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Hi Lisa

I was on Gemzar with xeloda for about a year. For me, it was a miracle drug and brought me back from the brink. It was not one of the easier chemos though. The fatigue was rough and I don't usually get nauseated but needed nausea meds for gemzar. It did drop my platelets but never to the point where I had to hold a dose . We started reducing the dose about 9 months in because I was so tired and I sort of wonder if that's why it stopped working.
I hope it works as well for you as it did for me.

One more thing, my skin was very sensitive to the sun on it. I developed lots of freckles which I never had before!

best of luck!

To Lisa -

I just read your post and I see they have opted for Gemzar rather then Abraxane.

I had liver mets for about 4 years (same tumor hung in there without spreading anywhere else fortunately) I have told my story before but don't know if you recall.

My experience with Gemzar was not bad at all. The worst side effects I recall (I took several years back now) were lowering of my counts. As far as feeling bad, I did not. I did not lose any my hair. In fact I always refer to those treatments as the easiest I have taken . I was on Navelbine for 8 months, then Gemzar for 8 months, then Xeloda for about same.

Lisa, I sometimes hesitate to tell my outcome with certain drugs because I would certainly not want to discourage anyone while they are starting it.
We all know that what maybe did not work for one person, could very well be the ANSWER for the next. Our tumors could all be responding differently to a certain drug.

I just started my first treatment with ABRAXANE yesterday for a recurrence in a node behind the pancreas. We do not know if the tumor will respond but time will tell. I think I am subconciously fighting it already since I feel like I have been "spoiled" from harsh chemo's for the last several years, but it is necessary I know.

I wish you all the luck in the world and am sorry to hear you will have to postpone that visit to see your grand daughter. Hope you tolerate the Gemzar, which I am sure you will, and pray it does the job for you.

Keep us posted on how you are doing.

Irene

I only took gemzar for 2 cycles. It gave me a slight fever and body aches like I had flu. The scan showed my lung met hadn't grown but it hadn't shrunk either and the gemzar was taking away my quality of life. So we switched to xeloda. Patty H

A year and a half ago, I had a 9cm tumor, and numerous 2cm tumors throughout my liver. I went on a clinical trial of Gemzar/Herceptin. After 9 months, my liver showed NED, and it still does now at 9 months after I stopped the Gemzar. I have been on Herceptin since, and will be on it for a lifetime.
Gemzar was very easy for me-a little nausea the evening of treatment, and some thinning of my hair.
Good luck!
Denise in PA