kamataca Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 OK..I tried to search for answers to this question, but failed miserably... Mom had her first round of chemo today. She is doing great so far. I'm just wondering...when do the side effects 'usually' kick in? The dr gave her a low dose of Gemzar, and she is tolerating it very well. I'm staying over with her tonight (she lives alone), but if she makes it through tomorrow, should she assume she is in the clear? I don't want to leave her just as the other shoe drops, so to speak. I also don't want to crowd / smother her. Thanks for all of your help! What would I do without you all? Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muriel Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I had gemzar and cisplatin last year. They gave me gemzar every other week and cisplatin once every 4 weeks (with the gemzar). I found that most of my sideeffects were associated w/ the combo of drugs. Gemzar, alone, didn't bother me very much. What Gemzar side effects that I had started a day or so after the infusion. Encourage her to eat small amounts of her favorite foods and to drink A LOT OF WATER. Good luck. Muriel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Of course, the answer is: it depends. And you knew that! Lucie had Gemzar along with Navelbine, and did fine. Very little side effects. With other chemos, the side effects usually kicked in about 3-4 days after treatment. The one she is on right now was that way until the fourth cycle, when it hit her the next day. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrea Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 My mom had gemzar/carbo. The first round was fine; second round started to get side effects and it got progressively "worse" (but not so bad she said) and then she was done I do recall that the side effects took a couple of days to kick in, it was kind of weird, like the 4th day or so is when it hit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treebywater Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 With Mom, regardless of the combo, it was always the 3rd of 4th day that the side effects really kicked her, and sometimes they could kick pretty hard. Praying for Bev and Kelly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jendew Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I don't know about Gemzar specifically, but Daddy's usually take at least a couple of days to kick in. I hope they don't bother her too badly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ry Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 For John it was day 3 or so-- and I think that was due to his blood counts starting to drop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stand4hope Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Like Lucie, Don had the gemzar/navelbine combo - standard dose. He really did fine with those chemos. He was kind of tired, and got a little sick the first infusion, but not real bad. He took compazine after that before and after and never got sick at all. He continued to work every single day and didn't miss a beat. Now, the first combo (taxotere/carboplatin) was a different story. That combination knocked him on his hiney fanny real good. No real side effects, just EXTREME fatigue. Like Don Wood said: "It depends". Everybody is different. There are some here who had a hard time with gemzar, but I sure wanted you to hear that Don basically flew through that combo without much more than a hiccup here and there. Hope that helps. Love, Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EastCoastLadi Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Kelly, I've said this before, chemo and its' reactions or non-reactions vary from chemo to chemo and person to person. I know that in my husbands' case first w/ gemzar he had it w/ ireceotan and it caused his platlets to drop dangerously low and had to stop. With his first type of chemo cisplastin and etoposide he did fine at first but then the cumulative effects caught up to him. Now he has started last week w/ taxol alone, he did great, in fact we went walking by the river later on that day!...Now this week he is adding topotecan w/ the taxol and I and he are hoping he reacts fine. But with everyone going thru chemo, it's a wait and see. But it's good that your there w/ your mom, because just the process of going to chemo can be an overwhelming thing. I hope that she continues to do well. Grace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnmynatt Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Some people get a high fever from Gemzar that occurs in the first 24 hours. Charlie got them quite often. It just has to run it's course with tylenol and ibuprofen to help (after discussing with the dr. of course). Take care. Praying for minimal side-effects and great results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ztweb Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Kelly, My dad's side affects didn't start until about 2 weeks after. It was when the low hit, and that made it difficult to have energy. He started losing his hair then too. I can say though, that he didn't even have dry heaves or anything until after the second round. More than anything, he was just tired. Once he started radiation, combined with the chemo he had a ton of phlem and that caused nausea and dry heaves, but in general he did fine. Best of luck to Mom. Jen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Joel had a combo taxol/carbo and it took about 3 to 4 days to start to get some flu like feelings in his legs. Took pain medication that really helped him. It lasted about 5 days then he was fine. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Lamb Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 I was always in the 3 day range.After a while then I was sick all the time.I also was doing radiation at the same time tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carleen Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 With each of his chemos, Keith always felt the worse the second day. He would have what he described as flu or hangover type feelings, but no serious nausea. Days 2 & 3 where when he needed the most of my help just because he felt crappy and wouldn't necessarily feel like getting up to eat or drink so those days I made sure he was provided for. However, the fatigue always hit him the most after about 7-10 days when his blood counts would start dropping. He would take more naps, but really he felt ok to get up and about and move around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welthy Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Tony had taxotere/gemzar combo day one and gemzar only day seven. Like everyone else, 3 days out he felt crummy. He also spiked high fevers the third night after treatment from the gemzar. Fevers seemed easier to control with the gemzar only treatment. Ice packs and tylenol were the only option here too. Also he was receiving full doses of both. We felt like Gemzar was a "wonder drug" for Tony. Hope this helps. Best of luck to your Mom. Welthy Welthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolhg Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 The effects of the chemo kicked in on me on the third day and lasted for about three days. I did not have any side effects with the pre surgery chemo just the post surgery chemo because it was much stronger and I did not receive radiation concurrently as I did with the pre surgery chemo. Have her drink lots of water. Alleve pain pills worked for me. Take them before the pain sets in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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