Re:Gleevec Time of Day

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I have take Gleevec at night before bed either with something to eat or

without. Taking it before bed time really gets my stomach upset and I have

a lot of heartburn and indigestion. This is one of the Gleevec side effects,

but it does not occur when I take it at dinner time (as long as I am not

eating something really acidic like pizza or spaghetti)

I had to try many times of the day at first to see what right for me. Dinner

is best because I have a few hours to do whatever it is that needs to be

done in the evening and not long after that it is bed time. My theory is

that I sleep through the tiredness and therefore don't have the side effects

as badly as I did at first. I do however require longer periods of sleep

than I ever did pre-cml.

No less than 8 hours and 10 is just wonderful but rarely happens.

Most of us who started gleevec when it wad FDA approved found that dinner

time works best.

I would never consider lunch time or breakfast time. I couldn't make it

through the day if I did.

I work full time and have since diagnosis with a few days off here and there

my first year due to the side effects of interferon & ARC injections. That

was really rough compared to Gleevec. I am glad that most newbie's on the

list may never have to experience that.

Most of the harder side effects from Gleevec have subsided over the years. I

have been on 400 mgs for almost 6 years now.

The only few I have slight problems with are the muscle spasms which would

go away if I were to get back to exercising:-)

Even those are not like they use to be.I literally would get them in my neck

if I yawned or any other place in my body if I made a movement that had some

sort of curve or stretch to it.

The puffy eyes are still an issue but not as bad as it used to be. However,

because of the previous problems with too much water in my eye lids for so

many years, my skin around my eyes has totally changed my appearance and I

look oriental after always having very big eyes. So many people ask me if I

am oriental and I feel very uncomfortable with that.

I have to remind my self that its a small price to pay right.

Other than that the only other thing is the heartburn and indigestion if I

choose to eat acidic foods at dinner when I take my gleevec.

Sometimes I make the choice to do it and it never fails to give me the same

results. But I wait a few hours and take some Zantac.

I would suggest trying taking it at dinner time; I really think it would

help.

ez

[Guest guest]

I'm 46 year old male. I take 800 mg/d. I have been on this dose since

3/2004 for MRD. Dx'd 9/2003 with a WBC of 650K! I take 300 mg with

breakfast, 300 at lunch and 200 with a snack late afternoon. This is

ok'd with my Oncologist. I sometimes jockey the doses a little one way

or the other depending on whether its the weekend (more sleep -- less

pill popping time. yeah!) or depending on how I feel. This is the only

way it will work for me. If I took 400 mg at once, I'd have

indigestion and gas so bad I'd have to give it up for the day. I have

or have had all the common side effects, mostly indigestion, loose

stool, intestinal gas, muscle cramps (everywhere), fragile skin (don't

even look at anything even close to sharp!). I work full-time, 40

hours a week. Go to work at 6AM and off at 2PM. Sometimes I only get

about 6 hours sleep during the week. I make up for that weekends.

Anyhow, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Your mileage may vary.

Regards,

>

> Hello,

>

> I have take Gleevec at night before bed either with something to eat or

> without. Taking it before bed time really gets my stomach upset

and I have

> a lot of heartburn and indigestion. This is one of the Gleevec side

effects,

> but it does not occur when I take it at dinner time (as long as I am not

> eating something really acidic like pizza or spaghetti)

>

> I had to try many times of the day at first to see what right for

me. Dinner

> is best because I have a few hours to do whatever it is that needs to be

> done in the evening and not long after that it is bed time. My theory is

> that I sleep through the tiredness and therefore don't have the side

effects

> as badly as I did at first. I do however require longer periods of sleep

> than I ever did pre-cml.

>

> No less than 8 hours and 10 is just wonderful but rarely happens.

>

> Most of us who started gleevec when it wad FDA approved found that

dinner

> time works best.

>

> I would never consider lunch time or breakfast time. I couldn't make it

> through the day if I did.

>

> I work full time and have since diagnosis with a few days off here

and there

> my first year due to the side effects of interferon & ARC

injections. That

> was really rough compared to Gleevec. I am glad that most newbie's

on the

> list may never have to experience that.

>

> Most of the harder side effects from Gleevec have subsided over the

years. I

> have been on 400 mgs for almost 6 years now.

>

> The only few I have slight problems with are the muscle spasms which

would

> go away if I were to get back to exercising:-)

>

> Even those are not like they use to be.I literally would get them in

my neck

> if I yawned or any other place in my body if I made a movement that

had some

> sort of curve or stretch to it.

>

> The puffy eyes are still an issue but not as bad as it used to be.

However,

> because of the previous problems with too much water in my eye lids

for so

> many years, my skin around my eyes has totally changed my appearance

and I

> look oriental after always having very big eyes. So many people ask

me if I

> am oriental and I feel very uncomfortable with that.

>

> I have to remind my self that its a small price to pay right.

>

> Other than that the only other thing is the heartburn and

indigestion if I

> choose to eat acidic foods at dinner when I take my gleevec.

>

> Sometimes I make the choice to do it and it never fails to give me

the same

> results. But I wait a few hours and take some Zantac.

>

> I would suggest trying taking it at dinner time; I really think it would

> help.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> ez

>

>

>

>

>

>