stopped antibiotic treatment w on chemo, anc and wbc dropped

BIRDIEMAN · New User Joined: 20 Aug 2009 Posts: 1

Hi all. This is my first post.

I am a survivor (going on six years) of an anaplastic astrocytoma grade III in my left frontal lobe. Temodar failed for me after about a year. After third resective surgery to pluck the regrowth, I was palced on
a clinical trial that has worked since.

Complications have arisen this past year with sinusitus. I believe this is due to the fact that I am taking an anti-seizure drug called Keppra. If you look at the label and precautions for this drug, it says that sinusitus is a possibility. But I am wondering why it took so long for my body to start
rejecting. After failing five antibiotics one called rocephin on IV, the doctor said that I have chronic sinusitus. Standard of care is flushing the maxillary sinuses in the mornings with a saline solution and using symbiacort for respiratory problems that arise.

Ok, so...this last week my WBC count and ANC counts suddenly dropped. WBC 3.1 and ANC to 1100. Normal low range is 1500 and i have been averaging around 1700 or so.

Doctor told me to hold off on the chemo drugs for a week and to get retested...i suppose to see if i can regenerate these cells on my own without a booster.

My concerns/questions:

Has anyone had any experience with stopping/failing antibiotics for sinusitus, or any other kind of infection, while on chemotherapy AND experiencing a sudden drop in WBC and ANC counts?

I think that the symbiacort is the culprit for the drop (it is a steroid) and I have stopped taking hits off of it as well as stopping my oral chemotherapy as directed by my doctor.

What does anyone else think? I am a tad bit worried.

many thanks

brainman

Hi BIRDIEMAN. Wow, six years on some form of chemo?? That is the longest I have ever heard of. I was on PCV for 13 months and thought I would die.

I too took Keppra for many years... 13 to be exact. When my seizures started again back in 2005, they switched me to Lamictal. So far, so good.

Like you, I also have chronic sinus problems. But since that issue predates the Keppra, I have never associated the two.

When I was taking chemo, my blood counts dropped through the floor. I had to put of starting a cycle several times and ended up in the hospital twice... once for pneumonia.

I am interested in hearing about the clinical trial you are on. What does it consist of, if you do not mind telling?

Hope you continue to be a survivor for many more years.
_________________
Jim
Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendroglioma grade 3, same location.
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=2405
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My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
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