I have now completed 2 cycles of the clinical treatment. My side effects have calmed down with reduced dosages of Gemcitabine and increased steroids. The steroids certainly help but I am wired all the time and this increases insomnia. When I finally finish taking the dosage 3 days after chemo then I kind of crash and have fatigue and headache for several days. Impairs my daily living a bit in that all I want to do is seek the couch. But I try to rest through the worst of it and continue with the things I want to do.
The other side effect that has worsened is the neuropathy. This is weakness, numbing and tingling in the hands and feet. My feet started becoming numb during my treatments with Taxol this past winter. It started out slowly in the toes and then spread to the whole foot. It ebbs in intensity and can be bothersome at times. Sometimes I have cramping in the foot and that can be painful. I have decided to start taking Gabapentin at night. I have had this drug in my arsenal for quite a while but it makes me drowsy so I only take one capsule at night. It seems to help calm things down which is my objective.
