lethargy and low hb

Much love to you and your Dad Jules.
I’m glad you both enjoyed a good holiday.

Hi Jules!

I have read on several of the cc blogs this year that others have had to suspend their chemo at various times. I went off Gemzar for a week while I was doing the melodrama and had a bunch of family in town two weeks ago and yet my bloodwork did continue to improve. I have also had to suspend my Xeloda on two occasions, one of which was last week, due to my feet swelling (hand-foot syndrome), but I still had improvement in my blood chemistry.

I haven’t had problems with my white blood cells or platelets, but my hemoglobin has usually been just below the anemic borderline, but not enough that I’ve taken the shot that was discussed above. I am trying to eat more iron rich foods – red meat, broccoli, raisins. I hate spinach, but I have had it on pizza recently. I can tolerate it if it’s disseminated in lasagna.

I do get fatigued from the Gemzar (gemcitabine) – some weeks it’s only two days but intense, some weeks it’s four days but milder.

I read in my cookbook, Eating Well Through Cancer, that during low white blood cell counts, you should avoid meat, seafood, and raw fruits and vegetables as they are prone to bacteria which could cause an infection. It further said that the white blood cell count usually lasts four to seven days. (The website for the author of this book is http://www.hollyclegg.com.) She also has a chapter on what to eat the day of chemo and just after, among other chapters that addres weight loss, diarrhea, constipation, mouth sores, etc.

Hope this helps. My best to you and your father.

-Caroline

Jules – I’m sorry your dad’s treatments were postponed. Yes, Dan has had his treatments put off before, for many reasons—low blood count, blood clots and numerous infections. Please try not to worry too much about delaying treatment. Dan has had breaks in his treatment for several weeks at a time on several occasions and, thankfully, despite the delays, his cancer has remained stable, his CA19-9 continued to drop, and his liver function and blood tests remained good.

Of course, Dan and I both worry when there are breaks in his treatments, but so far, it doesn’t appear to have had any negative effects. Dan is an amazing person—he has tremendous faith and a positive attitude. I believe that, along with his treatments, have made the difference. Dan is a fighter–he’s beaten two other serious cancers (stomach & lymphoma) and is determined to knock this one out, too. We pray the same for your dad and hope he has better days soon.

Juanita

Jules – My husband also has had to have a few blood transfusions following chemotherapy. Like your dad, some chemo treatments seem to affect him more than others–very weak, tired, and just knock him off of his feet. He has had Procrit shots and most recently has been receiving Aranesp injections to combat the anemia caused by the chemo. Aranesp is similar to Procrit but fewer injections are needed. It does work and Dan feels much more energetic after his injections. We love these shots! Hopefully, they’ll help your dad feel better, too.

Juanita