HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Caution concerning erythropoietin, or Epo

StephN · 02-27-2007, 11:38 PM

I became VERY anemic on my hard chemos two years running.
Without taking Epo the first time and then being one of the first in my area to get the new long-lasting version called Darbypoetin (sp?), I would NOT have made it through my treatments.
As it was (with the blood boosters), I had to miss a couple of times or have my chemo dose cut.

These drugs were considered to be a very integral part of my treatment, and helped keep me on the chemos. There were risks mentioned in my trial papers, but these were secondary to trying to fight and stay alive. So far there were none of those scary things in my case because of taking the Neupogen, which I gave the shot to myself for months and months.

Sometimes we need to put the priorities in order. There are risks with every treatment.

02-27-2007, 11:38 PM	#4
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	I became VERY anemic on my hard chemos two years running. Without taking Epo the first time and then being one of the first in my area to get the new long-lasting version called Darbypoetin (sp?), I would NOT have made it through my treatments. As it was (with the blood boosters), I had to miss a couple of times or have my chemo dose cut. These drugs were considered to be a very integral part of my treatment, and helped keep me on the chemos. There were risks mentioned in my trial papers, but these were secondary to trying to fight and stay alive. So far there were none of those scary things in my case because of taking the Neupogen, which I gave the shot to myself for months and months. Sometimes we need to put the priorities in order. There are risks with every treatment. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.