Low blood counts, again....still

[laban]

My husband, who has recurrent sclc with mets to the bone and lymph nodes has been having very low blood counts due to chemo. He was supposed to get 8mg Topotecan once a week for three weeks, then off one week and on again for three. That was ordered in the beginning of March. There was only one time since the beginning of March that he tolerated that regimen of three weeks in a row. While getting that chemo he developed the lymph node mets. The Dr then changed the treatment to a combination of Carboplatin and Topotecan. Bill only tolerated that combination twice and it was dc'd due to low blood counts. He has occasionally had Aranesp and Neupogen, but not necessairly as he needed them, in my opinion. Last week the Dr put him back on Topotecan only. This week his blood counts again are too low and he cannot have chemo. He did get his shots today, but too late. My questions are:

1. Is there a point when he will not be able to tolerate chemo because of chronic low blood counts?

2. How much help is chemo on a "once in awhile" basis?

Since March 1st he has had chemo only 8 times on a very inconsistent basis. I was under the impression that the cancer may likely become resistant to chemo when not administered consistently. Anyone have an opinion?

Thanks,

Laurie

[Nova]

Hi Laurie,

I wish I knew the answers to your questions, because we're going thru the same thing here.

Harry's chemo was set up for Friday, but he just got out of the hospital, and now he's passing out and falling down. He looks like he's been in a fight, (and lost).(Busted head, scraped nose, black eye, and bruised cheekbone)....

They don't know when he'll be able to start back up again with the treatment.

Please know I'm thinking of you. Their symptoms are so alike--it's rotten.

Love,

Nova

[teriw]

Hi Laurie,

I'm so sorry to hear about your Bill's low blood counts and the chemo being postponed. We went through that with the last three cycles of my Bill's initial chemo treatment (carbo/etoposide). I'm convinced that the Neupogen the insurance would pay for didn't work as well on him as the Neulasta they didn't want to pay for. He had the Neulasta twice (the first and last times he needed the shot), and both times his blood counts stayed elevated. With the Neupogen, however, his blood counts would rise sharply, then fall right about the time we were scheduled to start chemo again. I so understand your frustration.

Have you tried Dr. West?

Thinking of you guys...

Hugs,