what condition my condition is in. (giggle)

[Guest guest]

First off wanted to say to " K " , I love you Sis. I hope you an

are doing well.

Ok now on to the posting ~ I was DX'd june 2000 started gleevec june

2001 @ 400 mg, but I was reduced to 300 mg in Oct 2004.

What condition my condition is in

I don't seem to be able to tell how I feel when I'm seeing the

doctor, and I'm trying to explain my condition this way.

1) Starting with going to the bathroom, I have been having a

problem with this for a long time now,, it started with blood in my

urine I'd say Jan. of 2002, I went to a doctor in Bellingham and he

did a cyctoscopy, he found no reason for the bleeding from his

test. I stopped working at the end of February 2002 and a month

later or so, the bleeding had gone away enough to where I could no

longer see it in my urine, I did have a test for blood again, later

in 2002 and a small amount of blood was found,, (we have never found

the cause of the bleeding and have moved on past looking for it ,,

there are still times however that I do think that I am seeing blood

once again in my urine, it is usually preceded by pain in my sides

just under my rib cage, but it dose not seem to last long. (Now)

this urine problem has also been causing me to loose control with

holding my urine at times, I sometimes feel the need to pee but can

not,, then moments later I will need to hurry to the rest room to

pee., Also,, it often happens now that just out of the blue, I

realize that I need to go pee, and I need to hurry, (I don't always

make it anymore). This is something that I had been thinking is

caused by the meds I take for the leukemia, however it needs to be

known that my grandfather died from blather cancer, and my father

just had his prostrate removed because of cancer in his prostrate.

2) Bad tummy, this seems to be a constant problem for me. The meds

I take for my tummy are Protonix and Hyoscyamin and from the

Hyoscyamin, I seem to get relief from pain for short times,, but I

am taking the pill three to four times a day. The pain moves and is

not always in the same place.. some times it lower left side, or

right/left side just under my ribs. But I only take the pill when

the pain is in the middle of my gut. I hate the pain in my tummy

and it is almost always there. I feel sick to my tummy a lot, and

get sick enough to vomit, not as much as I used to, but its still

happening about three times a week.

3) Memory, or lack of, this is better some days then others , but it

is a problem sometimes,, I have been trying to think more, to use my

mind, but I still seen to always forget things,, Short term things

mostly. I really am tired of always looking for what I just had in

my hand, I often finds that I cant say a complete thought without

forgetting what is was I wanted to say when I started the sentence.

4) My eyes are almost always puffy and reddish around the eye. In

the morning I am having to continually wipe my eyes, until they stop

seeping fluid.

5) Rash and bumps on body,, I have seen these on my chest but it

seems to be worse on my feet.

6) Hypopigmentation –(a fifty cent word )- loss of skin coloring. I

see this mostly on my face, although its not painful , it makes me

not want to be seen in public, and it is a constant reminder to me

of my condition.

7) Energy, I try to do things, (ie. House work and some yard work)

and some days are better then others. I get tired easy and I can

only do a little at a time. I have to rest a lot during the day, and

try to have a nap in the afternoon.

8) Depression, I feel down some days but I take welbutrin to help

me, and I think it helps. I have been very depressed in the past and

know what its like to be depressed. I do not think that at this

time , I suffer from depression much more then a otherwise healthy

person would.

Well Im sure there's more that I am forgetting even though I have

been working on this letter for weeks now I still feel like Im

forgetting stuff.

If anyone has sugestions for me, i would be happy to see them.

Hang tough, ttfn,