Re: Re: Zero!

January 26, 2011

Hi

I admire you.

I hope that one day I'm in a position where my Onc suggests a Glivec break

due to consistently negative results. Despite it being a marvellous

medicine, I would truly give anything (well, almost ;-)) to be rid of the

fatigue and brain fog " chemo brain " for even a couple of months, because I

believe that we have all become accustomed to the gradual changes and forget

about real hard drug-free quality of life.

Jackie

_____

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of

Sent: Wednesday, 26 January 2011 4:04 PM

Subject: [ ] Re: Zero!

Congratulations on a fast response to Gleevec. There are new studies out

there that your ONC is looking at to be able to tell you that after a year

of 0 counts you could stop taking gleevec. Just be sure that you keep a

regular check. The Gleevec caused me to have Iron Defecient Anemia so in

order not to have transfusions every three weeks my ONC and I decided to

atempt the no Gleevec treatment. It has been 2 years now and I go back next

month for another set of tests. Yes there has been a slight increase in my

counts but we are watching closely and have set .1000 when I restart

treatment. You believe can't become resist to a drug when you are not taking

it. And since I started on Gleevec I have several choices of drugs when(not

if) I resume. I had most of the Gleevec side effects and all those have

disappeared and the quality of life is unbelievable. No fatigue or brain

fog. We all have to make our decisions based on what we are comfortable

with. Fear is a huge fa ctor but also being part of a group of people

pioneering new paths with CML can be exciting also. Good luck with your

decisions.

H.

dxd 2/2003

400mg Gleevec 3/2003

Undetectable 11/03

RT-PCR negative 11/04

QT-PCR .003 11/05

RBC 8.

Gleevec Vacation 11/06-6/07

Iron infusion 11/06

Transfusions 12/06-5/07

QT-PCR .7

Gleevec 1/08 -5/08

Procrit 8/08-11/08

Gleevec Vacation 7/08-Pressent

QT-PCR .03 4/09

QT-PCR .015 6/09

QT-PCR .021 9/09

QT-PCR .028 1/10

QT-PCR .01+ 4/10

QT-PCR .0468 10/10

>

> Hello everybody!

> I've got 0% result on my last PCR test. After 2 years on Gleevec)

> I wonder what would be the next step.

> My doctor said that after a year of full remission I could stop taking

Gleevec and see what could happen.

> I don't have much problems on Gleevec.

> I've made ultrasound of abdominal organs. The liver and spleen are ok. But

there's cholecystitis and pyelonephritis. I'm not sure that these were

caused by Gleevec and going to deal with this. Has anybody faced with such

problem on Gleevec?

>

> Thank you to everybody for kind support and tenderness)

>

January 26, 2011

Wow! Congratulations!

Sent via mobile phone.Â Please excuse brevity and grammar.

Tom Ratzlaff

Centennial insurance Agency

[ ] Re: Zero!

Congratulations on a fast response to Gleevec. There are new studies out there

that your ONC is looking at to be able to tell you that after a year of 0 counts

you could stop taking gleevec. Just be sure that you keep a regular check. The

Gleevec caused me to have Iron Defecient Anemia so in order not to have

transfusions every three weeks my ONC and I decided to atempt the no Gleevec

treatment. It has been 2 years now and I go back next month for another set of

tests. Yes there has been a slight increase in my counts but we are watching

closely and have set .1000 when I restart treatment. You believe can't become

resist to a drug when you are not taking it. And since I started on Gleevec I

have several choices of drugs when(not if) I resume. I had most of the Gleevec

side effects and all those have disappeared and the quality of life is

unbelievable. No fatigue or brain fog. We all have to make our decisions based

on what we are comfortable with. Fear is a huge factor but also being part of a

group of people pioneering new paths with CML can be exciting also. Good luck

with your decisions.

H.