Anyone on Gemcitabine with Abraxane? How long? Effective?

@scalettasandy
We have all been where you are. When I was diagnosed stage IV I had a busy real estate group, lots of volunteer activities, and tons of travel and fun times planned. It shook me to the core.
Then I knew I had a choice. I could choose joy in every day things or I could drown in “self”.
I chose joy but also to know and learn everything possible I could about my situation.
I looked at the survivor rate, which is a broad term as all cases are not the same. 12% was not encouraging-until I did the numbers! 12% is thousands of people! Why couldn’t I be one of them? Maybe I will or maybe I won’t, but I am 23 months into this and thriving. We are all different, but I still work and find joy in helping others. There is always someone among us that has a worse situation. Often I feel helpless to make a difference, but sometimes just being there for someone or writing a note does. It certainly helps me!
Sleep is healing! Focus with your doctor on some good sleep and ways to get protein. You can be a better you. If they aren’t helping go elsewhere!!
Xoxo

You are blessed. My husband has not had good results with accupuncture.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. It seems every time at try to investigate things that I hear that happens to pancreatic cancer patients the more panicked I become! I can’t sleep because it all is so darn scary and painful and I’m all alone here. I’m looking like a walking bald skeleton and to be honest can’t figure out how go on knowing some of the horrendous things coming! I was diagnosed in March and have done nothing but cry, panic , not sleep, can’t eat anything anymore unless I want to spend a couple hours in the bathroom. I just don’t know what to do. I’m sorry, I’m just at the end of my rope how scary this is

My husband has been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer. Has spread to the liver. Went to ER Oct 4 for severe constipation after a family vacation to Munich for Octoberfest. CT scan in ER Showed mass on pancreas and liver. Shocking news!, PET scan and MRI showed spots of omental carcinomatosis. He had his first round of chemo today. Abraxane and Gemcitabiene. He has slept most of the day. Had a little nausea but took meds for that and it went away. He just feels lousy. Hopefully he feels a little better tomorrow. His treatment plan is day 1, 8, and 15 then a week off.
We are praying for progress. He is 68. We are staying positive!! There has to be something out there to stop this cancer. I am so grateful I found this group.

The post you read about the stage IV survivor doing well. Can you share her blog name?

@annsant: Has he tried more than one acupuncturist? I've tried three over time -- one was great but moved to another state; two was (to my min) mediocre; and three was very good/great.

@scalettasandy : Hi. I live alone, I have no family nearby, and my closest friends are 200+ mi. away, so I empathize.

Until recently, I had a longtime therapist, and she was a great support. (She retired, which had been in the works for two years; not a surprise, therefore, but bad timing for me.)

My hospital's cancer center has a social worker who has been a great support in various ways; she's an LCSW, so she could provide a few sessions of therapy, and she has put me in touch with the Behavioral Health unit at the hospital, with the goal of my having short-term psychotherapy support (3 mos. is their limit) if I want it. I'm not sure whether I do, but I'm glad it's a possibility.

This is a lousy time to be without support, and I feel for you. Might your hospital be able to help in these, or other, ways?

ETA: If any of your relatives live near a bigger / better hospital, might you be able to move in with them for a few months?

My husband has been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer. Has spread to the liver. Went to ER Oct 4 for severe constipation after a family vacation to Munich for Octoberfest. CT scan in ER Showed mass on pancreas and liver. Shocking news!, PET scan and MRI showed spots of omental carcinomatosis. He had his first round of chemo today. Abraxane and Gemcitabiene. He has slept most of the day. Had a little nausea but took meds for that and it went away. He just feels lousy. Hopefully he feels a little better tomorrow. His treatment plan is day 1, 8, and 15 then a week off.
We are praying for progress. He is 68. We are staying positive!! There has to be something out there to stop this cancer. I am so grateful I found this group.