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Aranesp?
Vacation went well & mom did okay. She was tired but refused to rest. My brother thought she was "running on adrenaline."
When we came back home she had another appt with hematologist and her hemoglobin was way down (9.8; normal is 12.0-16.0). They started her on Aranesp every 3 weeks. So far, no side effects.
Then we got a call from the hematologist that her B12 levels were way down (158; normal range is 211-911) so they started her on daily B12 injections for a week, followed by weekly injections. She is very tired, complains that all she does is sleep. I try to tell her that it's part of her disease, but she is so used to being active that I know it bothers her.
Any comments/thoughts on Aranesp? Apparently it's a chemo-type drug that is used to bring up the hemoglobin that doesn't actually TREAT the MDS -- just the symptoms. Has anyone else had any experiences with it? She will have another injection next Friday.
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Jil, dtr of Wilma age 90; dx May 2011; MDS refractory cytopenia IPSS Int 1; platelets 35, WBC 3.5 & RBC 3.06
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