[PaulS]

Hi LeAnn,

Sorry you have to deal with MDS -

I'm 56 and started out with low RBC - and otherwise mostly oK counts about three years ago - watched and waited for a couple of years but RBC's gradually declined - tried Aranesp for maybe four or five times but it didn't produce any results - RBC's were still not that low so we continued watching and waiting. Eventually RBC's got much lower and platelets started falling too - tried low intensity Vidaza for four or five cycles - again no results other than making platelets fall even lower - stopped that too. Counts continued to drop and became transfusion dependent - at least two units once a week. My Hemoglobin has gotten as low as 5. At that point docs decided transplant was the best way to go - and I"m now scheduled for one in September...

I didn't really experience side effects from either Aranesp or Vidaza - other than soreness at the Vidaza injection site - taking an anti nausea drug is a good thing to do with Vidaza - along with some fibre (prunes worked for me) - otherwise the drug wasn't so bad and it can have great benefits for some people. Hopefully it will work well for you.

Best wishts,
Paul