Hi, Oana,

I wanted to weigh in on your questions about drinking wine. I started Gleevec on January 6, 2009 and did very well on it for 8 months with a short break for low counts. I don't drink heavily but I do like a glass or two of wine on the weekends. My liver enzymes always stayed below mid-normal range (19). I had ordered a couple of cases of our favorite summer wines for my husband's birthday party (a lovely Toad Hollow Rose and our favorite New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - but I digress). To make a long story short there were several bottles left over and I started having a glass (or two) in the evenings with dinner.

At the end of July it was noted that my liver enzymes had gone up to the 80's for ALT and 60's for AST - a note was made to watch them. Went to Mayo for my check up in August and my ALT was in the 1200's and my AST was 500 something (way high). I was taken off Gleevec and my liver enzymes were back in the normal range within 6 weeks. The decision was made after much due diligence by my oncs that I probably could not take Gleevec at any dosage level and I was switched to Sprycel. My enzymes are holding in the mid-to upper 20's - I wonder if they will ever go back to where they once were.

I certainly can't prove it was the increased alcohol intake that caused the liver issue but I will always wonder and I haven't had a glass of wine since because I want to know in my own mind that there is nothing I did or could have avoided doing if this issue crops up again. So, no alcohol and absolutely no tylenol or anything OTC without my doc knowing about it.

That said, I really miss the wine, but when we are taking a medicine that is known to be tough on some livers why take chances. Wish I hadn't. Good luck!

Pat

Hello everyone,

Thank you for your answeres Phil and Pat. My doctor is just telling me the nunber of white cells and level of hemoglobine. I really dont know what kind of tests they are doing on me, not even if they are monitoring my liver...I am fighting to understand now what tests they ussualy do in this cases. I couldnt serach on the net untill few days ago, as i was bursting into tears, i only saw praediction like 1-3 years etc. My husband told me that was without any treatment, and couse i am on glivec i will be allright. I saw different stories not only here but on others sites too, where the doctors are very ...opened...if i ask them, they answer, not into many details, but they answer, if i dont, they just tell me i'am ok and will see me the week after. i now go to blood tests on every 3 weeks or even once a month (they told me this  last week when i was to the tests). i dont really know what tests they made me in the first place, they give me glivec and becouse my husband was reading a lot when i was dx and hospitalised, he talked to the doctors. i know i am PH+, and i belive i have a complet haematologic response by now. Are your doctors telling you a lot of what they are doing on you..orlike in my case you are looking for answers in ohetr places?

I wish you all the best,

Oana

My mom had CML with a pos Philadelphia chromosome, she has been on gleevac since Sept 1999 and is doing wonderful, the Philadelphia chromosone has "dissappeared" she does have the

side effects of diarrhea and fluid around her eyes, but otherwise is doing well

thanks Susan, I too am glad it is working for you, you must have been on a trial like my mom when it was called ST157L or something like that. Now Gleevac is given as first line of defense for those diagnosed with

CML. I think the side effects can be depressing, but the alternative to not being alive far outweighs them. my mom has been told she can lower her dose , and we know people who have been on and off it, for various

reasons, but she chooses to stay at the higher dose. for anyone who is newly on the drug, be positive, it is one day at a time for all of us, whether we get leukemia or in a car accident. I wish you well, but most of all

I wish you a positive outlook on life. take care