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GemAbraxane Side Effects

Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Apr 30, 2023 | Replies (13)

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@bethf

Thanks for your input. I really appreciate it. A couple of questions. Has he lost weight? Had appetite or taste changes? Any peripheral neuropathy?

My situation has liver intrusion threatening the portal vein and I'm not sure how effective this treatment will be, so I want to seriously consider the costs and benefits to my controlling my disease and the impact to the quality of life before proceeding.

I would appreciate hearing from others, if you out there, about your experience with Gem Abraxane including people for whom it did not work. I am considered stage 4 now and considered terminal but without an expiration date.

When do you move from fight to acceptance?

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Replies to "Thanks for your input. I really appreciate it. A couple of questions. Has he lost weight?..."

Hi Beth,
My husband’s first clue of a problem was sudden weight loss and fatigue. He put his weight back on after a couple cycles of treatment - within 5 pounds of his normal.
Sometimes his mouth is dry or things like bread taste dry. Never any mouth sores but he rinses 3 times a day
with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda with warm water and then after that rinses with Biotene Oral Gentle, then cool water. He loves to eat and it’s a blessing that this works so well.
Before the addition of all the anti nausea meds and steroids he couldn’t keep food down and everything tasted horrible.
No neuropathy.
A little more sensitive to cold- we live in New England.
We have a very decent quality of life, considering, and I wish you the same.

I'll just offer up experience. I am stage 1, had successful resection then 6 months of Folferinox, but it didn't chase away all the cancer cells. Now on Gem/Abraxine regimen. I have had just two treatments thus far. With pre meds and steroids at treatment the initial side effects seem much milder that Folferinox. I did get slammed last night with flu.like symptoms, fell a little better today. Fatigue and neuropathy left over from Folferinox, and some extra fatigue from Gem also. Best wishes.

Thank you for sharing your story. Acceptance of what is I feel is an important element of daily life for everyone always. I am amazed sometimes at how much I appreciate the little things in life since I have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I have shown a response to treatment but from this support group I have learned how variable the course of treatment is and how critical acceptance of both the good and the bad is for my everyday life. Perhaps palliative care would be helpful in your situation, it focuses on improving quality of life for those in your situation. I know that your situation could easily be mine, sending you prayers for the best quality of life you can have in what remains of your life.