valley the week before developing the first of two Deep Vein Thromboses followed by the diagnosis of the LC.
    I was on Gemzar and Carboplatin for a time when first starting my chemo in February of 08. The gemzar and carbo was difficult therepy and really left me weak. The gemzar was stopped while I had radiation to my brain for my metastasis. Post radiation I was switched to Alimta and carbo. I believe that it was the carbo that would leave me down for three or four days.
    My MRIs and subsequent CT scans of my lungs have since shown some impovement and I am now on Alimta therepy only every three weeks. This particular therepy is much kinder and doesn't feel nearly as debilitating. For the time being we trying to make life seem reasonably "normal".
    My best wishes to you with your treatment. I hope it is well tolerated.

    ed

    Chemo/Alimta
    Have you been on chemo continously since February? My husbands original Pet scan showed the tumor in his left lung plus cancer in the adrenal grands & lymph nodes so they staged it at stage IV. He started chemo May 28th. They said they could not operate without compromising the other lung. He went on a study receiving chemo (carbo & gemzar) with or without a new pill. He was on the without the new pill of the study. He received 4 cycles before getting pnemonia again. He was very tired and his blood count went down to 8.6 (it was 10.8 the week before)so they gave him a double dose injection of something that started with an 'A' (I think)..
    I have heard others receiving carbo & taxol and have wondered if having the carbo & gemzar (going on the study) was a good decision. Now they are going to have him take Alimta. You are the only person I have heard of taking this. ---

    Many others experience bad side effects with chemo and my husband has not (so it seems he has me believing) It makes me question are the drugs doing the job? We they the right drugs to use? It sounds very cold but if he did not get bad side effects is it working? I hate to say that, but I sometimes wonder...
    How long will he be receiving chemo.... will the tumor go away... I hate not know the answers.
  • Greggriggs
    Greggriggs Member Posts: 132
    #5
    hoppy2 said:

    Chemo/Alimta
    Have you been on chemo continously since February? My husbands original Pet scan showed the tumor in his left lung plus cancer in the adrenal grands & lymph nodes so they staged it at stage IV. He started chemo May 28th. They said they could not operate without compromising the other lung. He went on a study receiving chemo (carbo & gemzar) with or without a new pill. He was on the without the new pill of the study. He received 4 cycles before getting pnemonia again. He was very tired and his blood count went down to 8.6 (it was 10.8 the week before)so they gave him a double dose injection of something that started with an 'A' (I think)..
    I have heard others receiving carbo & taxol and have wondered if having the carbo & gemzar (going on the study) was a good decision. Now they are going to have him take Alimta. You are the only person I have heard of taking this. ---

    Many others experience bad side effects with chemo and my husband has not (so it seems he has me believing) It makes me question are the drugs doing the job? We they the right drugs to use? It sounds very cold but if he did not get bad side effects is it working? I hate to say that, but I sometimes wonder...
    How long will he be receiving chemo.... will the tumor go away... I hate not know the answers.

    Hope your husband is feeling better it's a fight . Some people can do the Chemo with very little side affects.
    I did the carbo an Taxol it made me one sick puppy I am 67 years old and had a complete lung removed left side I never made it past the 3rd cycle. They had to stop it put my blood in the dirt, white cells red cells an other cells SED rate CDR rate.
    I don't know about gemzar but taxol was the pits for me.
    There is no quarentee on any of it but your dammed if you do an dammed if you don't.
    I wish You and your husband all the best.
    I am still here after 2& a half years. still have side affects from the Chemo an I stoped Chemo in Oct 2007
    So maybe it was the Chemo Or maybe it's just not my turn yet.
    Greg
  • aptosed
    aptosed Member Posts: 2
    #6
    Alimta
    I too was on Gemzar and Carboplatin. The therepy had to be changed while I had radiation to the brain. Following radiation I was put on Alimta. The medication was reasonably well tolerated. Over the next three to four months, my tumor actually shrunk in size. I do have strange things that can happen without warning. THey include occasional vertigo, weakness, and unsteadiness on my feet. Nausea can also be a problem.
    I should tell you that I have bilateral adenocarcinoma in my lungs and that when first diagnosed had metastasis to the brain. I am 69y/o. When I feel well I will walk about a 1 1/2miles. I was dx'd in Jan 08.
    Unfortunately my tumor has recently increased in one lung and my treatment is now being revised.

    Do well, and I wish you and your husband the best.
    ed
  • Diane03
    Diane03 Member Posts: 42
    #7
    hoppy2 said:

    Chemo/Alimta
    Have you been on chemo continously since February? My husbands original Pet scan showed the tumor in his left lung plus cancer in the adrenal grands & lymph nodes so they staged it at stage IV. He started chemo May 28th. They said they could not operate without compromising the other lung. He went on a study receiving chemo (carbo & gemzar) with or without a new pill. He was on the without the new pill of the study. He received 4 cycles before getting pnemonia again. He was very tired and his blood count went down to 8.6 (it was 10.8 the week before)so they gave him a double dose injection of something that started with an 'A' (I think)..
    I have heard others receiving carbo & taxol and have wondered if having the carbo & gemzar (going on the study) was a good decision. Now they are going to have him take Alimta. You are the only person I have heard of taking this. ---

    Many others experience bad side effects with chemo and my husband has not (so it seems he has me believing) It makes me question are the drugs doing the job? We they the right drugs to use? It sounds very cold but if he did not get bad side effects is it working? I hate to say that, but I sometimes wonder...
    How long will he be receiving chemo.... will the tumor go away... I hate not know the answers.

    Alimta
    I had my first Alimta chemo 2 weeks ago. I was out of sorts for 4 days, now I feel great. I am also once every 3 weeks. The only problem I encountered was due to the steroids the doctor had me taking in conjunction with the therapy. He has since cut down the dosage and I no longer feel like the Hulk on speed.
    I had reactions to the platin family and didn't do as well on gemzar.
    I wish you and your family well.
  • stillhere_3yrs
    stillhere_3yrs Member Posts: 3
    #8
    Alimta
    I hope your husband is doing well on this type of chemo. I have been on Alimta for almost 2 1/2 years now, & am doing remarkably well. I was diagnosed with Stage 3B Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer in April of 2006. Because of the size of the mass & its close proximity to my breathing mechanisms, surgery was ruled out. I underwent 33 radiation treatments & 6 chemo treatments with Carboplatin & Taxol & then another 5 chemo treatments with Taxotere before being put on Alimta in October of 2006. Before the Alimta the cancer had shrunk, but still invaded my heart. After a short time on Alimta, my Pet scans became clearer and clearer, and finally were clean. I still have scar tissue in my lung, by no metabolic activity is registering with the scans. At this point, my doctor is keeping me on Alimta as a form of maintenance, since the side effects for me are prety minimal. He is afraid that if there is even a grain of cancer left, that it could reactivate if he takes me off of the chemo. I wish you the best & hope that your husband experiences good results.
  • janetcatz
    janetcatz Member Posts: 1
    #9
    alimta
    I was diagnosed with lung cancer,this Feb 2009,they started me on alimta and cisplatin.I just had my 3rd chemo round yesterday,my ct scan was taken after 2 rounds and showed a decrease in size and it has'nt metastisized.I feel 2-4 days after the treatment kinda flu like symptoms,not very hungry,a little nausea,but after that 2-4 days i feel great!I wish you well and my prayers are with you.
  • nubis
    nubis Member Posts: 98
    #10
    hoppy2 said:

    Chemo/Alimta
    Have you been on chemo continously since February? My husbands original Pet scan showed the tumor in his left lung plus cancer in the adrenal grands & lymph nodes so they staged it at stage IV. He started chemo May 28th. They said they could not operate without compromising the other lung. He went on a study receiving chemo (carbo & gemzar) with or without a new pill. He was on the without the new pill of the study. He received 4 cycles before getting pnemonia again. He was very tired and his blood count went down to 8.6 (it was 10.8 the week before)so they gave him a double dose injection of something that started with an 'A' (I think)..
    I have heard others receiving carbo & taxol and have wondered if having the carbo & gemzar (going on the study) was a good decision. Now they are going to have him take Alimta. You are the only person I have heard of taking this. ---

    Many others experience bad side effects with chemo and my husband has not (so it seems he has me believing) It makes me question are the drugs doing the job? We they the right drugs to use? It sounds very cold but if he did not get bad side effects is it working? I hate to say that, but I sometimes wonder...
    How long will he be receiving chemo.... will the tumor go away... I hate not know the answers.

    Dear Hoppy
    I have the same questions. How long will my husband be receiving chemo. My husband also now is STAGE IV. We will try a clinical Trial. It's very difficult but we need to use our options.

    I will ask my doctor about Aliimta!!

    You have a friend with me anytime.

    nubis
  • ARobben
    ARobben Member Posts: 46
    #11
    janetcatz said:

    alimta
    I was diagnosed with lung cancer,this Feb 2009,they started me on alimta and cisplatin.I just had my 3rd chemo round yesterday,my ct scan was taken after 2 rounds and showed a decrease in size and it has'nt metastisized.I feel 2-4 days after the treatment kinda flu like symptoms,not very hungry,a little nausea,but after that 2-4 days i feel great!I wish you well and my prayers are with you.

    Alimta
    I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in Dec 08. Since then, I've been receiving Cisplatin, Alimta, and Avastin every three weeks. My doctors have told me that this has shown to be one of the most effective treatments against lung cancer. They put me on Cisplatin, rather than Carbo, because I am young (26) and they believe I can tolerate it. First round was rough, lots of nausea, but we've been able to get that under control with meds. Starting with the second treatment, I began taking Emend, which is an anti-nausea med. This has helped a lot.

    It is typical to hit a nadir (tired period), two to three weeks after each treatment. I have experienced this, but it hasn't been bad. Just a little fatigue.

    After my first set of scans, there was some reduction in the size of the mass in my lungs. Going in for my second set of scans on Monday!

    Hope everything is well with you all!

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