Cyclosporine and Transplant question
 

My sister's new dr has taken her off both the Leukine and Aranesp about a week or so ago.

Now he wants her off the cyclosporine for 2mths before they do the transplant. Why do you think they are stopping the cyclosporine now? I thought you continued that even after transplant? They stopped her cold turkey also. I thought I read somewhere about being weaned off it. She takes 300mg a day.

My other sister is now her care giver so I'm just voicing my questions to her and letting her ask the doctor.

What is your take on this?

They did another bone marrow biopsy and it's still saying that it's early MDS.

MaryAlisha,

The reason that they discontinue cyclosporine before a transplant is that it is very hard on the kidneys. The doctor wants it out of your sister's system with some time for her kidneys to recover before the transplant begins. The potential negative effects of the cold-turkey approach are not so important because the entire immune system is about to be replaced anyway. I stopped my cyclosporine abruptly before my transplant and started it again after I got my new bone marrow. It sounds like the new doctor knows what he's doing.

Regards,
Ruth

Thanks Ruth, you are so helpful.

My sister remembered late yesterday why the dr took her off it. He said that it would also speed up growth of the MDS cells in her marrow. That might have been the reasons for taking her off the aranesp and leukine also.