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Swollen legs and knees.

My friend Judith has asked me to post this. She has had CML for 14 years and has been on 400 mg Dasatnib for 7 years. She is concerned because her legs and knees are badly swollen so that walking is difficult. Does anyone have any suggestions about this new problem she has developed over the last few months. From Pat P. on behalf of Judith.

Hi Pat,

Does Judith think this is due to side effects of the TKI? If so she should see her doctor asap. especially if the swelling is causing her pain or feels hot to touch and if she also has any pain, pressure, or tightness in the chest area, any dizziness,feeling faint
has trouble breathing etc.

It might be that her kidney's are not working as well as they might, or her liver is under some stress. I am not sure if she is taking other medications apart from her TKI?

All I can suggest is that she tries to get her clinic to test her kidney and liver function, and also that she makes sure she is taking plenty of fluid (apart from the usual tea/coffee etc.)as she needs to help her kidneys work better.
I hope she can find some answers, and this problem resolves soon. It might well be that her TKI therapy needs to be checked- maybe a dose reduction might help if it is found to be the cause of the swelling? I know people who take much lower doses of dasatinib that the recommended dose without their PCR results being affected.

Hope this helps,
Sandy

Dear Sandy, Thank you very much for your helpful reply to Judith's problem. I have given your information to Judith and she sends her best wishes to you and thanks you for helping her. Judith has now, as a result of your input, brought her appointment forward at the hosptial. She sees her specialist next Tuesday. Judith has had pneumonia very recently and she thinks her legs etc. got a bit pushed out of the picture! I will let you know hoq she gets on. As for me - I am still going! My health is a bit frail on the whole. I get B12 injections every 10 weeks and this seems to perk me up for a while. Prof. R. said I got pernicious anemia as a direct result of being on Glivec for 14 years. I hope all is well with you and your family. My PCR hovers around 0004 so I am very lucky really. I still have the most happy memories of the times we went through together all those years ago - happy seems a funny word when we were so ill! With love, Pat