Blood Crashed.....what a mess!

idlehunters
idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hey Guys...... Well ... Showed up for folfox #2 like a real trooper but it aint happening. My blood counts are horrible. They never been like this in 3 years. WBC 1.3, platelets 123,RBC 2.7,...as well as others. I cant believe 1 folfox treatment wiped me out like that. So all treatments cancelled til after cyberknife cause they want nothing interfering w that. They got some shots ordered for wbc and some shot for the pooping. Want me going straight home to bedrest. No wonder i been having an issue walking....and sooooo friggin weak....those counts reflect it all! So this is really ok with me. Rest. Recoup and move forward. Sounds like a plan...
Jennie

Comments

  • dmj101
    dmj101 Member Posts: 527 Member
    #2
    WOW those numbers are
    WOW those numbers are amazing.. you must have been low prior to the first infussion.. my numbers never dropped too low for a treatment. but after my surgeries during the waiting period my number were so low. .. I had 9 blood transfusions.. .

    Could the massive heat and humidity taking over the country be to blame..

    Rest and Recoup dear..
    Get strong for sugery..

    Hugs, Donna
  • Phil64
    Phil64 Member Posts: 838 Member
    #3
    Jennie,

    I'm going to be resting and relaxing along with you. Treatment 2 is on Thursday. These last couple days have been rough for me. I've been constipated and I felt like I'm getting the flu (cold chills, muscle aches, tired). I'll be saying some prayers for you and me! Praying for the best Rest and Relaxation we can manage and some mega-recouperation results as well!

    God Bless,
    Phil
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    #4
    Phil64 said:

    Jennie,

    I'm going to be resting and relaxing along with you. Treatment 2 is on Thursday. These last couple days have been rough for me. I've been constipated and I felt like I'm getting the flu (cold chills, muscle aches, tired). I'll be saying some prayers for you and me! Praying for the best Rest and Relaxation we can manage and some mega-recouperation results as well!

    God Bless,
    Phil

    I don't understand the
    I don't understand the numbers....but I sure hope you start to feel better.
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #5
    Awww
    You have been going through quite the tribulations lately. So sorry you are now having issues with counts but that happens with your treatment. I've never bounced back up but once you get the shot it will jump up and you can continue. Hope that you get some rest because that will help you feel better soon. Make sure that everyone takes very good care of you.

    Kim
  • ketziah35
    ketziah35 Member Posts: 1,145
    #6
    I am sorry that you are
    I am sorry that you are having these issues.

    Ktz
  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #7
    organ trail
    Sounds like back on the organ meats. Wife is big on chicken liver, canned liverwurst [canned but she loves it so, like [part of or] one 4oz can of Underwood's most days now]. Some bone marrow soups, too. Letting off the chemo even some, her Hgb built up to an all time high - 11.5-12 prechemo to 14.3, rapidly improved RBC, WBC. Some help from the beta glucan powders too - PSK and multiple mushroom extracts.
  • geotina
    geotina Member Posts: 2,111 Member
    #8
    Hey Jen:
    When George crashed this last time his WBC was .09, his HGB was 6.8 and Platelets was 122, RBC was 2.28, so we know what you are going thru. Has doc mentioned a blood transfusion(s) to help get you back on track? Have they mentioned Neuprogen shots and Procrit? Now George is not fond of Procrit but it does do its job. With the severe diarrhea like you (and George) had, when it continues things just spiral down until they get out of control which unfortunately you are now experiencing. We know full well how horrible the diarrhea is, especially when it just leaks out with zero control. George was also very, very weak and extremely fatigued.


    If you remember, let me know what kind of shot they give you for the diarrhea. No one ever mentioned anything like that to us and I would find it interesting if there is anything out there.

    You take care - Hugs - Tina
  • dmj101
    dmj101 Member Posts: 527 Member
    #9
    geotina said:

    Hey Jen:
    When George crashed this last time his WBC was .09, his HGB was 6.8 and Platelets was 122, RBC was 2.28, so we know what you are going thru. Has doc mentioned a blood transfusion(s) to help get you back on track? Have they mentioned Neuprogen shots and Procrit? Now George is not fond of Procrit but it does do its job. With the severe diarrhea like you (and George) had, when it continues things just spiral down until they get out of control which unfortunately you are now experiencing. We know full well how horrible the diarrhea is, especially when it just leaks out with zero control. George was also very, very weak and extremely fatigued.


    If you remember, let me know what kind of shot they give you for the diarrhea. No one ever mentioned anything like that to us and I would find it interesting if there is anything out there.

    You take care - Hugs - Tina

    procrit
    Procrit is an amazing drug.. I had 2 shots of it while in the hospital and it really helped.. but i understand it needs special approval to get it.. as my primaray ordered it and when the hemo heard i had gotten it .. he said wow.. how did you get approved for it..
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    #10
    Jen
    WBC of 1.3 ---> that's a low number...I've been as low as 2.7 and still had chemo...Neulasta shots or Neupogen shots will help the wbc...I'd opt for Neulasta...one shot and done. You can get headaches when taking this...at least I thought they were headaches. The onc told me that the skull is the major producer of bone marrow, which is what you're trying to squeeze out...and thus the pain...some Tramadol will help...and to help put you to sleep...repeated shots will force the body to become accustomed to where you won't feel it as badly.

    Platelets at 123K ---> yes, that's low...oxy forever ruined my ability to produce platelets at the rate of a normal person....even 8-years post Oxy...my latest platelet reading was just 85K....and has hovered down in the 70's for years....you'll have to watch it here...if your numbers don't bounce back between 2-3 weeks and the treatments continue to extend out, you will lose the effectiveness of that drug....happened to me and we discontinued.

    RBC of 2.7 ---> yes, that's low...I've been around 3.7 or 3.8...just slightly off the low end at times....now about a 4.0

    Oxy is a tough drug, Jennie....it will whip your numbers...good you're getting a break off of it...once you start again, keep in mind about your platelets....with Oxy, it is more relevant than with Irinotecan.....the drops are much steeper.

    Get well soon.

    -Craig
  • annalexandria
    annalexandria Member Posts: 2,571 Member
    #11
    FOLFOX knocked the heck out of my counts,
    especially the RBC. I was super-anemic through much of my treatment and had to have several transfusions. According to the nurses, this wasn't a common reaction but obviously it's not unheard of (I loved it when they said things like "Most people tolerate it well!"...the assumption being "What the hell is wrong with you, in here bugging us for free blood and IV fluids all the time?"). Being that anemic definitely explains the exhaustion and weakness. I could barely walk up the stairs to get to bed. Hope they get you feeling better soon, Ann
  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    #12
    dmj101 said:

    procrit
    Procrit is an amazing drug.. I had 2 shots of it while in the hospital and it really helped.. but i understand it needs special approval to get it.. as my primaray ordered it and when the hemo heard i had gotten it .. he said wow.. how did you get approved for it..

    Hi Jennie
    Just wanted you to know that I have been thinking of you. I was hoping your "runs" to the potty had slowed down after the ER visit. But now, this latest news! If only your darn blood would cooperate. I'm sorry, I have forgotten, when is the cyberknife being done?

    Just remember, I have a lot of boots to help kick cancer's a$$.

    Luv,

    Wolfen
  • Doc_Hawk
    Doc_Hawk Member Posts: 685
    #13
    Jennie
    I'll be praying for you, dear Jennie. For now, just kick back and allow yourself to be pampered. You've not only earned it, you certainly deserve it!

    God Bless

    Doc
  • pscott1
    pscott1 Member Posts: 207 Member
    #14
    Hey Jennie,
    I'm in same predictament as you. I have shown up twice for Folfox #2 and my wbc was lower this last Friday than the Friday before. It wiped me out as well. I looked at my 5-FU bag that I took home for the weekend and it showed 3,250 miligrams. I forgot to ask my Onc what that meant compared to what I had last year. I'm scheduled to go back in this Friday and try again. I also am going to the Neulasta shots again. That was the only thing that kept my wbc up last year so I could continue with treatments. I was so weak and shaky this 1st treatment. I couldn't even go to work for 3 days and then when I finally did that Thursday following treatment, I didn't really feel good again until the Tuesday following. I am going to have them give me a printout on my numbers this last 3 visits so I can see what they were compared to yours. Please get plenty of rest and I will keep you in my prayers. I'll pray that both of us are able to move forward and keep fighting this ugly intruder that has come into our lives.

    P.S I just read Craig's post about the Oxy; my Onc is taking that out of my cocktail. He said he believes it is the Oxy that is causing most of my side effects. Last year he ended up discontinuing Oxy and the Leucovorin. I did get some half decent news today. Before I started my 1st treatment, CEA was 13.8, 2 weeks ago it was up to 23.7 and today they told me that Friday it was 16.5. I am hopeful that if I can get back on treatment that it will get back down to 1.0 where it was before I took my 4 month break from everything. Hang in there and stay out of the heat...my Onc said that the heat mixed with chemo can cause us to pass out without warning. Stay cool! :)

    Hugs,

    Pam
  • jjaj133
    jjaj133 Member Posts: 867 Member
    #15
    Aww Jennie, I am so sorry
    Aww Jennie, I am so sorry you are going through this.I know you will do everything you can to regroup and move forward.
    Prayers will be coming your way as always and for you to Phil.
    Take care
    Judy
  • idlehunters
    idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
    #16
    pscott1 said:

    Hey Jennie,
    I'm in same predictament as you. I have shown up twice for Folfox #2 and my wbc was lower this last Friday than the Friday before. It wiped me out as well. I looked at my 5-FU bag that I took home for the weekend and it showed 3,250 miligrams. I forgot to ask my Onc what that meant compared to what I had last year. I'm scheduled to go back in this Friday and try again. I also am going to the Neulasta shots again. That was the only thing that kept my wbc up last year so I could continue with treatments. I was so weak and shaky this 1st treatment. I couldn't even go to work for 3 days and then when I finally did that Thursday following treatment, I didn't really feel good again until the Tuesday following. I am going to have them give me a printout on my numbers this last 3 visits so I can see what they were compared to yours. Please get plenty of rest and I will keep you in my prayers. I'll pray that both of us are able to move forward and keep fighting this ugly intruder that has come into our lives.

    P.S I just read Craig's post about the Oxy; my Onc is taking that out of my cocktail. He said he believes it is the Oxy that is causing most of my side effects. Last year he ended up discontinuing Oxy and the Leucovorin. I did get some half decent news today. Before I started my 1st treatment, CEA was 13.8, 2 weeks ago it was up to 23.7 and today they told me that Friday it was 16.5. I am hopeful that if I can get back on treatment that it will get back down to 1.0 where it was before I took my 4 month break from everything. Hang in there and stay out of the heat...my Onc said that the heat mixed with chemo can cause us to pass out without warning. Stay cool! :)

    Hugs,

    Pam

    Shots....
    They gave me Neulasta for the WBC and Tina....... Sounds like George and I are neck and neck symptom wise! They gave me a shot of Sandostatin which I had a few times in the past when on Folfiri with horrible diarrhea and it worked quite well. Right now the diarrhea has died down quite a bit so that's good. I have to give credit to my TCM for that tho. He gave me 2 herbel pills....actually like 28 in chinese talk....and poopin was well on its way to stopping from that. That TCM stuff amazes me ! Hey Wolfen..... Exact date on Cyberknife still has not been determined but they want it done as soon as possible and no more chemo until it is complete. They are suppose to call me thursday with final plans. Craig....thanks for heads up on platelet info. I remember us talking about this before. I did ask Onc about it today because I have never had a platelet issue before and he said he ain't even worried about that. I am and of course will keep an eye on it. Tans......organ meat? LOL...I better leave that alone....steroids got me thinking strange! For real tho...I do love liver too!!

    Thanks everyone for the well wishes. This puppy going to lay down. All you Folfox troopers....you are in my prayers!

    Jennie
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
    #17
    Oh Jennie
    lots of hugs to you; what a stinking situation you are dealing with. I agree with comments on Oxi. My RBC still hovers around 3.7 three years later even with organ meats and bone marrow soup. But I'm pretty functional with the RBC number there.

    all the best, Leslie
  • johnnybegood
    johnnybegood Member Posts: 1,117 Member
    #18
    lesvanb said:

    Oh Jennie
    lots of hugs to you; what a stinking situation you are dealing with. I agree with comments on Oxi. My RBC still hovers around 3.7 three years later even with organ meats and bone marrow soup. But I'm pretty functional with the RBC number there.

    all the best, Leslie

    hey girl
    just try to stay positive but just want to say that your current cocktail really kicked my butt and also did permenant damage with neuropathy.stay strong i know you can do this(((HUGS)))...Godbless...johnnybegood
  • karguy
    karguy Member Posts: 1,020 Member
    #19
    I'm sorry
    I'm sorry that you have to go thru that.My chemo was delayed twice becouse of low blood count.Mine was folfox,5fu,etc.I will be praying for you,rest,and get strong.Good luck.
  • steved
    steved Member Posts: 834 Member
    #20
    One step forward...
    and a cautious shuffle backwards. This journey always seems a bit like that to me. We try things to get moving forward but sometimes that don't work that well and we have to accept that and move on. in truth chemo for the brain mets is not likely to have huge effects due to the low levels that cross the blood brain barrier. Its main role is to try and make teh tumour more sensitive to the cyberknife which is the main treatment to really try and blast that damn thing. It really doesn't sound like the side effects and effects on your body in general are worth the small gains you may have got from the chemo so I wouldn't feel too bad about letting that one pass.

    Rest, recoup and relax as best you can- that really is the best way you can fight this for now. One good thing about horrendous diarrhoea I remember is how great it feels when it stops!

    steve

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