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Old Wed Jan 10, 2007, 05:28 PM
John Clark John Clark is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Brigg, Lincolnshire, England
Posts: 35
Debbie,
You really need to know what his low point was before starting Vidaza. Then, after a few months treatment (different times for each patient) the counts should be about 25% above this low point. If they are not increased, I found, I had to stop the Vidaza until the counts had increased to this +25% level. This allowed the body to produce the required cells on it's own without the Vidaza knocking the counts out even before they start to recover.
During this time I found transfusions are quite commonplace to counteract the action of the Vidaza.

If after 42 days without Vidaza the counts still remain low then consider starting the Vidaza again but at 50% of dose.
If before the 42 days the counts do come up to the +25% mark then Vidaza can be started again.

I must point out the foregoing is only my interpretation of the treatment as it applied to me and may not be correct or suitable for other people.

I have found that Pharmion have been most helpful in providing information to doctors who request it and will provide algorithms of treatment cycles and quantities of Vidaza to be used in all types of cases.

I have never been admitted to hospital for the treatment and only as day patient for transfusions. All my treatment cycles were done as an outpatient and the injections only take a few minutes.

I hope the above has been of some help - unfortunately every patient seems to react differently and therefore no course of treatment is the same for everyone.
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Age 71 Male. Diagnosed MDS(RAEB2) in January 2000. On Aranesp, Neupogen and Warfarin. Counts down in January this year. Started 1st. course Vidaza August 2006 when all counts crashed.
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