healmymom
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Posts:44
Hello,
My mom is on Alimta as maintenance. Is 3 week intervals still the norm, or is 4 week intervals work just as well?
Also, I am surprised how sick she got this time from Alimta. Vomited several times days 5 and then her esophagus is constantly hurting, feels like something is clogging her throat, and also pretty bad pain in left side upper intestines. Is this common ?
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Reply # - September 2, 2014, 10:15 PM
Reply To: Frequency of Alimta as Maintenance
Most people do tolerate Alimta (pemetrexed) very well, but "results may vary", and some patients do have a hard time -- though it sounds like something else may be the issue, especially if she has already been on Alimta and has not had as difficult a time in the past.
Though every three weeks is the textbook answer, many oncologists, including many lung cancer experts, readily transition to every 4 week treatment in patients who need the extra week. The idea is to give the least amount of treatment required to keep the cancer at bay. While it's generally feasible to give it at 3 week intervals and that's great for people who are doing fine on it, the value of maintenance therapy is not so compelling that it's worth making people miserable to deliver it according to a somewhat arbitrary schedule.
Good luck.
-Dr. West