On Procrit and Neupogen, Still Off Treatment

The Procrit is a once-a-week shot, the Neupogen is three-per-week. I started them on Wednesday (May 24) and took the second Neupogen Saturday. This has all been a learning process. I had a notion that my blood levels would bounce back quickly after getting off tx and on the blood boosters. Wrong! It takes a while for the numbers to come back.

From the Procrit prescribing information:

Because of the length of time required for erythropoiesis – several days for erythroid progenitors to mature and be released into the circulation – a clinically significant increase in hematocrit is usually not observed in less than 2 weeks and may require up to 6 weeks in some patients.

The Neupogen insert was considerably less willing to set expectations about how long it could take to raise WBC counts. But I doubt it's an overnight effect.

Anyway, I'm still circling the airport.

I'm noticing some mild side-effects from the drugs. Fortunately, no dashing to the bathroom. I have some fatigure, mild achiness, and some mild to moderate itching, mostly on my scalp and back. If I were on treatment, I doubt I'd even notice it.

Meanwhile, I think I've succeeded in pissing off my estimable gastroenterologist. My GP contacted his office saying that I had questsion. The note that came back was that we've already talked and the treatment plan is set. Hmmm.

The thing is, I trust his judgment. His reputation is sterling. My question was whether he was operating on current information. I suspect that's been resolved -- he did prescribe the blood boosters. But the downside is that the damage is done and now I'm having to recover before starting up again. At no point have I seriously considered going back on treatment of my own accord. I've got too much personal experience with these drugs to treat them lightly. No way am I going to take them blindly without medical monitoring.

I have an appointment for a second opinion in mid-June. That's a week after my next scheduled appointment, and I do expect to get back on the treatment before then. Until then, I wait, albeit grumpily.