View Single Post
  #1  
Old Sat Aug 14, 2010, 12:38 AM
Judy W Judy W is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Vancouver BC Canada
Posts: 2
Doctor wants to stop Vidaza treatment

My husband is a young 76 years old and was diagnosed with MDS in June of 2009. He is RAEB - 1 and has just had another bone marrow aspiration so we will know results next week.

He is tx dependent - 2 units HG weekly and 2 platelets.

He has a CBC weekly and the latest report is: HG 94 (fluctuates from 83 - 95) Platelets 15 ( fluctuates from 5 - 15) WBC - 1.3, RBC 3.4, Neutrophils .4 (very low for the past 3 months)

He just finished his fourth round of Vidaza and we have not seen any positive results but I understand it may take up to 6 sessions before this might happen. We are prepared to go the full round but our oncologist has stopped the treatments saying he thinks they are not working and doesn't think we should continue. We disagree.

We live in Canada so it is difficult to find one let alone two doctors that are willing to take on new patients. But we will fight this if we have to.

My husband is still very active although he tires easily. He putters in the garden, trap shoots, goes to the casino, plays cards, we entertain often and have a large family - he is not prone to infections even though we have small grandchildren coming and going - he has a great sunny attitude.

We know how serious his illness is and there is no happy ending...but we want to keep going as long as possible

please give me your thoughts on this - should we get another opinion? or do his counts sound like the illness has progressed? what results should we be seeing at this stage?

will it make a difference to have a delay longer than 21 days between treatments? will the Vidaza still be effective if we wait another 4 weeks?

I read your postings and appreciate all the useful information each one of you has given - a blessing to have a support group online as there is none other in our area - Vancouver, Canada
__________________
Judy, wife of Gerry age 76; diagnosed with MDS June 2009: RAEB-Intermediate 1; treated unsuccessfully with EPO; transfusion dependent; weekly blood and platelet tx; started Vidaza April 2010
Reply With Quote