Change or get 2nd opinion

[Guest guest]

Dear Karyn,

Why don't you see another oncologist for a second opinion and try to see a

CML specialist if that is at all possibl if you not already seeing one. Some of

your symptoms may be due to something unrelated to a TKI. I say this because I

went to see another oncologist and the first thing he did was check my cbc and

do a metabolic panel. Immediately he started treating me for potassium overload

and said I was in renal failure.

YOu can imagine the shock that was to me. My local oncologist would not have

found that because in all the time I went there, he never looked at my CBC for a

trend. My new oncologist immediately made an appointment for the first

nephrologist that would take me the soonist. I finally got to see one last week

and I like him very much. He sends me to the hospital every week for more

testing to establish a baseline and asking a lot of questions about the drugs I

was on, etc. One of the drugs is steroids, because they make you lose your

muscle mass and that is what has happened to me. He also wanted to know if I

lost weight and I said I had lost 71#. No one noticed that, either, but when I

saw my neurologist today that is the first thing he noticed. Another drug that

is suspect is Neurontin.

My blood pressure has now gone to the winds and he has changed my medication for

that already. We may not know it, but our menus may be causing some of our

problems. Look up high potassium foods and see what generic looking foods can

do to you. I am not allowed chocolate, cantalope, avacado, and dried fruits or

even seemingly harmless broccoli. I will not miss the parsnips, but I will the

mushrooms. I will also have to give up my snuff and chewing tobacco. LOL

Hands & hearts,

Lottie Duthu