blood counts delay chemo?

[marym]

Hi All,

Are you having problems with your blood counts that interfere with your chemo?

I have had major problems with my blood counts causing me to miss chemo. I'm on gemcitibine-sp? and carboplatin under a trial. Cycles are 3 weeks with CT after each 2 cycles. My first 2 cycles, I could only do 1 1/2 because my white count and platelets were too low. For my second 2 cycle period, I mnaged to do all 4 treatments - but required a transfusion because I was very anemic (I've been anemic since the start). I'm taking an iron supplement and a multivitamin that includes 100% of iron needs. I also take something for my red blood cells and for my white blood cells (nuelasta - sp?).

I had the nuelasta on Sat and had fever and chills everyday thereafter. To be safe, my doctor decided to drw blood and found my plaatelets to be 12,000. So I needed a transfusion fo platelets. I'm hoping this will get them up enough fo chemo on the 10th.

Any reccomendations on how to solve this?

Mary

[Andrea]

No recommendations on how to solve it, but just letting you know in the interim before others reply with actual ideas, it is NORMAL to have chemo delayed b/c of blood count. It happened to my mom and I freaked out, then I posted and learned that almost everyone has it happened, it is very common.

I hope it resolves soon for you!

[TAnn]

Mary,

Unfortunately this is one of the side effects of chemo. My counts always go down. Sounds like you are doing all the right things, including getting the neulasta shot. Are you also getting the Aranesp shot for your red blood cells? If not, ask your doc about that. You get it every 2 weeks. This helped me.

Good luck,

TAnn

[Frank Lamb]

Mary, I had trouble with blood counts and lots of other things every time I did chemo.

Hoping it gets better for you.