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Timing of Imatinib

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Hello all,

I just recently joined the forum. Been mostly reading the discussions and this is the first post. 

My mom was diagnosed with CML in August 2016. She started with 400 mg of Imatinib (generic in India) and was recommended stop in between for a week due to elevated liver enzyme levels. Since then she has been taking the medicine regularly (400 mg/day). She normally takes the pill around 30 minutes after the breakfast. Recently, there is more tendency to vomit and nausea is also terrible. From reading the posts it, it definitely seems like the side effects vary from person to person. Would it be helpful to take the pills at night, after dinner and before going to bed?

I found another discussion here where a few had commented that they prefer taking Imatinib after dinner.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

Best Regards,

Thaseem

 

 

Hi Thaseem, has her liver enzyme levels normalised after stopping Imatinib for 1 week ? Is it the SGPT and SGOT levels that were elevated ?

With regards to time i personally take it in the morning after breakfast as it works best for me but each person reacts differently so i suggest you request your mum to try it out in the night for a few days and take a call as to whichever one is more tolerable..

I hope she will feel better soon. I was diagnosed in April so am still new to all this, but I've tried Gleevec in the morning and in the evening, and for me it works best in the morning. I was having trouble sleeping when I took it late in the day because of upset stomach during the night. Now my stomach just rumbles during the day and that is manageable. All the best to her and your family. It helps me so much to keep remembering that 20 years ago our prognosis would be very bad. We are so blessed & lucky.

Thanks Amit. Yes, the enzyme levels have normalized since then. It was indeed the SGOT and SGPT levels. I will convey this to her and hope she finds the newer option more tolerable.

Many blessings to you and your family. 

Thanks and Best Regards,

Thaseem

Thanks Justine. Many blessings to you and your family. 

I will definitely request her to log in here and see. There is a lot of positivity in this group.

Thanks and best Regards,

Thaseem

Hi there,

I am on 600mg of Glivec and have at times found this quite tough.My suggestion would be to take it with food and also two glasses of water.I take mine in the middle of the day but always with a hig carb food such as rice,pasta or say beans.If I dont do this I get severe nausea and at times vomiting.On 400 mg I took it at night and it was easy.

I suggest that we have different reactions to the drug and one needs to experiment with foods to find the correct solution

Hope this helps

John