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Profile picture for Lori, Volunteer Mentor @loribmt

Hi @jalan00 It’s often the same process monthly with each round of chemo. The blood numbers will drop and then the week before the next round begins, they tend to rise. It’s just the nature of chemo.
Chemo interferes with rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells. It’s not discriminatory however. So chemo also destroys or interferes with other rapidly dividing cells such as blood cells, hair follicles, the mucosal lining in the digestive tract, etc.. Mid month, the blood numbers will drop to a very low point called nadir or neutropenia. It will take a week or so after that for the numbers of cells to regenerate, often just in time for another round of chemo.
In my own experience, each month the numbers of cells regenerating seemed to be slower to rise. So don’t be alarmed if this happens. It can take longer in some patients. But the cells usually return to normal or near normal on their own terms.

Usually another BMB isn’t warranted this early in your dad’s treatment. There’s a lot of information available in the blood draw results as to how the treatments are working. There will be another BMB at some point. But for now, it appears your dad is reacting favorably to the treatments. So you can breathe a little easier and trust the process! Your dad’s progress sounds right on track.

I’m here any time if you have questions! Keep me updated, ok? Hugs.

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Replies to "Hi @jalan00 It’s often the same process monthly with each round of chemo. The blood numbers..."

@loribmt Hello. I will, Lori. Thank you. I truly appreciate you and the others in this community. I was so anxious and scared ever since the diagnosis which until now it hasn't gone away but this community has helped me a lot. I don't know how to express my gratefulness into words but thank you.

I still continue to pray for my father and for everyone who is also battling this disease.