[CMolinaro]

Yet another allo question

by CMolinaro on Thu Jul 11, 2013 9:32 pm

So this question is geared towards those who have gone thru the allo transplant process. After my donor cells are transplanted, for how many days or weeks should I feel like I need to be scraped off the floor? I remember when I had my two auto scts, when my counts hit 0, I felt like I had mono times ten.

[Dana]

Re: Yet another allo question

by Dana on Fri Jul 12, 2013 2:50 pm

Hi CMolinaro,
I had reduced intensity conditioning (a "mini" myloablative allo) and quite honestly, felt way better (both times--I am just completing a second right now!) than I did during my auto. This second time I have never once gotten sick from nausea and only had a tired day on about day 29 when my reds dropped; a transfusion took care of that, and I feel really well again. I always request a sancuso patch to wear on my arm to control nausea, and that really takes care of it for me (even with my auto, the nausea was always under control). With the auto, there were a few days I couldn't walk myself over to the clinic and used a wheelchair, but never with my allos. In fact, I walk about 45 minutes every morning. There has only been a week (when my reds were dropping) that I napped for about an hour in the afternoons. I did have headaches on my cytoxan days (twice) but they were short-lived. I am not trying to imply that it is easy, but EASIER than the auto! The downside is that it drags on longer and there is more follow up. I hope yours will go just as smoothly--best of luck! Dana

[Mark]

Re: Yet another allo question

by Mark on Sat Jul 13, 2013 10:31 am

Hi Chris,

It really depends on what type of conditioning you are using and how soon you can get off your anti-rejection med. I used high dose melphalan and fludarabine so I felt the same way I did when I did my auto. There is an AML patient I correspond with that did a "mini" allo that described it as much easier to tolerate than her Induction therapy. AML patients typically have a short but intensive induction therapy. Like Dana mentioned the difference is the amount of monitoring required after the transplant. The other issue with recovery is how fast can you get off your anti-rejection med. I used Prograf and I got off of it right on schedule 6 months after transplant. I felt noticeably better a month after getting off the Prograf. Patients that do solid organ transplants have to stay on anti-rejection meds for life. I know someone whose Father had a heart transplant and that is his only complaint - the side effects of long term Prograf use.

Mark

[asaryden]

Re: Yet another allo question

by asaryden on Mon Jul 15, 2013 8:59 am

Hi CMolinaro,
I also felt my "midi" allo was easier than my auto transplant. I did have quite a lot of nausea though that started the day after the first day of receiving fludarabine (also had treosulfan) and lasted for perhaps a month. I was quite weak for a couple of weeks but managed to take a walk outside the hospital every day. I finished my anti-rejection drugs after 3 months and didn’t have any problems with those (tacrolimus, sirolimus). On the contrary I felt a bit "high" during that period!
Åsa