Gemzar

[Cowgirl2]

Hi. I have Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer in my lymph nodes. I had a scan done in November and they cancer has spread throughout the lymph nodes in my chest and between my breast bone. I was taking Xeloda and Tykerb for 13 months. My cancer was diagnosed on March 30, 2014

This past Thursday I started a new IV chemo with Gemzar and Herceptin. Has anyone been on Gemzar? Was it successful in slowing down your cancer? I have had flu like symptoms since Thursday and TERRIBLE headaches plus I have been so sleepy and exhausted. Any information would be so appreciative

[SusieIM]

I have not had this kind of chemo, maybe someone else here has. I am on ibrance and femara. Hang in there. If your having a hard time, did you tell your doc.

[Sheila100856 in reply to SusieIM]

Hi SUSAN,May I ask how long you’ve been in treatment with the Ibrance and Femara I have been on the Femara for 21 months doing well I am told that they will add Ibrance in Jan♥️are your side effects tolerable?Thanks

[Halfpint2 in reply to Sheila100856]

I did Femara for 8 months then they added Ibrance. I’ve had fatigue and a little hair thinning, but tolerating the highest dosage just fine. I’ll have scans on the 28th to see if it’s helping.

[Cowgirl2 in reply to SusieIM]

I haven't yet, but I see her b4 my next infusion and I am going to. I am still feeling bad so I want to see how long it lasts. Thank you.

[Abby2312]

Hi cowgirl2. Earlier this year I was on gemzar. It made me tired to the first day of the treatment. When I got home the first thing I would drink is a whole bottle of Gatorade andLots of water. Eat well too. It helped me with the fatigue.i had headaches to. I used to take some Sudafed sinus pressure it helped me a lot. Praying for you!!

[Cowgirl2 in reply to Abby2312]

Thank you. I really hope that the side effects get easier. I haven't been this miserable for awhile I am so thankful to hear that Sudafed Sinus might help. I will definitely try it.

[PJBinMI]

Hi, I've not been on Gemzar myself but one of my good friends was. She had a her2neu positive bc and lived about 13 years after being diagnosed with lung mets. She rarely got over a year from any one med. She found Gemzar to be fairly easy and I'm pretty sure she was on Herceptin while on Gemzar. She was on Gemzar when I first met her, at a local mbc support group. She was still working part time in her family's insurance office and baby sat for her grandson a couple of days a week. I hope you will find Gemzar helpful. One thing to ask your onc is whether those side effects are likely to ease up as you have more Gemzar. With some drugs, side effects tend to be worse at the beginning. With others, side effects are more likely to build up and increase over time.

[Cowgirl2 in reply to PJBinMI]

Thank you so much for your information. I truly appreciate it. I have been pretty fortunate with my chemo treatments. Kadcyla lasted 22 months and the Tykerb/Xeloda lasted 13 months. I am HER2 positive.

[spouseM]

Dear Cowgirl

I have not had this treatment, but I want to send you my very best wishes that this treatment is effective for you. Sending loving thoughts your way...Michelle

[Cowgirl2 in reply to spouseM]

Thank you for your thoughts

[PinkLemonade]

I've been on Gemzar for five months now. For me, it's actually been easier to tolerate than anything else I've been on, and any side effects have lessened over time. I did have flu-like symptoms the first two cycles but not since. Following my first two cycles I came home and slept the rest of the day, but by the third cycle I felt okay to return to working that same afternoon. I still have a couple days, post-infusion, when I'm super-tired, but I have chemo on Thursday and the tiredness hits on that weekend so I just give in to it and nap a lot over the weekend. I get a headache following chemo but it passes after that day. For me, drinking fluids helps to minimize the headache. (I suspect my headache might be from dehydration.) My counts, which had dropped a lot while on Ibrance, have improved on Gemzar and are now consistently in the lower normal range.

[Cowgirl2 in reply to PinkLemonade]

Thank you PinkLemonade. I have just had my second infusion and it is much easier than the first. I hope it continues to improve and, most importantly, works for a while. I pray that you continue to do well.

[Halfpint2]

I’ve done Gemzar, Taxol and Taxotere. My cancer shrunk on all of them.

[tmills64]

Hi. I had very good response on Gemzar, I did have some nausea, but it doesn't take much to make me nauseated. I had mets to bones, I am now on Ibrance and Letrozole just started my 10 cycle. Prayers for you and everyone here.

[Cowgirl2]

Thank you tmills64. I am thankful to hear that Gemzar was effective for you. I pray that you continue to do well.