8 replies to this topic

[Happycat]

I just finished my 3rd wk of Gleevec.  Saw the onc yesterday.  ANC down to 1.7, WBC 2.5.  Hgb a tad on the low side, platelets good.

However, onc was interested in the pain I'd been having (arms, legs - bone and muscle).  Felt my spleen, and said he could feel the tip.  I was felt up by about 10 docs at least 3 wks ago in the hospital and no one could feel my spleen then.  So, isn't it odd to have my spleen get bigger on Gleevec?

He felt my pain was due to active CML in my bone marrow, and put me on prednisone to relieve the inflammation.  (Remember, no NSAIDS for me.)  I wasn't real happy about it, because the last time I had oral prednisone, I blew up like a toad after a week or so.  He said it was low dose, so shouldn't bother me.  He also told me to take MagOx (magnesium oxide or MgO) for the foot cramps.

So I dutifully took the MgO about 11 pm last night - meant to take in the a.m., but the cramps drove me out of bed.  Took the Gleevec about 6 pm, so hopefully that's enough time diff to not mess up the absorption of G.

Took the prednisone this a.m., as directed, 20 mg.

By this afternoon, I had a lot of abdominal pain - on the upper left, in the mid-upper, right shoulder pain, a few dull stabs in the back on right and left.  I started getting some right upper back stabs yesterday, before I took anything new, so not sure if related to new meds or not.

Pain is tolerable, but uncomfortable.  It reminds me most of the pancreatitis attack I got once in the middle of the night from a virus.  But the pain is not quite bad enough for me to say, "Oh, yeah, there's definitely something wrong, time to get to the ER."   Maybe I'm just constipated (I haven't gotten the Big D yet, and the opiates  for pain definitely tend to go the other way).  Maybe the MgO is about to sluice out my insides.  Maybe the prednisone is causing the abdominal swelling.  Or it's runaway AML.  (Can't help thinking that.)

Anyway - do I call the doc??  Or give it awhile and see what happens??

TIA, I really appreciate how helpful you all are!

Traci

[Trey]

Can't tell for sure, but just looks like normal adjusting to the Gleevec.  The doc probably should not have given you the prednisone and allow nature to take its course.  Some docs can feel spleens, and others can't.  Some just think they feel something.  Overall you sound rather normal.

[CallMeLucky]

When I was diagnosed, I had no symptoms at all, I was not sick.  I went for routine physical and doctor called me back with blood work results and told me I had leukemia.  In the weeks that followed, as treatment began, I started to experience various things, some of them being abdominal pains (in the area of the spleen), very low grade fever, red dots on my skin.  Over time these things settled down and went away.  Was it the CML, the treatment, the stress, or a combination of things?  Hard to say, but I agree most of what you are describing sounds normal in relation to what I went through.  Only you know for certain how you feel and if something feels really wrong.  So use your judgement, but chances are you will be okay and over time your body will settle into things.

Hope you feel better soon.

P.S. with regard to feeling the "tip" of the spleen.  They poked me so much when I was diagnosed because they were unsure if they felt the "tip" or not.  They poked so much that they made it hurt.  When they were done, I asked if it was enlarged or not, she told me she couldn't tell, but it didn't matter because if it wasn't large enough that it was obvious it was enlarged, then it wasn't large enough to be a problem.  So if they can barely tell if they can feel the tip, it should be fine.

[Happycat]

That's why I thought, I sounded normal for a person on G.  I think the new NP that took down my symptoms went a bit overboard when she related it to the doctor.  Or else he went overboard on it.  Heck, it was hot here last week, so what if I was a little sweaty a few nights?

Traci

[Happycat]

Thanks, Lucky.

Huh, I wonder if my abdomen hurt the next day from having it pressed on the day before?

I agree with you.  I felt perfectly healthy when they dx'd me.  Now, 3 wks later, I'm feel like crap.  Can't help but blame the Gleevec and the other drugs.

Traci

[Happycat]

Billie,

Wow!  I'm having it pretty easy compared to you!  Glad things have gotten better for you.   Seems the biggest thing I'm dealing with now is the pain, but it's better than the alternative of untreated CML, so I'll take it.

Thanks for sharing,

Traci

[jsmiddiebrush]

Happycat - (love your screen name by the way!)

If it were me, I'd ask to have an ultrasound to see if your spleen is enlarged.  Its a simple test,  no needles, just a paddle with that cold sticky stuff on it.    My husband's onc. sent him in for an ultrasound right away after diagnosis, basically just to be sure.  It wasn't enlarged, so that was good to know.