Low white blood cell counts (~1400) have postponed my treatment until Wednesday. RRRRRRRRR.....Anyways, I shouldn't have expected it to go 100% smoothly and have heard of similar stories from others. Sanban had strep which put her on hiatus.
The funny thing is, I don't feel bad nor do I feel sick or a cold or anything coming on (knock on wood). I would have thought I could tell. This past week, I felt as good as I did before my first treatment.
RRRRRRRRR....
UPDATE:
I think my doctors are playing it safe inre to side affects or secondary cancers. They went for 6 cycles of ABVD over a combo of ABVD and Radiation taking the increased risk of recurrence over the risk of secondary cancers developing. They are now holding off on Neupogen due to some known interactions between it and Bleomycin. I think I get the theory, and hoping it's right.
Take 2 is Weds in the middle of the week.
6 comments:
Bummer that you got postponed!! Super interesting about the bleo and neulasta interaction, I'll be interested to find out more about it, even though I only had 3 shots, so whatevs!
BTW I finally ordered my shirts!! :) No tour dates just because I didn't want to be a pain, but they're officially ordered, along with 1 for each of my parents :)
Bummer about postponing but lots of people end up doing it. I did. then got those lovely shots to boost the white bloodcells. First had neulasta, not fun with the bone pain, but neupogen was good. I don't think I had any interaction with the Bleo.
Like the shirts!
sandy
So good to read that you have a blog now :) I have been following your story through your wifes blog up until now :)
-H
Hi, I found your page through Sandy's. I am also undergoing the same treatment as you. I started my treatments on July 3rd. I was reading your blog about your white blood count and the fact that Neuprogen and Bleo don't go well together???? PLease tell me what you know because I had the same problem and my doctor put me on Neuprogen. Do you mind if I had you to my page?
Take care,
Jane
Nice to meet you Mary. Here are some things I found inre to Neup/Belo toxicity. Keep in mind, these two don’t always meet at the Hodgkin’s juncture. Some of the links deal with AIDS, other cancers and then some with Hodge.
http://www.rxmed.com/b.main/b2.pharmaceutical/b2.1.monographs/CPS-%20Monographs/CPS-%20(General%20Monographs-%20N)/NEUPOGEN.html
“In the fourth case, the cause of death was not reported. In the fifth case, the physician reported that death in the context of ARDS occurred in the absence of fever and microbiological cause and was typical of bleomycin pulmonary toxicity; however, the physician reported that this may have been enhanced by filgrastim. It is notable, however, that randomized trials, and non-randomized trials demonstrated no increase in the known pulmonary toxicity of bleomycin when filgrastim was added to treatment.”
http://www.bedfordlabs.com/products/inserts/BLE-P02.pdf
Most note that although toxicities have occurred, preliminary studies haven’t had enough samples.
If you search filgrastim + bleomycin + toxicity, it will bring up links.
Like I said, my doctors are comfortable with dosage changes, slight delays, etc in order to stay away from neupogen and other white blood cell enhancers in light of the lack of information. They want to treat the Hodgkin’s, but since the cure rate is high, they are also focusing on the long term side affects and keeping them to a minimum (I have gotten 2nd and 3rd opinions from Shady Grove Medical Center and Mass. General in Boston who have confirmed that same precaution).
If they have to, they will. If they can wait a few days or lower the ABVD dosages, they will try that first. I don’t think it is a smoking gun, but with little data, they want to be safe.
I have added you to my links, so feel free to add mine to yours. Good luck and keep in touch.
Jon
Adjusted links:
http://www.rxmed.com/b.main/
b2.pharmaceutical/b2.1.monographs/
CPS-%20Monographs/
CPS-%20(General%20Monographs-%20N)/
NEUPOGEN.html
http://www.bedfordlabs.com/products/
inserts/BLE-P02.pdf
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