We are at Mayo Clinic to harvest my husband's stem cells and prepare for transplant. At least, transplant was the plan. We were turned away Monday from collection because Matt's numbers were too low to start harvesting. As a result, Mozibil was added to our original regiment of Neupogen. Today, we only collected 0.5 million cells. We only have a few days left, and we are really concerned.
Matt was treated with 4 cycles of Kyprolis, Rev., and Dex. - that's it. Any thoughts out there on how to increase stem cell harvest?
Many thanks in advance.
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SandyC63 - Name: SandyC
- Who do you know with myeloma?: My Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 51
Re: Boosting the number of stem cells during harvest?
First of all, I'm surprised that the doctors at the Mayo clinic wouldn't be of more help. They really should be doing all they can to boost the collection numbers. About 4 or 5 days before my husband had his stem cells collected, I had to give him daily Neupogen shots, and then the night before his collection, he was given more Neupogen at the med. center. I'm not aware of any thing other Neupogen, that will increase stem cells. I wish you the very best.
Re: Boosting the number of stem cells during harvest?
Hello HuskerFan,
Thanks for your response. Your note reminded me that I should mention what all they have tried at this point. Matt has had the Neupogen, and just had his second dose of Mozobil last night. To be clear, Mayo has been great through this. But because we appear to be in the 3-5% that is still having difficulty with stem cell harvesting, I thought I'd pose the questions.
I was reading something about hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks,
Sandy
Thanks for your response. Your note reminded me that I should mention what all they have tried at this point. Matt has had the Neupogen, and just had his second dose of Mozobil last night. To be clear, Mayo has been great through this. But because we appear to be in the 3-5% that is still having difficulty with stem cell harvesting, I thought I'd pose the questions.
I was reading something about hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks,
Sandy
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SandyC63 - Name: SandyC
- Who do you know with myeloma?: My Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 51
Re: Boosting the number of stem cells during harvest?
Hi Sandy,
As I recall, it took eight days of collection for me to produce a sufficient number of stem cells with the help of mozobil and neupogen. The first few days the collection numbers were just above and below 0.5 million, which seemed to be the cutoff point. (They used a running average). With the help of mozobil, numbers increased after a few days of injections.
Scott
As I recall, it took eight days of collection for me to produce a sufficient number of stem cells with the help of mozobil and neupogen. The first few days the collection numbers were just above and below 0.5 million, which seemed to be the cutoff point. (They used a running average). With the help of mozobil, numbers increased after a few days of injections.
Scott
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ScottM - Name: Scott
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2011
Re: Boosting the number of stem cells during harvest?
Mozobil and Nuepogen for me... I was done in one day but 8 hrs total! 13.5 million cells
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Barneasada - Name: Mark
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Jan 2007
- Age at diagnosis: 19
Re: Boosting the number of stem cells during harvest?
I was on Revlimid dex for two years before my harvest. I took Neupogen morning and night for far past the normal time. I was so frustrated driving two hours to be checked , waiting over three hours ,than turned away.
Finally after several trips, I called my regular Oncologist ( not the transplant center), and asked for Mozobil. Very new at the time. Easy and worked the first time!!!
Finally after several trips, I called my regular Oncologist ( not the transplant center), and asked for Mozobil. Very new at the time. Easy and worked the first time!!!
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Susan BH
Re: Boosting the number of stem cells during harvest?
I had days of Neupogen shots prior to and on the first day of harvesting. I had 9.5 million. Luckily they allowed me to start apheresis for a partial harvesting that day. Had one Mozibil shot that night and my stem cell count was 32 million the following morning. On apheresis machine 5 hours on day one and 7 hours day 2. My total collection was just over 6 million, with 5.3 million collected after the Mozibil. One thing I always pass on, Mozibil will give you diarrhea. I felt sick and frequented the bathroom 20 minutes after the injection. Have your immodium ready.
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WeatherNurse13 - Name: Gracie
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 10/2012
- Age at diagnosis: 49
Re: Boosting the number of stem cells during harvest?
Dear Sandy111,
I am absolutely certain that your Mayo Clinic physicians will do what is necessary to get a sufficent number of stem cells. The inclusion of mozobil with the neupogen is the right first step. If neupogen and mozobil alone are insufficient, I suspect your doctors will talk to you about using a combination of chemotherapy and neupogen as a means of collecting a sufficient number of stem cells. The use of cyclophosphamide followed by neupogen is a commonly used strategy. When the marrow is recovering from the chemotherapy (e.g. cyclophosphamide), large numbers of stem cells will pour into the circulation while on neupogen.
Good luck and let us know how things go.
Thanks!
Pete V.
I am absolutely certain that your Mayo Clinic physicians will do what is necessary to get a sufficent number of stem cells. The inclusion of mozobil with the neupogen is the right first step. If neupogen and mozobil alone are insufficient, I suspect your doctors will talk to you about using a combination of chemotherapy and neupogen as a means of collecting a sufficient number of stem cells. The use of cyclophosphamide followed by neupogen is a commonly used strategy. When the marrow is recovering from the chemotherapy (e.g. cyclophosphamide), large numbers of stem cells will pour into the circulation while on neupogen.
Good luck and let us know how things go.
Thanks!
Pete V.
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Dr. Peter Voorhees - Name: Peter Voorhees, M.D.
Beacon Medical Advisor
Re: Boosting the number of stem cells during harvest?
When I went into Omaha to have stem cell withdrawn I was only on a week to ten days of Neupogen shot self administrated at home. I was told that the stem cell withdraw can take several days. As they started the process , I was encouraged by the nurse that I might take less time . In fact in less than 6 hours I had enough for the transplant and enough for three times for storage for later use. I was glad for that success and went directly to receiving the chemotherapy and the stem cell were later reinstalled. Doing great now on maintenance.
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WilliamJ
Re: Boosting the number of stem cells during harvest?
I wanted to thank all who responded, and provide an update.
After 4 days of mozobil and 7 days of neupogen, we were able to get 2.1 million stem cells. It was a difficult and somewhat disappointing week, and a bit perplexing to all of us. But we were grateful to have achieved the very minimum for one transplant. It's not clear what's causing the difficulty since Matt has only had 4 cycles of treatment.
We met with our doctor yesterday to regroup, and he would very much like for us to have enough cells for 2 transplants (as would we), and has recommended resting Matt's bone marrow for 4 weeks with no chemo and trying the stem cell harvest again. That's the plan at this point.
Dr. Voorhees, our doctor never suggested the combo chemo/neupogen. I'm not sure why - perhaps it has something to do with Matt's specific situation? Regardless, we'll enjoy a few weeks of rest before starting again. Should we get enough cells for two transplants, we'll likely use one of these opportunities shortly after the harvesting.
We're just trying to keep the faith.
After 4 days of mozobil and 7 days of neupogen, we were able to get 2.1 million stem cells. It was a difficult and somewhat disappointing week, and a bit perplexing to all of us. But we were grateful to have achieved the very minimum for one transplant. It's not clear what's causing the difficulty since Matt has only had 4 cycles of treatment.
We met with our doctor yesterday to regroup, and he would very much like for us to have enough cells for 2 transplants (as would we), and has recommended resting Matt's bone marrow for 4 weeks with no chemo and trying the stem cell harvest again. That's the plan at this point.
Dr. Voorhees, our doctor never suggested the combo chemo/neupogen. I'm not sure why - perhaps it has something to do with Matt's specific situation? Regardless, we'll enjoy a few weeks of rest before starting again. Should we get enough cells for two transplants, we'll likely use one of these opportunities shortly after the harvesting.
We're just trying to keep the faith.
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SandyC63 - Name: SandyC
- Who do you know with myeloma?: My Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 51
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