Is my persistently low hemoglobin anything else but chemo?

IHK
IHK Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Leukemia #1
I'm on FCR for CLL. I was given a schedule of 6 doses over 6 months (3 days for each dose seperated by 27 days). My heoglobin dropped to 4.7 dring the first week after the first dose. I was transfused 3 units of blood after which the hemogloin rose to 10 but the neutrophils stayed @ 2.1 and I had to remain hospitalized for 6 days to avoid nutropenic fever. Due to this, after the second dose I took neupogen to sustain neutrophils and the labs from first week showed adequate hemoglobin. However, through the second week it dropped to 5.7 though the absolute neutrophil count didn't get hit much. 2 weeks ago I had another 3 units transfused bringing the count to 9 but today's labs show it down at 6.7 again (.7 being the constant in all readings;)).
any comments anyone?? My third dose has been postponed twice and do I need to say that its FRUSTRATING!!

Comments

  • mtbikernate
    mtbikernate Member Posts: 31
    #2
    chemo will throw blood
    chemo will throw blood counts off consistently for a LONG time.

    I was almost contantly anemic from March '09 - January '10 from my chemo. I had to get an average of 3-4 units of red cells after each chemo treatment. My platelets are still low ~3mos after my last chemo. I was given vidaza to attempt to boost my platelet counts just this week.

    different chemo drugs will hit people in different ways. with leukemia, you can almost be certain that your blood counts will suffer. and red cells/hemoglobin take a long time to recover on average.

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