New ro Gemzar, input please!

Howdy all,

  I just started Gemzar and my Dr. and I chose to do the protocol spread over only 2 weeks instead of 3. So I just had Gemzar (alone) once/week for week 1 and once/week for week 2. All the RN's and Dr's had assured me that it was going to be such a nice 'break' and a mild chemo compared to the hell I had already been thru,most recently Taxol. Yet my body doesn't seem to agree with this input.

  I need to know if anyone else has experienced the following SE's and especially in the very beginning of starting this chemo regimen. This week (week #3, 1st week off chemo) I have had insomnia from hell! I not only can't go to sleep at night when I want to but can't stay asleep once I do. In addition, I have been having both diarrhea and vomiting at the same time during the nights accompanied by chills. Once I am finally able to fall asleep (ex. last night it was 5 a.m., my body woke me up at 7 a.m. as if that was normal and I couldn't go back to sleep.) On top of all that, I have bone aches, especially in my hips that makes the flu seem welcome about now. Am I losing my mind here?!

   I am going to check in with my RN today and let her know what's been going on this week. And when I see my Onc in a few weeks I will discuss with him the possiblilty that I may not be able to tolerate the Gemzar over only 2 weeks dose and may need to spread it out to a 3 week dose. But in the meantime, I treasure and so appreciate your own experiences and input with this chemo. 

Thanks much!

Virginia