HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - GEMZAR...any tips from those who have had it?

Chelee · 07-13-2011, 04:10 PM

Hi Shelia,
I've never been on Gemzar. However my Mother had advanced lung cancer and was on it for a while. She was 77 yrs old at the time and I was amazed--she handled it quite well. She had very few SE's from it. She did have mild nausea for a few days...but not bad. It did affect her appetite a little bit...but ate well regardless. Other then that it seemed to be a very tolerable chemo to do. She did have some fatigue a few days but it would pass. Her hair gradually started thinning out very slowly! We kept thinking maybe she wouldn't lose it all? She had to have WBR--had she not had that I think it might of just thinned out a bit? My Mother had other health issues so I was really worried about her starting chemo. Over all she just did great on Gemzar. So I don't think you of all ppl will have many problems? At least I hope not. I hope it kicks butt on your cancer and causes you little to no problems at all.

Chelee

07-13-2011, 04:10 PM	#6
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Re: GEMZAR...any tips from those who have had it? Hi Shelia, I've never been on Gemzar. However my Mother had advanced lung cancer and was on it for a while. She was 77 yrs old at the time and I was amazed--she handled it quite well. She had very few SE's from it. She did have mild nausea for a few days...but not bad. It did affect her appetite a little bit...but ate well regardless. Other then that it seemed to be a very tolerable chemo to do. She did have some fatigue a few days but it would pass. Her hair gradually started thinning out very slowly! We kept thinking maybe she wouldn't lose it all? She had to have WBR--had she not had that I think it might of just thinned out a bit? My Mother had other health issues so I was really worried about her starting chemo. Over all she just did great on Gemzar. So I don't think you of all ppl will have many problems? At least I hope not. I hope it kicks butt on your cancer and causes you little to no problems at all. Chelee __________________ DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes. Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs. Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06 Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07 3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07 9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV. 9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa 9-29-09 Power Port Placement 10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head. 11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed 12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa. 3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed. 4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone. 5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy. Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time. 7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.