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← Return to AML successful treatment
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I was diagnosed with AML three months ago at age 83. I am very sensitive to drugs & was given way too much chemo on the first two rounds of Vidaza & Venclexta. My BM biopsy at that point showed no leukemia, but everything else was wiped out too. It has been hard for my white blood count to come back & so I can’t be considered in remission yet. At my request my doctor reduced the Vidaza by almost half & gave me only 3 infusions the 3rd round. And instead of 14 days of two pills a day of Venclexta, I only took 1 pill a day for 5 days. I’m repeating that protocol for round 4 starting on Monday. My goal is to find the sweet spot where I can take the smallest amount of chemo that will keep the leukemia at bay.
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I am 77 y o and was diagnosed with AML in March 2024. After induction therapy I have been on Dacogen and Venclexta and will have round 13 on Monday. Lots of dosage changes; down to one day of Dacogen and 2 days of Ventclextca (4 pills). Hopefully this will be my “sweet spot”. Best of luck to you and your care team as they find the best combination for you!
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Hi @agh83, As we age, our bodies really can become much less tolerant to drugs, as I found out myself. Our metabolism slows down and our kidneys and liver aren’t able to eliminate the waste as quickly, along with other factors.
So I’m glad your doctor is working with you to find that sweet spot! Hopefully you find the right compromise and start seeing your important blood numbers to get back to norma-ish again. But the good news is you had no signs of leukemic cells on your last biopsy! That’s awesome!
Sharing stories like this is so helpful to other folks going through a similar experience. So I hope you’ll keep us in the loop on how you’re feeling and if the lower dosages are working for you, ok? Hugs!