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Old Mon Mar 30, 2009, 11:54 AM
Vera W Vera W is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Colfax Ca
Posts: 152
Vidaza Shots

Hi Cindy, barely a week passed after my DX last Oct and I was receiving my first Vidaza injection. I started with 160MG, Half a dose on each side of my stomach for 7 days. November was rough, it is not unusual for your counts to go down before they go up. ALWAYS while I am receiving the drug my counts are all normal.It cycles down to the nadir (LOW) point after about two weeks. Right before Thanksgiving my WBC was 1.9 and my neutrophils 14. The doctor was worried that I would get sick but I did fine and even though I was very low I was never neutrophenic. I didn't have to have any blood boosters but my doc wanted the Vidaza to follow it's natural course. He was pleased because it was doing it's job. I was very tired and had to take things a little at a time. My December injections were a little late as we were waiting for my counts to come back up. He wanted the neutrophils above 20%. He lowered my dose to 130mg for 2 cycles. in February I went back to my normal dose. Again for about two weeks my counts are remarkable, My wbc was 10 and neuts were 65% in the beginning, they still cycle down but not as low. Last week (3rd week) I was 4.9 my neutrophils are about 40% and seem to like to stay there. My Hemo has been normal since Febuary and so are my reds that alone gives me more energy. I had my BMB after my 4th cycle and my blasts went from 12% to 2%. I will be going into my transplant in optimal condition. I had on site reactions to the Vidaza..Red, hot and itchy and some hematomas. It doesn't happen with everyone. It is a small price to pay for my life. My liver enzymes also shoot up but always come back down. I strongly suggest a daily laxative like Milk of Magnesia for your husband even if he experiences some diarrhea at first. He will have ups and downs, take it a day at a time and make sure he rests as his body asks him to! Since my transplant has been moved forward I will be starting round six of Vidaza today and will be thinking of your husband. Take care, Vera
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Vera, 56 yo female Dx RAEB II 10-08, 11-12% blasts. Normal chromosomes. Started Vidaza 10-08. . Improved Dx 3-09 MDS RA 2% blasts 8 cycles Vidaza! SCT transplant 7-1-09 at UCSF. Normal bone marrow and MDS free as of 10-09
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