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Hey everyone I was Diagnosed with CML and my doctor prescribed me 100 mg of Sprycel . Besides my anxiety I really do not want to take that high of a dose. I'm at the point of cutting the pills in half to just get myself on the medicine so it can start working. I just wanted to know how many people have cut their pills? Also if I could save the other halve to take the next day? Or will it be no good?

If you're just diagnosed stick with what the specialist says. It will be months before parameters start to normalise and we don't know the specifics of your case.

If you don't trust your specialist, find another, but don't go making your own treatment plans at this stage.

Thank you for the quick response! I have read numerous research papers stating 50 mg is a better starting point as far as dosage so I was seeing if anyone else has started their. I am worried about about splitting pills

I was diagnosed about two months ago just received my medicine two days ago. My bcr was around 29.6 %

Its becoming a more common practice in the U.S to start patients on a lower dosage, but not so common in Europe. The reply i recieved when enquiring about a lower dosage

“we will not routinely be prescribing 50mg up-front, and the ELN guidelines will not be endorsing this either. However, reducing TKI doses if there has been a side-effect initially is very common practice.” 
 

My partner also started on 100mg dasatinib and doesn’t have any major side effects, but her blood results are improving and normalised within the first 2 weeks- The aim of starting from a second generation TKI is to achieve a stronger response  faster as its a more potent tki than the first gen.  

Give 100 mg a try and if side effects appear you can always reduce the dose, or reduce it a later stage when reaching mmr. Many people on this forum are successful at maintaining their mmr or even being undetactable at a dose as low as 20mg. 
 

We were frustrated at the beginning that our consultant didn’t take into consideration starting at 50mg, but can’t complain as my partner is responding well for the time being and has very little side effects.

Thank you I decided to take the 100 mg , my doctor said I could take it every other day to see if that works which would equal 50 mg

Hi Rayyana123

I completely understand where you are coming from. I was just as anxious at starting at 100 mg of Sprycel. Nevertheless I took a chance and started at that dosage. I experienced side effects so I advocated repeatedly for myself and my doctor ultimately  agreed to lower it to 50. I was able to reach MMR on 50mg without issue. I also noticed some of my symptoms diminished.

One of the problems that I still have even at the lower dosage is how the medicine effects my cycle. I don’t know if anyone else on here had the same experience but that has been my one of my major issues. 

Also I am not sure what time you take your Sprycel but I take right before bed as I remember having really bad headaches when I first started it and took it during the day. I have been on Sprycel for over a year now. I hope this information helps you in some way. 

EvaH is right, Try to stick to the prescribed regimen. Remember these drugs are highly scrutinized by lengthy trials. Yes the initial side affects can smack you to the floor but most go away relatively quick. You will find that CML is not just a numbers game. Your lifestyle plays an important part. I am On my second drug after 11 years on the first. For the last half of April I was floored by all sorts of aches and pains. I cut back on a pill or two but always tried to maintain the regimen. Now most of the easy side affects have resolved themselves. Read The Philadelphia Chromosome by Jessica Wapner that is a good introduction on what CML is all about. Good luck.