Red blood cells count is down

[Mamabakes994]

My husband had just got done with his third shot of Xofigo. His red blood cell count is down, not enough for a blood transfusion. He is totally exhausted all the time. Is there anything he can take to give him some energy? This is very depressing for him. I have gotten him ensure and V8 juice because he isn't eating very good.

[larryvon1012]

should always check pubmed for studies re the chemo your doc is pushing, check for survival stats, risk to reward, chemo vs doing nothing/or alts. Just remember, when they recommend clinical trials, that is the same thing as alts, since it is not approved by the fda.

[Tall_Allen]

You can discuss erythropoietin with his oncologist. But, hopefully, it is just a temporary effect.

[softwaremom00]

You might already be trying these things..but I will mention anyway. These are some of what my husband uses to get more energy.. Ginseng seems to help some folks get more energy. Lions mane and Cordyceps mushroom extracts can help with fatigue a lot. Oriveda has the best.(In my opinion) but we have had some good success with Four Sigmatic Elixirs. If you are in the U.S. a way to get oriveda more quickly is to order from modernherbshop dot com. (It can take a long time to get the supplements from across the ocean from oriveda.. and I just had a month and half delay from customs and they trashed my order)

My husband has also used a product called RealBuild - it is from Beljanski company/foundation - www dot natural-source dot com - They are located in New York. It is not a big game changer but sometimes helps a little. We do not take this all the time but I will order it and have him use it if his numbers are low.

RealBuild was recommended to us by an Integrative Doctor. It was recommended to him by the folks at Mayo.

Oxygen therapy can be a great help as was already suggested. Tanks of oxygen are not expensive and you just need a regulator and nasal canula to help. Some folks get an oxygen while exercising system. We do not have one of those but my husband uses oxygen when he takes a steam ozone sauna. They energize me when I take one but they make him relaxed. So I guess everyone is different. Where we live there are oxygen bars that you can visit and try out breathing in oxygen.. they might have them where you live too.

I hope some of these help your husband.

Sending you lots of hugs, prayers and love!

Softwaremom

[Mamabakes994 in reply to softwaremom00]

Thank you for the information, I do appreciate it greatly. Thanks for the hugs, prayers and love, really need those too!

[j-o-h-n in reply to softwaremom00]

Lions mane? I'd hate to be the barber.....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 06/11/2019 5:13 PM DST

[larry_dammit]

My red blood count has been down since chemo started in August of 16. Not enough for a transfusion but low.. thought it was part of the life style 😜😜

[Fairwind]

Iron supplements can help boost RBC's...Be careful with them, be aware of the possible side-effects....

[Kaliber]

Hi momma , since your hubby is on castrate resistant meds , maybe he’s already had the crazy train ride that ADT treatment brings ? The exhaustion, the sweats, the chills, can’t hardly stand, out of breath with minor exercise, can hardly walk etc . All of us endure the awful side effects to get a little more time to enjoy life and mainly to spend a little more time with our loved ones .....and delaying the eventual grief that our disease causes them all. Give your hubby a hug and a kiss and hold him. Tell him again how much you appreciate all the $hit he’s experiencing , this for him of course, but for you too .... so both of you can spend a little more time together. It probably won’t take away his exhaustion but it will lift his spirits. It’s good for both of you.

There are a couple hundred new treatments in the pipeline and new ones being approved all the time. Most of us have the prospect of hanging on for years and even a remission for a few and even genetically tagged cures that are being researched. Those are good reasons for optimism. Hang in there , you got this. We’re all floating in the same boat, we got your back.

It’s way better , all around , smelling the daisies, than pushing them up .....

[Mamabakes994 in reply to Kaliber]

Thanks Kal for all your positive words. I do hug, kiss and hold my husband everyday. He has all the side effects you explained. As everyone else on here this is the toughest road we every been on, don't know what to do, don't know if we are doing the right thing. It's hell not having control of this. We do try to live one day at a time, but it's so scary seeing my husband this way. He has to push himself so hard to do anything. It gets him disappointed in himself. Thanks for listening.

[j-o-h-n in reply to Kaliber]

"Give your hubby a hug and a kiss and hold him."

I asked mine to do the same, she ended up calling the suicide hot line.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 06/11/2019 5:16 PM DST

[Kaliber in reply to j-o-h-n]

And .. when she told them who she was calling about ,they probably said “ we don’t blame you “ and hung up on her ! ratt ta tatt .

Some Suicide hot lines are better than others. If you call one and they say “ hang “ on help is on the way .... and they send the coroner’s truck to park in your driveway ....it’s probably not one of the good ones. Just say’in.

[j-o-h-n in reply to Kaliber]

LOL............ For me they would send a Dept. of Sanitation truck....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 06/11/2019 6:42 PM DST

[Kaliber in reply to j-o-h-n]

Yayahahaha

[Mamabakes994 in reply to j-o-h-n]

Too funny! Made my husband laugh too!

[j-o-h-n in reply to Mamabakes994]

Thanks.... Mama.... I used to bake as a hobby... Sour cream pound cake, Buttermilk pound cake, Cream cheese - cheese cake, Greek wedding cookies. That's it. Now to verify that your'e a tried and true baker... tell me the temperature that is "generally" used to bake these (and your) cakes.

First prize, one week in Detroit, second prize two weeks in Detroit..... Dant dant dant ta dant ta ta, tant de lant de tant ta...la ta tant ta (Jeopardy).

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 06/11/2019 7:25 PM DST

[Mamabakes994 in reply to j-o-h-n]

350....lol

[j-o-h-n in reply to Mamabakes994]

B I N G O........ First Prize. Enjoy your one week in Detroit...(but I wouldn't venture out of the hotel room)

youtube.com/watch?v=3GwjfUF...(Not working as expected?)

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 06/12/2019 11:26 AM DST

[Mamabakes994 in reply to j-o-h-n]

WOW, thanks!

[j-o-h-n in reply to Mamabakes994]

BAAAAAAA times up.... you have won the third prize which is a Three week vacation in Detroit (security not included)....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 06/11/2019 7:43 PM DST

[Big_Mcc]

Been there, done that. Chances are your man is tired because of anemia....pernicious anemia because his B12 level has crashed. Not expensive to fix. Get a blood test to check his B12 level. If low then take a B12 injection every other day fot a total of 6 injections. He will be ok after another 2 to 3 weeks. Continue by taking a high dose B12 supplement daily, really cheap to buy if you shop around. Hope this helps and good luck.

[timotur]

I ate beef liver weekly after my RBC went below spec after one month of HT, and it came back up at my next blood test a month later...

healthline.com/health/how-t...

[Chuckujo]

I know the feeling and the fatigue is frustrating. I get my 4th xofigo injection in 2 days and not looking forward to it. My RBC is also low but not low enough to necessitate a transfusion. Having been an active person, the fatigue, shortness of breath and weakness are the hardest to deal with. Good luck to you and your husband. We will get thru this.

[Mamabakes994 in reply to Chuckujo]

Thanks Chuck, we sure will. Good luck to you too!