procrit

[simcha511]

I am at week 8 at tx -- started procrit at week 4 -- after 3 weeks of procrit I am above 12 hemoglobin so I am taking a week off procrit w blood draw tomorrow morning -- my question is this: how long does it take for hemoglobin to drop again -- what is anyone's experience with this?

[spectda]

At 12 you are at the normal value for woman actually. I would love to be at 12 right now, give me 10 and I'd be happy!

Hemoglobin normal values:

Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying pigment in the blood, the predominant protein in the red blood cells. In the routine laboratory test for hemoglobin (Hb), it is usually measured as total hemoglobin and the result is expressed as the amount of hemoglobin in grams (gm) per deciliter (dl) of whole blood, a deciliter being 100 milliliters.

The normal ranges for hemoglobin depend on the age and, beginning in adolescence, the sex of the person. The normal ranges are:

Newborns: 17-22 gm/dl
One (1) week of age: 15-20 gm/dl
One (1) month of age: 11-15gm/dl
Children: 11-13 gm/dl
Adult males: 14-18 gm/dl
Adult women: 12-16 gm/dl
Men after middle age: 12.4-14.9 gm/dl
Women after middle age: 11.7-13.8 gm/dl
All of these values may vary slightly between laboratories. Some laboratories do not differentiate between adult and "after middle age" hemoglobin values.

[GrandOak]

I found it seems to depend on how quickly you responded to Procrit when it was introduced.

I eventually was at 100,000 units a week which I eventually split into several smaller dosages taken every other day during the course of the week to stabilize my HgB around 10 to 10.5, which was a relief after dropping as low as 7.0.

When I was pulled from TX after 11 months, I was pulled from Procrit too.  The first several weeks my HgB started to drop again, although not as quickly since I was no longer resupplying the TX meds in my system.

It sounds like the reason you may not be continuing on Procrit is a result of recent studies that led to FDA warnings issued when I was on Tx about possible long term risk to cardio-vascular system due to using it if it is not needed.  At 12 you are approach normal levels again, so they may be concerned about the risk as identified by the FDA warnings if you continued on it.

Your doc may want to see if your HgB begins to drop again, and more importantly is how quickly it drops.  You may find yourself back on it again but at a lower dosage.

[nygirl7]

At 80,000 a week my hemo went back up over 12 so we backed it down to 40,000 every five days or so and it kept me about 10.5.

Sometimes you have to do some playing with procrit to get it to the level where you don't feel you are dying but it's also not dangerous to you as well.

[can-do-man]

I agree with Dave that your doctor is really on top of this, at 12 they should cut out the procrit and wait to see if you drop back in the 10's before you start it up again. Consider yourself lucky even with procrit i could never get back to 10....... Hang in there, best to you.

cando

[pcds]

How often per week did you take procrit?
Judy

[spectda]

It sounds like your doc is paying attention, I think ideally you want to keep the hgb between 10-11 with procrit. Procrit has the potential to create other problems for you if it is used to keep you at too high a level. I am sure some of the members who have used procrit on the forum will put there two cents in.
Good luck - Dave

[simcha511]

I was 13.6 initially -- dropped over 4 weeks to a bit over 10 and up to 12
after 3 weeks on procrit. I am concerned that I will start to yo yo with procrit - falling too far too fast wiith hgb and then feeling awful before procrit brings it back up

[spectda]

Everyone is different. If you are above 12 you want to back off on the procrit a little. What was your hgb when you started procrit?
- Dave