Hi Judy,
ack! I really feel for you on that one, are you taking over the counter potassium pills or dr rx potassium? Because I found that the over the counter stuff doesn't work (I tried it a couple of times when I was out of town and ran out of mine). I'm on one - two of the dr rx potassium which are 20 meq er apiece. I was seeing a local oncologist when I first got the blisters, and he didn't know anything about them either. My University of Chicago onc (who I've now switched to full time) is a little more knowledgable about them, than the local onc was. The blisters went on for about two-three months, which wasn't horrible, just annoying because I'd have to change my socks every few hours. It wasn't until they got infected in the last month that it was just a nightmare. What got them to disappear, was a combo of a few things. First I was sent to a wound care center, that specifically only deals with bad wounds such as blisters and other wounds that won't go away. They put special bandages on them that were like a cloth gel and super wrapped them so they wouldn't hurt. Then I was put on a bunch of oral antibiotics. Every day I would have to change those bandages, which hurt like hell, but it got all the old skin off so the blisters would heal. I was also given Vicoprofen (vicodin and ibuprofen mix for the pain, because after they got infected, man did they hurt!). I also had to keep my feet up on pillows at night in bed (which was easy after the wound care center gave me the materials to wrap them up, before sheets and stuff would only make the blisters worse) and during the day I would have to sit with my feet elevated too (in a recliner). I was also put on 80 mgs of lasix (taken 40mg when I first get up, then 40mg after lunch when I take the gleevec), and the potassium supplements. (I sometimes take an extra 40 mg pill at night, if I am drinking more than usual after supper) ***** The main thing is that you need to visit a wound care center! They will know how to better handle it. They deal with strange wounds all the time, plus they can give you the appropriate antibiotics and pain killers if you need it. I doubt it if your onc has any clue to deal with them, as that extreme side effect is pretty rare or at least that's what I was told. The pulmonary doctor that pulled the 800cc's out of my lungs told me that the blisters were rarer than a three dollar bill. At any rate, I finally got rid of the blisters after a month of wrapping them up, but if it wasn't for the doctors/surgeons at the wound care center, I think I would have gone crazy from the insanity those blisters gave me. But even now, I still have to make sure my legs are elevated at all times and sleep with my feet up. Good Luck in your quest to get rid of them! Hopefully if you get these water blisters to go away your potassium problem will be fixed. Ask your onc for the nearest wound care center asap! I'll send some good thoughts your way. :) Stacy dx 8/03 PCRU 3/04 (although no HR because of slightly high platelets) 400 mg gleevec --- In [email protected], judy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Stacy. I have the water blisters also and very bad adema. What did you put on yours. The Dr. gave me an antibotic because my legs were so bad and cream I've tried about 6 kinds and that doesn't help either. I'am on 2 different water pills and my potassium is so low he's worried. I take 12 potassium pills a day I went up 50 lbs because of the water but now have lost that but still can't lose any more water. Take care and have a nice Merry Christmas. JUDY dx99 > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/8zSolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> New! Sign up for local CML support group meetings in your local community at http://cml.meetup.com Apply for Commercial Real Estate loans online and submit your deal to dozens of hungry lenders in just minutes. Loan programs for all types of business and commercial real estate. Apply anytime at http://realestatezoo.com CML (Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Support List) --------------------------------- Part Of CMLHope.Com An International Community Of CML Patients For more information: http://cmlhope.com Post Message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change To No Mail/Web: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change To Digest: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change To Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] List Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] CML Group Web Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CML Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CML/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
