RE: time for me to switch from Gleevec to Sprycell

December 28, 2008

Thanks for sharing, . Wow, you have had quite a journey. Taking

Sprycell, how do you feel compared to Gleevec? I realize that might not be a

fair question, post BMT, but am curious of you notice any difference.

Regards,

Chris

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December 28, 2008

Sorry to hear about your overflowing plate and lost ofeffectiveness

with Gleevec.

I was dx in May 2007

begain 400mg Gleevec

swithched to 600mg in May of 2008

Towards the end of summer of 08 it was decided to switch to

Spryceol. While I was taking a two week drug break, I had a bmb that

showed I was in blast crisis, 89% blasts. I preceded with the

sprycel and began seeing Dr. Talpaz at the University of Michigan.

It was decided at my first visit at the UofM that I was a candidate

for a BMT. Sprycel lowered my blasts to 21%. On December 23rd I

received my BMT. Being only day +5, I am very happpy with how

everything is progressing. I am optimistic for engraftment. The

plan is for me to continue sprycel after some time.

I feel that the medical field has many options for treating us who

have CML.

I am a single mother of a 13 year old, 16 year old, 24 year old and

one granddaughter with another one due any day. They are my main

motivation to keep me going.

Hang in there, remember when one door closes, God makes sure another

one (or two) open.

-- In , letitbe@... wrote:

>

> Hello All, I know I have gotten out of the posting habit the last

many

> months, just have had such an overflowing plate. My wife has been

away for

> months, taking care of her mom who was diagnosed with stage four

lung cancer, so I

> have been super wrapped up taking care of so much more around here

than

> normal.

>

> Well, I am not surprised with the news from my Onc, Gleevec is

slowly

> loosing its effectivenss with me. I am not sure how I knew, just

had that feeling

> inside, I suppose. He never even mentioned he has suspicions, but

I know how

> I feel and I watched over the last many months my CBC's, I just

had a

> feeling. Anyhow, I had a BMB a few weeks back, the results were

pretty clear, plus

> I am one that has dealt with the side effects of Gleevec. Also,

the 30 days

> prior to the BMB, we adjusted the Gleevec dosage to 600Mg. I must

say, it

> reminded me of when I first started Gleevec, it was physical

prison.

>

> I had asked this once before, in a different way and more

hypothetical than

> anything. My Onc said when the Gleevec runs out start Sprycell the

next day,

> no wash out period. Some on this forum had stated that same

protocol a few

> months ago. What I am curious, is there any combining of the meds

side

> effects to be cautious of, should I maybe wait a week in between?

I just found

> this interesting, I have got to be as careful as possible, staying

healthy. I

> already know my wife will not be home the last two weeks of Jan,

she will be

> back at her mom's. Basically that is the plan, she will take the

latter two

> weeks of each month to stay with her mom, helping her out and

making things

> as easy as possible for her.

>

> Over all, I am pretty excited to go to a course of action. I am

not happy

> on Gleevec, how I feel, the fatigue has slowed me so far down and

made some of

> the heavier task I used to enjoy near impossible. I really hope

maybe by

> summer to be feeling much better. It is not that I feel horrible,

I just do

> not feel great and I lack motivation, as I know I now have

physical limitations

> due to the fatigue and headaches.

>

> I also am a bit nervous to know that I have now worn out the first

line of

> defense to CML.

>

> Anyhow, thanks for any experiences that you car share.

>

> Regards,

> Chris

>

> Dx 01 March 2007

> Gleevec 400Mg

> Husband to Tabitha

> Father to , just turned 15

> **************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL

Mail,

> Gmail, and Mail. Try it now.

> (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-

dp & icid=aolcom40vanity & ncid=emlcntaolcom00000025)

>

December 28, 2008

Dear

I was on Gleevec for about 9 months. Never felt so terrible in my

life.!!!Then I got a horrible rash and it would not go away. I was scared on

my face, arms legs, etc. They had me stop Gleevec and wait two weeks and

then started Sprycel. I was on that for three years. Had some side effects

but not like Gleevec. Then after three years I got Plural effusion and had

to stop it. Waited about a month and started Tasigna. I have never felt so

so well in 5 years. And I am PCRU!!! What a difference there is from one

medication to another.

I know you will be glad you are off gleevec. Good luck to you and keep us

posted.

Aloha Sharon

_____

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

letitbe@...

Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 6:55 AM

Subject: [ ] time for me to switch from Gleevec to Sprycell

Hello All, I know I have gotten out of the posting habit the last many

months, just have had such an overflowing plate. My wife has been away for

months, taking care of her mom who was diagnosed with stage four lung

cancer, so I

have been super wrapped up taking care of so much more around here than

normal.

Well, I am not surprised with the news from my Onc, Gleevec is slowly

loosing its effectivenss with me. I am not sure how I knew, just had that

feeling

inside, I suppose. He never even mentioned he has suspicions, but I know how

I feel and I watched over the last many months my CBC's, I just had a

feeling. Anyhow, I had a BMB a few weeks back, the results were pretty

clear, plus

I am one that has dealt with the side effects of Gleevec. Also, the 30 days

prior to the BMB, we adjusted the Gleevec dosage to 600Mg. I must say, it

reminded me of when I first started Gleevec, it was physical prison.

I had asked this once before, in a different way and more hypothetical than

anything. My Onc said when the Gleevec runs out start Sprycell the next day,

no wash out period. Some on this forum had stated that same protocol a few

months ago. What I am curious, is there any combining of the meds side

effects to be cautious of, should I maybe wait a week in between? I just

found

this interesting, I have got to be as careful as possible, staying healthy.

I

already know my wife will not be home the last two weeks of Jan, she will be

back at her mom's. Basically that is the plan, she will take the latter two

weeks of each month to stay with her mom, helping her out and making things

as easy as possible for her.

Over all, I am pretty excited to go to a course of action. I am not happy

on Gleevec, how I feel, the fatigue has slowed me so far down and made some

of

the heavier task I used to enjoy near impossible. I really hope maybe by

summer to be feeling much better. It is not that I feel horrible, I just do

not feel great and I lack motivation, as I know I now have physical

limitations

due to the fatigue and headaches.

I also am a bit nervous to know that I have now worn out the first line of

defense to CML.

Anyhow, thanks for any experiences that you car share.

Regards,

Chris

Dx 01 March 2007

Gleevec 400Mg

Husband to Tabitha

Father to , just turned 15

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December 28, 2008

Hi , most likely you will love sprycel so much better than Gleevec.

I reached CCR in 10 months on it, with almost no side effects, but then it was

early in the trial at mDACC and I was only on 70 mg a day. But for me it only

lasted 1 1/2 years and I had problems with pleural effusion, and am now in a

trial, XL228. Good luck with Sprycel, I loved it and wish I could go back on

it. Bobby

a (Bobby) Doyle Brecksville, Ohio, USA DX 05/1995 02/2000 - Gleevec

Trial/OHSU 06/2002 - Gleevec/Trisenox Trial/OHSU 06/2003 - Gleevec/Zarnestra

Trial/OHSU 04/2004 - Sprycel Trial/MDACC, CCR in 10 months #840 - Zavie's

Zero Club 09/2006 - out of CCR 04/29/08 - XL228 Trial/ U.of Michigan

06/02/08 - CCR ( in 4 weeks)

From: Sharon & Denny <onthewtr@...>

Subject: RE: [ ] time for me to switch from Gleevec to Sprycell

Date: Sunday, December 28, 2008, 12:11 PM