HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Gemzar

chrisy · 02-06-2013, 04:02 PM

Hi,
Sheila, who was a dear friend of mine, passed away in December but there are plenty of other folks who have experience with Gemzar an will hopefully give you some useful feedback. I do know that Sheila had a very tough time with WBC and sometimes platelets while on Gemzar, but remember everyone reacts differently.

I've only had one cycle (2 weeks Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin, 1 week off). So it's not exactly the same regimen as you. And I don't have a lot of tracking of my blood counts on GCH yet (really just 1 week since I go in for labs tomorrow!), but I can tell you my RBC and HGB, WBC and Platelets all dropped. I do take 2 neupogen shots, and my history with those is that they do help.

on day 10 I felt like I had been hit by a mack truck. So I did spend most of that day on the couch!

Sorry I don't have much "data" to share, but I do wish you good luck and increasing counts!

Chris

02-06-2013, 04:02 PM	#9
chrisy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 3,207	Re: Gemzar - side effects and response rates? Hi, Sheila, who was a dear friend of mine, passed away in December but there are plenty of other folks who have experience with Gemzar an will hopefully give you some useful feedback. I do know that Sheila had a very tough time with WBC and sometimes platelets while on Gemzar, but remember everyone reacts differently. I've only had one cycle (2 weeks Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin, 1 week off). So it's not exactly the same regimen as you. And I don't have a lot of tracking of my blood counts on GCH yet (really just 1 week since I go in for labs tomorrow!), but I can tell you my RBC and HGB, WBC and Platelets all dropped. I do take 2 neupogen shots, and my history with those is that they do help. on day 10 I felt like I had been hit by a mack truck. So I did spend most of that day on the couch! Sorry I don't have much "data" to share, but I do wish you good luck and increasing counts! Chris __________________ Chris in Scotts Valley June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?" 9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++ 10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response! 04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED 04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial 06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin 01/08 Progression in liver 02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial 08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1 02/09 Continue NED 02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED 12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver 07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:( 12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:( 03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial 5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!! 8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!) 9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3 11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc 11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go. 2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go. 3/13 TACE procedure