Gemcitabine and Carboplatin

Suslev23

Hi all,

I saw a thread regarding G & C in triple negative thread, but it was pretty dated. I am not triple negative, but not responding to Xeloda. So next step is G/C infusion 2 weeks on 1 week off. Anyone else on either of these drugs? Would love to hear any and all experiences!

Milwmama

I will be starting thursday. I am TN.

Suslev23

I’m starting Thursday, too. Sending good thoughts your way

Milwmama

Mine is for a reoccurrence of IBC TN BRCA2 in my peritoneum, and a couple of chest lymph nodes. I did AC then Taxol/carboplatin last time. My tumors shrunk so I am hopeful for this time around.

👍

Batfax

My wife has been on them since late May and she's getting excellent results. She had very large, confluent liver mets as well as bulky abdominal nodes. They have decreased significantly. This is her sixth line of treatment (Taxol, Ibrance, Exemestane + Everolimus + Ribociclib, Xeloda, Halaven) and we were a little nervous as Xeloda and Halaven pretty much never worked. She's tolerated side effects very well, although when she was on the two weeks on, one week off schedule she regularly had to skip a week as her platelets were often too low to proceed with treatment. Also, after resisting it for two years of treatment, she needed to get a port as the gem did no real number on her veins. Ultimately, she was either blowing her lines or the nurses just couldn't find her veins. Overall, gem carbo seems to be working really well.

Suslev23

Batfax, would you mind telling me what kind of side effects she’s experiencing? I have also made it this far without port, so looks like that may end up being next step. Thanks for responding. This is my first “real” convos on here.! Very appreciative!

yangtan

I did this combo for five cycles over five months. Side effects are extreme fatigue and bad blood counts, red, white and platelets. And not sure is due to chemo but I am also very irritable and depressed. After the third cycle I took a week break to have a vacation to go see whales. After the fifth cycle when I also got fed up, the marker was also at its lowest, and way in the black. So the oncologist and I decided to surgically removed the infected nodes. Now I am on faslodex and happy. Heading to japan to see autumn colors in two weeks. Wish you allsuccess With this combo.

Batfax

Suslev,

The side effects haven't been terrible for my wife. She's only 33 and otherwise healthy/in good shape, so perhaps that helps her tolerate it. She does get nauseous the day of treatment, but she hasn't been vomiting or anything that severe. Otherwise, she seems to be tolerating it better than she did Taxol, which she took for 9 months, and Xeloda, which gave her bad hand and foot syndrome. This morning she mentioned feeling some light neuropathy, so we'll keep an eye on that. The biggest issue has been the damage to her veins, requiring her to get a port, and her blood counts. It seems as if she's increasingly needing to miss a treatment due to low white blood cell or platelet counts. For example, even after two weeks off, she missed treatment today because her WBC was down to 1 (supposed to be 3.4-11, and 1 is her lowest ever) and platelets were down to 85 (supposed to be 150-450, but 85 isn't the lowest she's gone).

Suslev23

thank you for the info, I’m only 28 so hoping that also plays in my favor. I don’t have a port (finished ACT in May) but have been having a lot of issues getting blood. So I assume that a port is in my future too. Hope your wife’s counts are up soon!!

mltorrespdx

I will be getting a port in on 11/22/17 and starting this combo on 11/24/17. The Xeloda stopped working for me, so tried a clinical trial. My liver enzymes went through the roof and I ended up in the hospital for a week to bring them down. My liver enzymes are now back to normal, but the break in chemo caused my right breast to flare up with invasive ductal carcinoma and my bone mets to flare up. The swelling is going down slowly on afinitor and exemestane, but my marker is still sitting at 90 and we need to get it down. The hope is this combo will help me get ahead of this faster and then I can return to the oral chemo to keep me stable.

Suslev23

I’ve only had one treatment, bc my bloods and platelets have been so low. Other then that side effects aren’t too bad. Im finally getting my second tx today. I’d say biggest side effect is fatigue, but that can be from low counts. Thus far I haven’t need port, which makes me proud lol. Even after all the chemo they’re holding on! Happy to chat more if you wnt. I was nervous before getting it because I was scared it wasn’t going to be comparable to act

Milwmama

Had to skip the second treatment (gemzar) because ANC was .6 :,(

Next treatment Gem/carbo is scheduled for the 21st. Fingers crossed. Onc did talk about Neuprogen shots if needed to help with counts, but is going to try different dosage first. No side effects to speak of, but I take CBD oil to help with those.

Sure hope this combo is kicking the shit out of my cancer.

auroaya200882

Hi I’m new to the thread but not to stage IV I had bone mets for four years and it just progressed to liver so doc put me on Gemzar only starting next week. I know nothing about Gemzar so I’d appreciate any info you could give me.

Thank you

Aurora

Aktar

My mom is also having same drug combination. She was diagnosed with mbc 2/28/2017. Doc prescribed taxol+Carbo. It worked pretty well. As the treatment stopped the lung mets started progressing again. Again doctor prescribed gemicitabine +docetaxel. She only had one cycle (every other 21 days-day 1(gemicitabine +docetaxel) & day 8(gemicitabine only). Hope this combo works.

Aktar

My mom is also having gemicitabine+docetaxel drug combination. She was diagnosed with mbc 2/28/2017. Doc prescribed taxol+Carbo. It worked pretty well. As the treatment stopped the lung mets started progressing again. Again doctor prescribed gemicitabine +docetaxel. She only had one cycle (every other 21 days-day 1(gemicitabine +docetaxel) & day 8(gemicitabine only). Hope this combo works. She is only ER+

artistatheart

Not much posting on this thread so i need as much info as I can get. Starting Gemzar soon and nervous I'll just blow through another......any suggestions?

Milwmama

I was changed to Gem/Cisplatin and am responding for now. Was having low ANC counts so changed from 2 on 1 off to every other week. Hoping to keep ANC up so I dont miss any more treatments. So far so good.

Suslev23

Artist at heart,

Are you doing just gemzar? Or a combo?

Milwmama

Combo Gem/Cisplatin. Have done only gem when numbers were not good but wanted to get a treatment in. Cisplatin is what is knocking my numbers.

Milwmama

Sorry, misread thought it was for me.

keetmom

Looks like I will be starting next week, he is going to hit me with big Carbo on week one. Scanning tomorrow for starting next week.... Not to worried as we are changing regardless. Just want to get started.

keetmom

Starting today.... Anyone else still on

minxie

I'm starting this chemo tomorrow. Looking forward to beating up some cancer, but dreading the chemo procedure itself. I have PTSD about my last chemo experiences. I've refused a port this time. I still have a 1x1 inch scar where the last one was.

keetmom

Minxie how are you feeling? I had just gem on Thursday and am actually feeling pretty good today. I just finished whole brain radiation 3weeks ago so it's nice to feel a bit normal.

I'm so glad for my port my veins suck.

chronquist22

My mom will be starting this combo on 4/11/18. Her ONC is super hopefully that this combo will stop the growth as she was just on a trial, and the drugs didn't work. At all. UGH!

I will give you an update as I have them!

Love, positive vibes, healing thoughts, and good energy to all!

minxie

Just had my 2nd dose yesterday. I was a little nauseous and achey after the first dose, but doing ok today. My only concern was yesterday's blood work. After just one dose my RBC, platelets and white blood cells were in the low zone. I'm hoping things build back up during my next week off.

Good luck to you all, hoping for easy and productive treatments!!!

elm55

I have been on Gemzar/Carboplatin regime for one year. Regimen is Day 1: Carb/Gem, Day 8: Gem + neulasta (on-site arm injector), Day 15: off. Premeds are dexamethosone (Day 1 and Day 8- which makes me very sleepy!) and Aloxi (for nausea) on Day 1. CT scans every 3 months. Great response- all tumors have either shrunk significantly or have disappeared.

Side effects are very manageable. My treatment is on Friday- Saturday is fine and Sunday, I am just a bit out of sorts and don't feel like doing anything. Don't really ever feel too nauseous- just mildly queasy. Not too fatigued. Biggest side effect is on my blood. Neulasta keeps my white count acceptable, but my Hemoglobin slowly drops. I've had 3 transfusions after Hb values of 7.3, 6.9. and 6.7. Needless to say dizziness and fatigue were remarkable!

I don't like having to have a doctor's appointment and infusion for 2 weeks out of every 3 weeks and I don't like getting transfusions (every 3 months or so-takes all day!)- but the drugs are doing their magic and quality of life is good. I've had every drug regimen used for TNC since diagnosis in 2006 so my response to Carb/gem was unexpected. I can't complain (too much!). Life is good.

I wish you luck when you start this treatment. I hope your response if as good as mine has been.

minxie

Anyone get insomnia from this TX? I take meds to help me sleep, but I keep waking up around 3 or 4 and can't get back to sleep. The fatigue is not helping. I mysteriously lost 7 lbs this week, not sure why - no vomiting or diarrhea.

keetmom

I'm having same sleep issues but I'm on dexamethason for my brain Mets. Last cycle I lost weight too I go in on Thursday worked really hard at eating because I don't have weight to loose.

MameMe

Hi Keet, I have been through Taxol, Xeloda, Doxil and Halaven, and am to start Gemzar on Friday. Not many people get this as a one drug treatment, it seems. Anyway, I am adjusting to the failure of Halaven and the realization that I really do have stage IV cancer, something I go throu every year or so! I amhoping this stuff works for me without intense side effects. You've had quite a ride this year, and I hope things can stabilize and give you some easier days now.

minxie

Has anyone had problems with rising liver enzyme levels on this chemo? Mine have been going up every week since I started. They're way high. I'm wondering when they start considering that the chemo is causing liver damage. Is there a certain point?