Hello

Suz....I would like to follow Lainy and welcome you to our site.  Thanks for joining in and sharing your story with us. Your sister's response to the reduced dosage appears to be working well and that in itself is fantastic news.  I am wondering, dear Suz, as to what her current regimen consists of? Is your sister receiving half of the normal administration of Gem/Cis or, is she receiving treatments less often? 
Thanks again for becoming a member on our site.  We are in this together -  all the way.  I wish for continued success.
Hugs,
Marion

Thank you for your replys! Just a little more info on my sister.She is 67 years old. Started Gem Cis 2weeks on then one week off for about 6 months. Considerable shrinkage of most tumors. Since Sept has been on what the Dr calls a maintenance dose of once every 3 weeks. She gets the same dosage of each medicine as before. The onc. said she would get a CAT scan every 3-4 months and he hoped the tumors would be kept at bay. Eventually they would start to grow back. She also gets a shot of Neulasta after each chemo. She is a fighter. Best wishes to all on this board. I feel like I know you all . Been such a wealth of info for me for almost a year now. Suz

Hi Marion. Yes my sister has had 1 CAT scan since reduced regimen of chemo and she did have some more shrinkage of tumors. The Dr said some of them looked dead. So the next scan will be in February sometime. Thanks for caring . It really helps to connect with others who know just how you feel! It's so hard to watch someone you love have to deal with such an awful diagnosis and not knowing when it will be back with a vengeance . But for today all is well!!! Suz

Suz....we love, love, love, the word shrinkage.  That is fantastic.  No reason to believe that the February scan won't be equally as great. 
Hugs,
Marion

Dear Suz....what great news about your sister's CT!  The roller coaster is just that, tho it sounds like she is in the lead car!

What a wonderful bllessing you both have to be able to be together right now-prayers for you both as she approache her Feb scan.

Deane

Hi Suz,

I am glad you decided to take the plunge and join in the conversations! We are always happy to have new people, but so terribly sorry they are affected by this cancer in one way or another. Your sister sounds like a real fighter. My daughter has this cancer and she is as well. She continues to live her life to the fullest and not let things get her down. She just got engaged on Christmas Day and is going on a trip to Mexico next week! She rests on the bad days and lives it up on the good days!! Shrinkage has become one of our very favorite words!! I wish you and your sister all the best. Take care and hope to hear from you again real soon.

Love,
-Pam

Dear Suz ,
May I ask what kind of chemo up it sister is doing for maintenance? Still Gem Cis? I've heard it can work for a while and then not (cancer mutates and develops resistance) so they like to switch up chemo types. Also, how does she manage side effects? Has she had problems with low platelet counts?
While my sister was trying to get gem Cis on booard last fall, they kept delaying g her infusions due to slammed w c and esp platelet counts. Meanwhile can ER went from stage 3 to 4. They did y90 radioembo which targeted tumors in liver but meanwhile those seed cells had spread to omentum, abdominal aortic lymph nodes and every love of her lungs. We are devastated though she tries just not to think about it as her coping mechanism. Essentially she had no chemo from mid Nov till mid April when they put her on Xeloda pills (supposedly milder on platets). So frustrated because she has a little boy only 9 (3rd grade). Amazing thing is that aside from fatigue, and low back ache, she has very few symptoms of this cancer. I feel like we are holding our breath!
Well, as a fellow sister of one with stage 4 ICC Im so glad you posted. I'm really glad your sister was able to tolerate long term gem Cis with some success (slowing and shrinking this monster is name of the game!)
God bless you.  Willow