Just 18 months after Mastectomy and Rads for breast Cancer, Grade 3 Invasive, I get a phone call from my GP that a routine blood test has shown up high white blood cell count so she referred me to hospital for more thorough blood tests and I got appointment with Haematologist. It wasn't til the letter came through with the appointment and I noticed that it was in the Cancer Unit I'd been seen in before that I started to worry. So I was shocked when the consultant said it was almost certain that I have CML. As if living under the cloud of a Breast Cancer recurrance wasn't bad enough!
Anyway, she has started me off with Hydroxycarbamide 500mg x 2 per day and Allopurinol 300mg once a day.
I have an absolute phobia with pills after a bad allergic reaction some years ago. Reading through the side effects leaflet that she gave me and the ones in the boxes I was petrified about taking them.
So I plucked up my courage and started the Hydroxy... ones 3 days ago but I didn't start the Allopurinol on the same day so that if I got a reaction I would know which one was causing it. I know the Allopurinol is to do with clearing out the dead cells and to stop me getting gout mainly. I'm wondering if I should have started them both together or whether it takes the Hydroxy a few days to start chucking out stuff that the Allopurinol is meant to get rid of?
So far I feel a bit spaced out but nothing major so should I start them right away do you think? I've got my bone marrow biopsy next Wednesday but I understand that it takes time for the results to come through so I suppose I will be on these pills for a while until they change them to the Imatinib (which it says I'll be on in the copy letter I got that she sent to my GP).
I'm sorry this is long and boring but can anyone give me any advice with their own experiences or knowledge please?
Hi and a very warm welcome to the online community
I'm sorry to hear that after dealing with breast cancer you've now been diagnosed with CML.
I can understand your reluctance in taking tablets when you've had a bad reaction to others in the past but as we're either patients or carers in this community I'm afraid that none of us are medically qualified to advise you on when or if you should take the tablets you've been prescribed.
If you're worried about taking them then could I suggest that you ring your CNS first thing tomorrow morning to get their advice.
x
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
