PCH + 91%

[Guest guest]

I'd like to thank everyone for your valuable information on these

postings. I finally had my first visit with my oncologist since

being diagnosed with CML and starting gleevec. Until now I didn't

know any of my relevant numbers. I have told some of you that once I

got my records I would share them with you so here goes;

At diagnosis in the chronic phase my WBC was a mere 25.9, and my

platelets were 703. I was pch + 91%, with < 5% blasts. Since I only

have a baseline I cannot yet give a PCR log reduction. I was quite

symptomatic already at time of dx with severe fatigue, spleen pain,

dizziness, intolerance to heat, and a very strong feeling of being

unwell.

After one gruelling month of 400 mg. gleevec some of my counts are

already below normal, WBC 3.5, RBC 3.89, Hemoglobin 116,

lymphocytes .9, neutrophils 2.0. RDW is up slightly to 15.5

My oncologist says we will watch it closely and if they drop much

more then we will discuss either stopping the gleevec temporarily or

taking more drugs to up the counts. Neupogen for WBC and something

for the red cells that escapes me right now.

For a while there I was thinking the side-effects were worse than the

disease, but the last couple of days I have been merely feeling

crappy, not at all as nasty as I had been. I am full of hope that

this disease is going to be completely manageable. That said, my

sisters and i will be getting typed just in case I need an HLA match

in my back pocket.

I wish you all good health and great happiness.