1. < Pancreatic Cancer

Anyone on gemcitabine without abraxane after folfirnox and oral chemo?

Posted by layla97 @layla97, Jun 14 1:44pm

My sister received 12 rounds Folfirinox and was on oral capecitabine but suffered a stroke. Aphasia is improving but low platelets prevent any anticoag administration. He said he is unsure why oral capecitabine induced low platelets. Recent MRI revealed head of pancreas tumor still hardly noticeable (after improving on Folfirinox) but a few nodules in abdomen (omentum) one which grew maybe 2cm and another new nodule causing some mild ascites in the cul-de-sac.
He now wants to start her on IV Gemcitabine without abraxane, (pending labs) every 2 weeks. My questions (among many) are: side effects of Gem alone? Nausea? Lack of appetite? Weakness? She was quite ill on Folfirinox the whole time.

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gamaryanne | @gamaryanne | Jun 15 6:52am

@layla97
Everyone is different depending on their overall medical health. However, almost everyone I speak with says Gem is much easier to tolerate. Especially without the abraxane. After my last surgery I did them together until February. Took a month off and stepped back to bi-monthly doses of Gem. With the pre-meds I am able to easily drive home on my own and maybe do a little shopping on the way! It kept my markers in normal range for several months but now they are on the rise and scans have confirmed another reoccurrence in my liver .
No one can predict how she will handle it but if her health is otherwise good now she should be fine.

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1 reply
layla97 | @layla97 | Jun 15 8:39am
In reply to @gamaryanne "@layla97 Everyone is different depending on their overall medical health. However, almost everyone I speak with..." + (show)
@gamaryanne

@layla97
Everyone is different depending on their overall medical health. However, almost everyone I speak with says Gem is much easier to tolerate. Especially without the abraxane. After my last surgery I did them together until February. Took a month off and stepped back to bi-monthly doses of Gem. With the pre-meds I am able to easily drive home on my own and maybe do a little shopping on the way! It kept my markers in normal range for several months but now they are on the rise and scans have confirmed another reoccurrence in my liver .
No one can predict how she will handle it but if her health is otherwise good now she should be fine.

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Thank you @gamaryanne. I am always so appreciative of responses I get here. Hoping she does well on Gem, and wishing you luck on this part of your journey.

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shwatts1968 | @shwatts1968 | Jun 17 8:12pm

I am currently going through all of the side effects from gem

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shwatts1968 | @shwatts1968 | Jun 17 8:17pm

I sm currently on dialysis due to gem with abrax. I had the whipple surgery. Then months later spots were found on liver. The chemo did not shrink the spots, however, it reaked havoc on my kidneys

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marcia | @marciak9 | Jun 18 8:17am

I’m currently on gem/abrax and keep going to ER with fevers then pneumonia and 4 days in the hospital. I just asked for a week off. I don’t know what to do.

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