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Tasigna side effect? How do I stop an itchy scalp and rash?
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: Mar 26, 2023 | Replies (26)Comment receiving replies
Hi Judy! Your research touched on a topic that bothered me from the get-go with some of the dosages of meds I was on and their side effects. I had serious questions as to how, when I was weighing in a 103 pounds, 5’2” (65 year old female at the time) was on the same dosages of this serious drug as a 25 year old, 6’3” male weighing 300 pounds?! Happened to be talking with him in a waiting room during our similar treatment plan. I had horrible side effects and begged to have the dosage reduced. I was told it was all processed the same in our bodies no matter the weight and that’s the recommended dosage. Huh, really? Most meds are calibrated to height and weight…
Fortunately, my doctors at Mayo did not share the opinion of my local clinic and my dosage was abruptly lowered with very positive results and no side effects.
I don’t have any actual statistics on the particular leukemic tests you mentioned but it is a fact that women and older adults can process some of these drugs differently, or slower, keeping them in our systems longer which can create the negative side effects or toxicity.
I watched this happen in a nursing home with my mom a number of years ago. No one listened until I made a big stink about my mom’s reactions and felt she was overdosed. Finally her blood was tested for the medication and she was several times over the limit in value. At her age of 88, with already severe kidney disease, the meds were not clearing through the kidney or liver properly. Dropping her dosage was a real eye opener to the nurses as mom continued to flourish instead of rapidly declining. So we do continually have to be our own advocates.
I’m happy you’re having some relief from the relentless itching and finally getting some sleep! I really hope you’re able to maintain that half dosage of your medication and don’t have to switch! Certainly feels like a strong correlation between your symptoms reversing with the drop in your dosage. Keep me posted, ok?
Replies to "Hi Judy! Your research touched on a topic that bothered me from the get-go with some..."
Hi Lori - Judy here keeping you posted.
Cutting my Tasigna from 600 mg to 300 mg daily has been the best thing ever. I've been on 300 for 8 weeks now and I feel wonderful. Very little itching, no brain fog, no depression, lots of energy and desire to be present again, to do things and to be with people. Had my first appointment Monday with my oncologist/hematologist since I had put myself (with his approval) on half dosage. He was pleased with my numbers. My first e1a2 numbers were 47.6969 (January 4, 2022), my second ones were 3.1753 (April 4, 2022) and my third ones were 0.3671 (September 19, 2022).
I'm praying the downward trend will continue on the half dose. I won't know for 3 months. In the meantime, I feel alive again with few side effects and no struggle.
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I will keep you posted Lori. Here is the only study I've found so far (this is just the part I could understand best!)
https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.21.02377
Women have more adverse events (AEs) from chemotherapy than men, but few studies have investigated sex differences in immune or targeted therapies. We examined AEs by sex across different treatment domains.
METHODS
We analyzed treatment-related AEs by sex in SWOG phase II and III clinical trials conducted between 1980 and 2019, excluding sex-specific cancers. AE codes and grade were categorized using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Symptomatic AEs were defined as those aligned with the National Cancer Institute's Patient-Reported Outcome–Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events; laboratory-based or observable/measurable AEs were designated as objective (hematologic v nonhematologic). Multivariable logistic regression was used, adjusting for age, race, and disease prognosis. Thirteen symptomatic and 14 objective AE categories were examined.
RESULTS
In total, N = 23,296 patients (women, 8,838 [37.9%]; men, 14,458 [62.1%]) from 202 trials experiencing 274,688 AEs were analyzed; 17,417 received chemotherapy, 2,319 received immunotherapy, and 3,560 received targeted therapy. Overall, 64.6% (n = 15,051) experienced one or more severe (grade ≥ 3) AEs. Women had a 34% increased risk of severe AEs compared with men (odds ratio [OR] = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.27 to 1.42; P < .001), including a 49% increased risk among those receiving immunotherapy (OR = 1.49; 95% CI, 1.24 to 1.78; P < .001). Women experienced an increased risk of severe symptomatic AEs among all treatments, especially immunotherapy (OR = 1.66; 95% CI, 1.37 to 2.01; P < .001). Women receiving chemotherapy or immunotherapy experienced increased severe hematologic AE. No statistically significant sex differences in risk of nonhematologic AEs were found.