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Sprycel and Baby


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#1 sunny27

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Posted 10 January 2013 - 10:00 AM

Hi Friends,

I am a CML patient for over 7 years now. I was on Gleevec for 6 years and I am on Sprycel for about one year.

My wife wants to have a baby. Is there any suggestions ? Can I stop Sprycel for sometime and try for baby.

I am 40. She is 38. I have read about some couples successfully doing this.

I have a small surgery coming and I will be off Sprycel for sometime (like 2 wks).

Another question is how long Sprycel will be in my system after I stop taking it.

Please help with your advice/suggestions and opinion

Thank You Very Much,

Sunny



#2 Taylor

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Posted 10 January 2013 - 10:10 AM

Hi Sunny,

You actually don't have to be off any TKIs to try to conceive a baby.  As a male, you won't be affected--your counts should be good enough and you will not cause any birth defects or anything like that.



#3 Trey

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Posted 10 January 2013 - 10:26 AM

Here is the information from the manufacturer of Sprycel which only discusses women using Sprycel, not men.  So there is no requirement to stop using it for men.  The concern is about a growing fetus and potential harm to it if a woman is taking the drug.  But if you personally want to wait until you are not taking it during your break for some reason, the Sprycel would be mostly out of your bloodstream within a couple days. 

http://www.sprycel.c...nformation.aspx



#4 sunny27

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Posted 10 January 2013 - 09:04 PM

Thanks Taylor,

My new doctor at University of Michigan flatly told me "no babies on sprycel" and no drug holidays for this either.

Which was little disappointing. My earlier doctor there Dr Erba who left for University of Alabama, himself asked me two year back

if I want to extend my family then I can have drug holidays (I was on Gleevec at that time).

Thanks again for response.

Sunny



#5 sunny27

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Posted 10 January 2013 - 09:06 PM

Thanks Trey !

Considering my doctors response, I guess I will have to make that call myself to stop taking Sprycel for sometime.

Sunny



#6 Trey

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Posted 11 January 2013 - 10:23 AM

The manufacturer says the issue "has not been studied". 

During fertilization the male is only making a deposit of 23 chromosomes.  Sprycel does not cause chromosome damage.  If there happened to be some Sprycel in the sperm itself, that would be so tiny an amount and be gone quickly.  And sperm is generally isolated from drug uptake.  So I do not understand the rationale.  There have been many male TKI user conceptions.

A conservative approach would be to predict your wife's ovulation, stop taking Sprycel a few days prior, "flush your system"*, then engage in unbridled sex for several days.  Repeat as needed.

* PhilB could explain this further if required......



#7 Taylor

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Posted 11 January 2013 - 11:41 AM

Hmm, I'm not sure why.  My wife and I conceived on Tasigna and she is currently carrying our child.  My oncologist has never mentioned anything about men not trying to conceive, even when we have discussed things like sperm count/quality on TKIs.






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