Re: & Pregnancy: Green Tea

[Guest guest]

Hello Sue,

Thank you for sharing this story. I can only see better what I managed to avoid

by discovering that green tea may help with leukemia and if this is the only

thing it did I am sooooooooooo lucky. What you described in your message WAS my

nightmare in progress. I've only had Leukapheresis (blood wash) treatment for

few weeks and that was only removing an excess of WBC (hardly managing to bring

my count down to under 100) from my blood together with RBC which left me

severely anemic. After that (that was end of November 2009) I would have to go

on alpha interferon or hydroxyurea and by the end of last year when I was around

30 weeks pregnant my baby was scheduled for caesarian delivery. I've NOT been on

any drugs so far THANKS to drinking green tea because my WBC counts went down to

just over 10 and remained stable for few weeks, just to go up a bit at the

moment (18.2 on 26th of Jan) towards the end of pregnancy which is still within

a normal level for last stages of pregnancy (38+ weeks now). I was diagnosed

with WBC nearing 200 and the first thing doctor said was: It would be better if

you weren't pregnant'. He couldn't suggest abortion as I was 22 weeks gone. In

all honesty I avoided docs and hospital as much as I could instead of relying on

them and it worked for the best. Now they are pressurizing me to have an induced

birth and I don't like it. I held on for so long, another week or so will not

make a difference and I'm not going on glivec until I've got results of pcr

test. This is not just important for me but all of us with CML, especially young

women who want to be somebody's mummies.

As I said in my previous e-mails I don't know where it all goes with EGCG in

green tea long term but so far I've had a fairly normal pregnancy considering

the circumstances and the baby is developing fine according to the charts. I'm

just waiting to have her now and enjoy my motherhood for the 4th time. I do hope

to breastfeed her as well but will mean I'll have to stay off glivec even

longer. It will depend on pcr test I'm going to request this week to see if EGCG

worked on deeper level than just wiping WBC. I've had BMT on the day I was

diagnosed (13th of Oct) it tested positive for Philadelphia Chromosome but I

don't know the results of pcr, if it was done at all, I need to ask about that.

I'll keep you all informed.

From: Sue

Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 11:18 PM

Subject: [ ] & Pregnancy: Green Tea

My dear friend (CML) - was diagnosed while pregnant (8 weeks) - she did not

terminate as was suggested,

however her CML condition was getting out of control very quickly.

She had the most courageous pregnancy - she put her life on the line for her

babys successful presence in our world

Pregnancy for those with CML are not for the faint hearted.

Her pregnancy was over whelmingly tricky

The outcome of success or not - was that she had a CML Specialist (who by the

way wanted her to terminate)

- a top notch bubby specialist - who cared shared with her CML specialist - and

a number of other specialists

who also cared for her and above all her extreme faith as she is a very

spiritual and religous young woman.

It was not easy at all.

She also had interferon - which is not a great drug even if not pregnant - for

its side effects - the side effects from pregnancy

on top of that - and an early delivery - and then the next day - on glivec.

Two years later her levels have not come down as low as one would hope - and as

quickly as others. Had second opinion

from one of the CML Foundation Specialists of the next step.

Having a baby was the trade-off for perhaps a different type of CML management -

time will tell - but not all pregnancy

and like every other pregnancy are individual

She had a little girl - who is pretty special - laughs and squeals alot - loves

playing rough with her brothers and is pretty competitive

- she is the youngest of 4 - so there has been no consequences for the little

gal from interferon - and a normal loving little person

The example - from this - is once the decision was made to continue with the

pregnancy - you need a top team - not the second best team

of medical doctors who will share care your management of both CML - its side

effects in early diagnosis - and that of pregnancy.

Her had first hand witness to this pregnancy and great that others have had

great pregnancy with CML but others had have a very difficult path

for the success of a baby.

Do not forget also - that many others - have been PCRU before they have become

pregnant which is a completely different scenerio than if you are not.

Keep Well just thought I would share anothers story of pregnancy with CML

Sue (Aussie)

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