Gemcitabine Chemotherapy
Gemcitabine is given by a drip either in back of the head or near the collarbone or in your arm. Chemotherapy treatment using this can be given over a period of time say within cycles or within months. The decision is completely of the healthcare provider who is nursing the patient and taking care of him/her.
It is important to note that the chemotherapy gives different effects on different people. Thus the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine will also give different results to the patients. Some of the side effects are every common and some of them are rare. But side effects do occur.
Sometimes due to chemotherapy treatment there will be fall in the white blood cells which can be fatal. And therefore there are chances that there might be some chances of infection. Sometimes it may also happen that with this treatment there is rise in temperature. And there might be rise in temperature and if it is above 38ºC (100.4ºF) then you must contact the doctor.
Sometimes, this can also lead to bleeding and cuts on the skin. There might be bleeding in the gums and also spots and rashes on the body. Soemtimes this treatment can also
lead to nausea, vomits and sickness. And when this happens you must tell your physician.
Some people also experience loss of appetite, change in kidney function, chances in urinary track infections, skin changes and lot more. You may take advice of your dietician so as to find out the ways with which you can boost your appetite.
Sometimes gemcitabine can also lead to changes in skin and can create flu like symptoms. The patient may also feel flu like symptoms and water retention. There might be weakness and tiredness.
There are also problems like changes in taste. And mostly, this is the reason which leads to loss of appetite. There may be problems like mouth ulcers, breathing problems, back pain and so on. There may be symptoms of diarrhea and constipation in some patients. And there is lot of hair loss. Gemcitabine can also lead to risk of having blood clots and drowsiness. There are so many medications which are quite harmful when they are taken during the chemotherapy sessions. And therefore it is vital that when you have some other health problem you must take medication for that only when you have talked to your doctor.
Even taking contraceptive pills during chemotherapy is something risky. You must talk to your physician and then only take all these decisions. And in any way, one must not plan pregnancy while one is taking gemcitabine chemotherapy. This is because this chemotherapy has the tendency to damage the fetus. Thus, do not get pregnant during chemotherapy regime. There are many other things that must not do while chemotherapy treatment is going on. And you must take complete guidance from the doctor about things that you must do and that you must not. This will help you in making the gemcitabine therapy successful and work properly.