Gemzar (Gemcitabine)

What is Gemzar?

Gemzar belongs to the class of Antineoplastics or Antimetabolite drugs. This drug is a cancer medication and performs anti-tumor activity.

What is Gemzar used for?

Gemzar is used for the treatment of cancer like breast, lung and pancreatic cancer. It helps in chemotherapy. The medication, when combined with carboplatin, can also help to cure ovarian cancer.

How does Gemzar work?

Gemzar helps in the treatment of various kinds of cancer by hindering the growth and further increase of the cancer cells in the body.

How to use Gemzar

An injection of Gemzar is induced, through a needle, into a vein. It must be administered at a hospital, and the entire process takes around 30 minutes for completion. The drug is received through an IV infusion.

For the first seven weeks, this drug is given once a week. Besides proper dosage, regular check-ups are necessary to diagnose any other problem associated with it.

Gemzar warnings and precautions

Any history regarding liver, kidney and heart diseases; radiation treatment, or diabetes, must be told to the doctor before receiving Gemzar.

If a patient is already suffering from an allergy to Gemcitabine or any other drug, he or she is advised to consult the doctor before consuming Gemzar.

While a patient is on medication of Gemzar, he or she must avoid excess intake of alcohol. Also, one must not try and approach any person, who has undergone a live vaccination. This may lead to a transfer of infection very easily.

Women and older people must be careful while consuming Gemzar, as they can be more sensitive to it. Talk to your doctor if any problem persists.

Pregnant women and lactating women are not advised to receive Gemzar, as it may cause serious trouble to the baby.

Wash your skin or the area that has by mistake come into contact with Gemzar.

What do I do if I have missed a Gemzar dose?

If you have missed your Gemzar dose, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible.

What do I do if I have taken a Gemzar overdose?

If you have taken a Gemzar overdose, you should immediately seek consultation from your doctor.

Gemzar interactions

Any drug concerned with anti-cancer or live vaccinations that have been consumed recently by the patient, should not be accompanied by an immediate consumption of Gemzar. These drugs may interact with each other and prove fatal.

Also, if a patient is previously on the medication of sleeping pills, sedatives, tranquilizers, anti-anxiety drug, narcotic pain relievers, psychiatric medicines, muscle relaxants or drowsiness-causing antihistamines, he must consult the doctor, before consuming them concurrently with Gemzar.

Gemzar side effects

Before you start consuming Gemzar, tell your doctor if you are sensitive to any kind of infection. This is because Gemzar can lower the ability to sustain infections, due to which, one can easily and frequently get sick.

The medication might result in vomiting, nausea or redness, in some cases. Patients must instantly contact their doctors, if any such symptom is witnessed.

Other side effects of Gemzar also include sore throat, mouth sores, chills, fever, fatigue, less diet, hair loss, and a feeling of numbness in hands and feet.

Abnormal sweating and difficulty in sleeping are also some offshoots of this medicine, in some cases. One may also face vision problems, or irregularity in heartbeat after consuming Gemzar.