Gem/Cispaltin problems

Hi,Trevor,
The following is for your info. only,you must discuss with your oncologist before any change is made for your treatment plans.
Please make sure when you restart your chemo on Friday,if it is the same (Gemzar/cisplatin); make sure you ask the chemo nurse to give you pre-med dexamathsone and Zofran as an IVPB over 30 min before you actually receive the Gemzar and Cisplatin to prevent the nausea/vomiting.
You can also ask them for Ativan by mouth or Iv for your anticipatory N/V before the administration of the pre-med of Zofra and dex.
If they just give you the Gemzar only during the treatment cycle,if you do not like to have decadron, Zofran IVPB will be sufficient enough to control the N/V.
But you have to ask the oncologist first about not to put the decadron in the pre-med IVPB,since Gemzar alone is not a high emetogenicity chemo(10-30%) like cisplatin(90%) or oxaliplatin or irinotecan and carpoplatin(30-90%)
and be sure they will give you antiemetics after your Friday chemo if necessary.
Zofran by itself (alone)will not be as effective as when give with dexamethasone(about 25% more effective if Zofran is given with dexamethasone in controlling N/V for high emetogenicity chemo like cisplatiin);for other alternative nausea and vomiting treatments;please check the “side effect” forum in this web site.
The TPN you are receiving now will take care of your nutritional and electrolytes needs in the mean time.
God bless.

Trevor
When I started with Gemzar+Oxaliplatin (almost the same, but I think Oxaliplatin has a little less side-effects) I experienced a lot of nausea, thoug no vomiting. Strange, but it got better! I allways refused cortison as I don

Hi,Trevor
I am very sorry not to reply sooner;I did not check my email until now.
As you might already know;I am an ICC patient just had my 2nd liver resection done 2 weeks ago.My first one was about 2 years ago in June.BTW I am 60 years old ,I am a medical professional working in the hospital setting and I also communicate with my sister-in-law who has ECC via emails to help her about questions of her chemo treatment.She has stage IV ECC spreaded to her omentum ;and she got good results when she was on Gemzar+Xeloda and Avastin.Her carcinomatosis on the omentum shrinked “significantly” after only 8 weeks of treatment and that is why I suggested to you to see whether your oncologist will try it for you. It is much easier to take with regard to side effects of nausea and vomiting.However ,she is one of the few patients that developed the “Black Box” warning side effect of perforated colon contributed to Avastin because of her history of diverticulitis and had to stopped.she recovered and now she is on Gemzar+Xeloda.
If you noticed,I did ask you” are you on TPN in the hospital? ” the reason behind that is I want to know whether your intestine is fully normal and functional ,so that the Avastin can be used on you. GI abnormality may exclude you from the regimen that I suggested to you. Please consult with your Mayo clinic oncologist.

You are only 24 years old,you have the age factor on your side to fight this CC.

You ask how I deal with my CC.All I can say is CC is a long and winding road,it requires courage,patience and up-to-date knowledge to navigate on it. I am also a Christian and I pray and read the bible daily.And praying activities has been proven in randomized studies that benefit cancer patients.(read CAM under alternative forum on this web site if you want to know more).I keep busy and I will go back to work in August . In short , live by the Grace of God and realize that keep on learning about this disease is important in searching for a more effective treatment and eventually a cure for you and others. Do not worry because we cannot predict our future no matter how hard we try. Through research during the last two years I know one thing for sure,that is if we can hang on for the next 5 years;I will not be surprised a couple more effective treatments for CC will be found and the cure will not be far away .

So, keep your fighting spirit high and keep learning about this CC disease to help yourself as well as others;keep busy and forget that you are a cancer patient;treat the CC as a CHRONIC illness and you will feel much better about yourself. That is what I am doing now. Emails me anytime and I will try my best to learn from you too.
God bless.

Hi Trevor,

My husband has been on Gemzar/Cisplatin for 6 months and has had terrible nausea as a result. No medications seemed to work for him including marinol so now he will just be getting the Gemzar. As PLC mentioned cisplatin has a high rate of side effects.
Best of luck with your treatment.

Peony