CancerCompass message board discussion started by eaglessoar on 3/5/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,21670,0.htm Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Stormy here, with ice predicted so staying inside next to the fire and emailing my cancer compass friends. Thanks for listening and responding. You are all a real help and my prayers and thoughts are with you as I read over your messages and concerns. Just wondering what can be done to boost WBC, white blood count, if anything. My sister, diagnosed with Bile Duct Cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) January 2008, with mets to her liver (6),  had to skip her forth chemo of Gemzar due to her white blood count being too low, at 1.2. Her WBC was up this week so she had her forth chemo in her 5th week of the scheduled 7 week session. Her oncology nurse said my sister would stay on track with the chemo, if her count is okay, and end at the scheduled time of 7 weeks (just missing the one week of chemo). Has anyone been through this and add some light to this subject? Does anyone have experience with foods that have helped WBC,  the  side effects of chemo and/or the cancer? Thank you. The plan is for her then to have one week off after the 7 weeks of chemo and begin a three wk on- three week off regimen until ???My sister is soooo weak and needs help to WALK now! She is eating better since the week off from chemo, and food even smells good right now, but all in all she is weak, and is having difficulty sleeping at night. She calls it feeling "antsy".  Hope you are all doing well and keeping positive...'cause we believe in miracles! Blessings,My sister's voiceeaglessoar     eaglessoar Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Has she recieved any Neupogen/Neulasta? Oncrx Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT   My WBC even went below 1.0   Still had same amount of chemo Gemzar. Then my oncologist put an order in for a lower dose chemo just in case my WBC were ever that low again.  Never had to skip a chemo treatment. Was on chemo for 9 months- 2 weeks on & one week off.  After 9 months I did not want any more chemo.  It has been 2 months off chemo & am doing good.  I would rather die than have another round of chemo. My family has stood by my decision & understand. Chemo makes you feel tired, sick, & weak.  Everything has a strange metalic chemical taste & smell.  Couldn't even stand the taste of mint toothpaste (got fruit flavored instead).  Some days coffee (my favorite) smelled & tasted horrible to me.  So, you do not feel like eating/drinking anything.  On days like that, took Carnation Instant Breakfast & Boost drinks & Breeze Resource Boost fruit drinks to keep up my strength.  Don't know of anything to boost WBC, but do know what helped me keep up my strength.  Praying that your loved one & you will have the courage & strength for the days ahead.  God bless. 8MJM8 Wed, 05 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT There is nothing one can do nutritionally to boost WBC. A patient can be given neupogen, but it has it's own side effects, so oncologists use it sparingly. I missed 3 months of much needed chemo last fall because the temodar I was taking had driven my platelets and WBC down to almost nothing. The tumor re grew and I had to have a 2nd craniotomy in Nov 2007. (I was diagnosed with GBM 4 in June 2007)Good luck. ask your doc about neupogen. texasbelle5 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi thereI too have had problems with low WBC from my chemo and low Hg.I'm on other chemos for cancer of unknown primary. Carboplatin, Taxol & Vepisid.The first incident was after my first chemo in early December. I was hospitalized for 6 days on reverse isolation. I required neupagen(?) for 3 days and 3 units of blood.They cut back on my chemo by 20%.The second time was when I was due for Chemo # 4. My Hemaglobin was low so the chemo was delayed a week and I was given two units of blood. So I guess we hang in there. I have chemo 5 of 6 tomorrowDianne arcticnurse Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT I had to have 3 of my 12 treaments (Folfox) delayed  due to low WBC count.  My onocologist gave me Neulasta to build it up.  I had no side effects but some people do. The WBC are what fights any infection you might get so that is why they don't want it to get too low.  Hang in there.  I completed my treatments and so far 1 yr later everything is OK.  Donna Louise Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT  On 3/6/2008 Donna Louise wrote:I had to have 3 of my 12 treaments (Folfox) delayed  due to low WBC count.  My onocologist gave me Neulasta to build it up.  I had no side effects but some people do. The WBC are what fights any infection you might get so that is why they don't want it to get too low.  Hang in there.  I completed my treatments and so far 1 yr later everything is OK. i am a care giver ,my wife is having Breast cancer  in the second stage ,we have fished 3 out of the six  chemos suggested by the doctors,she takes after the session 24hrs later for 7 days Neopogen .and on the 8 day when we do the count they are low this time it is o.6 ,previous was 1,1 but i have learnt that having a lot of fluids and fibre helps,because each time before the chemo starts we do a count and her wbc are up to 8000 that is 3 weeks after the chemo ,so try it on ,it may help ,or i am sure it does , god should bless all of you who are actully undergoing this ,beig a care taker is tough ,i can just imagine how tough it will be for the one suffering.but there is sure light at the this tunnel . rmelco Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Hi, I have breast cancer and after lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy in October, 2007 I am receiving CMF group of chemo.  I was considered for simaltaneous radiation therapy but had to cancel the plan as it was discovered that the sentinel nodes were cancer free but the third node in the vicility (not removed) had cancer cells in it.As the chemo has already started, I cannot have another surgery until the last chemo is over at the end of March.  My chemo had to be deferred several times due to low WBC, the lowest was .5.  My oncologist prescribed neupogen for me, to be taken on the  5th day of the chemo for 7 days.  I started that after my 4th chemo and had some side effects, usual ones were bone pain and feeling feverish.  After the 4th day it was terrible, I had 100.4 c temp and splitting headache.  It was a Saturday and I could not reach the doctor, I was advised not to take any pain killers.  Finally, the hospital based on call oncologist advised me to stop neupogen.  I did stop.Last week I had my 5th (of 6 total) chemo and my oncologist has advised me to continue with the rest of the neupogen I have left (3 in total).  I started that today.  I hope it allows my WBC to remain at desirable level and do not cause any adverse side effects.Let us see.  I have checked with several people including nutritionists if there is any food that they can recommend to boost my WBC.  All of them have suggested that no diets are specified for WBC.   I hope anyoneone who is getting neuplasta/neupogen are helped.  I am told that neuplasta is better than neupogen, whatever that may mean.   rinach Mon, 10 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT Unfortunately, the only way I know to raise the wbc is injections of neuprogen or neulasta.  I receive neulasta injections every other week. I have chemo weekly and get the injection 2 days after my chemo that includes Erbitux , 5fu and cpt11.  I also get the injection for red blood cells as well.  aeranesp?  can't spell it. lol  The neulasta works but unfortunately I get moderate to sever back pain from the injections that are usually at the base of my spine or in the middle.  Doesn't help with the sleep much either. :)  However, as long as the alternative is worse I'll continue to get the shots and endure the pain.  I've also been in the situation where treatments were spread out to every other week or every other 3rd week.  When I had this happen, the treatments still worked.I later had my spleen removed because it was larger on every cat/petscan I got after my firs chemo treatment in March of 2004.  Also removed it becuase it wasn't regenerating my platelets and some white and red cells.Platelets are good now, still have low scores on white cells, red cells, and hemiglobin.  Thus the injection that seem to help the white cells, and keeps the reds at current levels.Sorry for running on and on,  I blame it on the chemo.  (another side effect, can't shutup . LOL :) Take care and I hope something I have said has helped in some way.  If not just click on delete :) On 3/5/2008 eaglessoar wrote:Stormy here, with ice predicted so staying inside next to the fire and emailing my cancer compass friends. Thanks for listening and responding. You are all a real help and my prayers and thoughts are with you as I read over your messages and concerns. Just wondering what can be done to boost WBC, white blood count, if anything. My sister, diagnosed with Bile Duct Cancer (cholangiocarcinoma) January 2008, with mets to her liver (6),  had to skip her forth chemo of Gemzar due to her white blood count being too low, at 1.2. Her WBC was up this week so she had her forth chemo in her 5th week of the scheduled 7 week session. Her oncology nurse said my sister would stay on track with the chemo, if her count is okay, and end at the scheduled time of 7 weeks (just missing the one week of chemo). Has anyone been through this and add some light to this subject? Does anyone have experience with foods that have helped WBC,  the  side effects of chemo and/or the cancer? Thank you. The plan is for her then to have one week off after the 7 weeks of chemo and begin a three wk on- three week off regimen until ???My sister is soooo weak and needs help to WALK now! She is eating better since the week off from chemo, and food even smells good right now, but all in all she is weak, and is having difficulty sleeping at night. She calls it feeling "antsy".  Hope you are all doing well and keeping positive...'cause we believe in miracles! Blessings,My sister's voiceeaglessoar      Stever1955 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT