COVID and suspending treatment?

[cartwheels]

Just tested positive for COVID feel ok at present slight cold etc . As I'm on treatment 6 weeks in to veneticlax just started 400 mg after having to suspend treatment on 20 mg after complications. Now everything is good well and it's m starting to feel well . Supposed to start rituxmnab tomorrow. Phoned the hospital to let them know and they say they will have to suspend both treatments until I test negative. I really don't want to stop veneticlax again now it's working and I'm tolerating it ok . I understand I can't have rituxmnab but I don't want to pause veneticlax again so early in my treatment.Thought s please

[LeoPa]

If you lock your post you might get more answers.

[lankisterguy Volunteer]

Hi cartwheels,

Have you been prescribed Paxlovid?

A 5-7 day pause of Venetoclax would be expected if Paxlovid is being used?

Can you get a CBC+diff blood test to see if your neutrophils are in normal ranges?

If no Paxlovid, and neutrophils are normal, is there anyway you can reach your CLL expert consultant to confirm the need for a pause on Venetoclax?

Len

[cartwheels in reply to lankisterguy]

They have agreed to let me carry on taking veneticlax as I really didn't want to stop ,they have prescribed me antivirals as well wife is now picking them up . So will see they said if I start to feel worse then stop veneticlax and call them . Day 3 now and it's just a mild cold really slightly stuffy nose and cough not sure if I even need the antivirals but handy to have I suppose.

[lankisterguy Volunteer]

The pharmacist should check that the antivirals don't have an effect (CYP3A - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CYP3A ) on making Venetoclax act much stronger. Paxlovid does that, and could make the Venetoclax side effects serious. Most of the antivirals need to be taken in the first few days of COVID to be effective.

Len

[cartwheels in reply to lankisterguy]

All my drugs are coming from the cancer ward not the pharmacy so I would have thought all of what you have mentioned have been taken into consideration

[lankisterguy Volunteer]

You may want to ask to make certain they checked.

The CLL Society says: " Smart Patients Get Smart Care™

Len

[cartwheels in reply to lankisterguy]

Just phoned them as I noticed there wasn't a week supply of veneticlax, and they said I have to reduce my veneticlax to 200 mg daily, got paxloid 3 tablets in the morning 3 in the evening. But not to start until tomorrow morning? Strange thought they would want me to start asap.

[Gradyboy in reply to cartwheels]

That is what my Dr told me when I had COVID and took Plaxlovid. He cut my V down to 200ml for the days I took Plaxlovid. Then I got rebound COVID and they took me off the V for 10 days. Second time I got COVID I passed on the Plaxlovid. Both COVID cases were extremely mild for me.

[lankisterguy Volunteer]

That sound good, your medical team knows best and seems to be on the ball!

The important thing is keeping your lungs from getting involved and requiring hospitalization in a few days. "

So the antiviral is more important than the Venetoclax for the next 5 days.

After that, getting back to full dose of Venetoclax can usually wait.

Len

[cartwheels]

Yes I was concerned about stopping as only just ramped up to full dose last week and already had a week pause after week 1 due to problems. So no w that everyone is going ok I was reluctant to stop veneticlax,so half dose seems a happy compromise.