Guest guest Posted May 22, 2007 Report Share Posted May 22, 2007 Hi e, Before I would agree to going below 400mg, I would ask for a serum level test to see how you're metabolizing Gleevec. There are a few people who metabolize the drug differently and for them, a lower dose is equivalent to a much higher dose in the rest of us. If this is the case with you, then there shouldn't be a problem with you going to a lower dose but you would want to be followed by someone who really knows what they're doing (like Dr. Druker). Serum level testing isn't done in many places. I believe there's only one lab on the east coast that's doing it right now but you could ask your doctor or maybe someone in the group can find out for you (I know once mentioned it). Have you tried using Neupogen to increase your ANC? Some of our members use Neupogen regularly and it seems that the experts would much rather see a patient remain on Gleevec with the addition of Neupogen than to take them off the Gleevec for breaks. It sounds like your doctor is more of a transplant doctor than a CML doctor if he's pushing you to consider a BMT when you've had a 3 log reduction. You may want to consider doing what many of us have done over the years and that's get a new doctor. Take care, Tracey dx Jan 2002 > > Hi everyone. I have been reading this board since diagnosis but have > only posted a few times. Heres a little background about myself. I am > a 34 yr old female married with 3 children ages 4 and 2 year old > twins. I was dx in July of 2006. In August I started in a trial the > 800mg vs 400mg trial. I started on 800mg but because of neutropenia I > went down to 600mg, to 400mg, and now currently on 300mg. My ANC is > still below 1000 so I am currently taking a break from gleevec. If my > counts do not recover in two weeks I will be taken off the trial. My > oncologist said that he believes that I will do just fine on 200mg a > day. I have reached a 3 log reduction to this point. I am just > curious if any of you are on less than 400mg a day? Do you think that > this is safe or should I consider sprycel? I don't believe that a have > failed Gleevec, or have I? Also my oncologist seems to mention BMT > every time I am in his office. I absolutely do not want this. > Especially because of all the new drugs that are being developed. Any > input would be great, I respect all of your opionions. > e > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2007 Report Share Posted May 22, 2007 I believe BMT is two risky & their is no guarantee that it wont come back.I think sprycel would be worth looking in to.I had the same issues your having & it worked for me. [ ] gleevec dosage Hi everyone. I have been reading this board since diagnosis but have only posted a few times. Heres a little background about myself. I am a 34 yr old female married with 3 children ages 4 and 2 year old twins. I was dx in July of 2006. In August I started in a trial the 800mg vs 400mg trial. I started on 800mg but because of neutropenia I went down to 600mg, to 400mg, and now currently on 300mg. My ANC is still below 1000 so I am currently taking a break from gleevec. If my counts do not recover in two weeks I will be taken off the trial. My oncologist said that he believes that I will do just fine on 200mg a day. I have reached a 3 log reduction to this point. I am just curious if any of you are on less than 400mg a day? Do you think that this is safe or should I consider sprycel? I don't believe that a have failed Gleevec, or have I? Also my oncologist seems to mention BMT every time I am in his office. I absolutely do not want this. Especially because of all the new drugs that are being developed. Any input would be great, I respect all of your opionions. e ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Travel. http://travel./ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 22, 2007 Report Share Posted May 22, 2007 Hi e, Your situation is very similar to my husbands. He is 34 and was diagnosed in June 2006. He started on 400mg of Gleevec but was taken off because of Neutropenia and low platelets. His doctor started to push BMT but we didn't want to do that and got a second opinion from Dr. Druker. He is currently on 100mg of Sprycel. He still battles Neutropenia, which we support with Neupogen injections. His platelets bottomed out at 12 and now are hopefully on the up swing. We are sure his neutrophils will follow if we just give it enough time. Maybe see what your doctor thinks about growth factor injections. It sounds like you had a great response to Gleevec so it's not a question of whether it's working or not. Dr. Druker told us some people take as long as 6-9months for their counts to recover. We plan on riding out his low counts and staying on Sprycel. Best of luck to you as you make your way through these tough decisions. I know what you mean about the BMT being pushed. I think our local doctor still isn't optimistic about what we are trying. But then again her specialty is BMT's. They are just too risky for our likings. Our kids are 8yrs, 6yrs, and 3 yrs, and my husband want to be there for there growing up years and we feel he has a better chance of doing that by staying on drug therapy. It is going to be a tough few months for us dealing with these low counts but we feel good about our decision. Take care, Coralee On May 22, 2007, at 12:03 PM, chris mahathey wrote: > I believe BMT is two risky & their is no guarantee that it wont > come back.I think sprycel would be worth looking in to.I had the > same issues your having & it worked for me. > > [ ] gleevec dosage > > Hi everyone. I have been reading this board since diagnosis but have > only posted a few times. Heres a little background about myself. I am > a 34 yr old female married with 3 children ages 4 and 2 year old > twins. I was dx in July of 2006. In August I started in a trial the > 800mg vs 400mg trial. I started on 800mg but because of neutropenia I > went down to 600mg, to 400mg, and now currently on 300mg. My ANC is > still below 1000 so I am currently taking a break from gleevec. If my > counts do not recover in two weeks I will be taken off the trial. My > oncologist said that he believes that I will do just fine on 200mg a > day. I have reached a 3 log reduction to this point. I am just > curious if any of you are on less than 400mg a day? Do you think that > this is safe or should I consider sprycel? I don't believe that a have > failed Gleevec, or have I? Also my oncologist seems to mention BMT > every time I am in his office. I absolutely do not want this. > Especially because of all the new drugs that are being developed. Any > input would be great, I respect all of your opionions. > e > > __________________________________________________________Need a > vacation? Get great deals > to amazing places on Travel. > http://travel./ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.