Hi John, Wow, spleen, vision and now liver problems. It sounds like CML and the high white counts has done a number on your body. I hope it's all behind you and that your body recovers quickly. As you continue to stay on Gleevec don't be surprised if you start to feel bone pain as your healthy marrow starts to regenerate. For me the pain was easy to manage but for some it can be intense. It should subside after awhile. You mentioned low hemoglobin and that's one thing that the 800mg dose did on me. My hemoglobin dropped to 8.1 and I felt like a zombie. This isn't unusual when a newly diagnosed patient is placed on 800mg. Usually the anemia and low platelets is less of a problem if the dose is escalated over time and your body has a chance to readjust. I'm surprised to hear that you are going back to work so quickly. I hope it works out well and you don't suffer from any side effects from Gleevec. Please keep us posted on your recovery. Best of luck, Mark --- In [email protected], John Thompson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hey Mark, > > Thanks for the insight into the side affects of the 800mg regimen. My Hem/Onc said there would be more side affects but did not go into what they were. Ever since I started Hydrea, my liver enzymes have been elevated. My ALT and AST, which indicate the level of liver damage occurring, were 4 to 6 times the Upper Limit of Normal (ULN). At 5 times ULN, the dosing guidelines for Gleevec require the doc to stop Gleevec until the enzymes return to 2.5 ULN. Anyway, in order to take higher doses of Gleevec, I have to split my does into no more than 300mg to keep the liver from heating up. So, my doc and I are pretty weary of escalating the dose. FYI, my liver biopsy showed that my liver was damaged by the extreme levels of white blood cells. Evidently, the spleen is not the only place they hang out. > > As far as debulking went, I felt fine before the process and tired as hell after wards. The leukaphereisis process pulled off a bunch of WBC but it also dropped my hemoglobin into the 9-10 range which just wiped me out. Keep in mind that my hem/onc was talking Acute Leukemia to me at the time, and he was not terribly optimistic. Aside from the fatigue and emotional trauma, the ordeal was pretty easy and effective. Sounds like it was a lot easier than the hydrea approach. I've had the sore joints, gout attacks I guess, and they suck. > > I'm going back to work on Monday, so I'm pretty charged up right now. I sure hope the stress does not wear me out. > > Keep in touch and be well. > > John > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Mail - You care about security. So do we. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Help save the life of a child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.' http://us.click.yahoo.com/0iazvD/5WnJAA/xGEGAA/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/
