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7 weeks on Gleevec - low WBC


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#1 alc999

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Posted 30 March 2015 - 08:51 PM

After 7 weeks on 400mg Gleevec, my WBC has dropped from 220,000 to 1,800 and my ANC is .77. I'm feeling fine, besides a persistent rash, and my Onc isn't particularly worried. It seems like these numbers are normal and there's a chance that with time they will stabilize. Has anyone else experienced numbers like these and did they increase with time?
Thanks so much!

01/15: Diagnosed, 195% PCR, 100% FiSH, Began Gleevec 400 mg per day

04/15: 58.1% PCR

08/15: 1.6% PCR, 0% FiSH

11/15: 0.6% PCR

02/16: 0.4% PCR

05/16: 0.1% PCR

09/16: 0.3% PCR, Began Gleevec 600 mg per day

12/16: 0.1% PCR

03/17: 0.2% PCR, Began Tasigna 600 mg per day

07/17: 0.08% PCR


#2 Yougotafriend

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Posted 30 March 2015 - 09:41 PM

Yep sounds familiar. I've been on Gleevec now 10 months but I remember the first month They dropped below normal can't member the exact number but now 10 months later Everything has come back about normal except red blood count is still a little low but creeping back up slowly!:)

#3 gerry

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Posted 30 March 2015 - 09:45 PM

Try an antihistamine for the rash, I was on Periactin (an old fashioned antihistamine) for migraine and this helped with the rash.  



#4 Billie Murawski

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Posted 30 March 2015 - 10:44 PM

gerry, can an antihistamine help a headache, I never heard that. I know I can take benadryl!!!!!!

What is that beautiful flower on your ativar. So far all we have are fake flowers uggh!



#5 Billie Murawski

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Posted 30 March 2015 - 10:51 PM

Hi ALC,

Three weeks after my dx my wbc went down to 2000. I guess that must be okay, I'm the only one that panicked. I get rashes and I use cortisone cream or gold bond ulti-moisturizer. It doesn't smell as good as something from bath&body works but the itch goes away.

                                                                                                Billie



#6 gerry

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Posted 31 March 2015 - 11:02 PM

Hi Billie,

Doc put me on Periactin for migraines, it is an "old fashioned" antihistamine apparently and supposed to help with migraine http://www.headache-...prevention.html, but it also helped with the Gleevec rash.



#7 Billie Murawski

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Posted 31 March 2015 - 11:14 PM

Hi gerry,

  I'm going to go to my pcp for a check-up I'll ask her about that. my mom told me after menopause the headaches go away, she never said how long after menopause.



#8 gerry

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Posted 01 April 2015 - 01:29 AM

Hi Billie,

Depends if they were estrogen related or not. I don't get as many migraines as I used to, so that was one bonus. :)



#9 alc999

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Posted 01 April 2015 - 12:03 PM

For the rash, I've been taking benedryl and using cortisone creme, but truthfully, neither help much. My Onc put me on methylprednisolone in a reduced dosage pack - It worked fine the first few days where I took 6, then 5, then 4, 4 mg tablets, but now now that I'm down to less, the rash is back.

 

Glad to hear that the low WBC seems normal for now!


01/15: Diagnosed, 195% PCR, 100% FiSH, Began Gleevec 400 mg per day

04/15: 58.1% PCR

08/15: 1.6% PCR, 0% FiSH

11/15: 0.6% PCR

02/16: 0.4% PCR

05/16: 0.1% PCR

09/16: 0.3% PCR, Began Gleevec 600 mg per day

12/16: 0.1% PCR

03/17: 0.2% PCR, Began Tasigna 600 mg per day

07/17: 0.08% PCR


#10 gerry

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Posted 01 April 2015 - 06:57 PM

The rash disappeared for me after about a week, but it did make a lesser reappearance when I got sick while on holiday. I kept taking the Periactin and bought some antiseptic cream to use again with it. It disappeared after a couple of days. I never got it back again.






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