low neutrophils

[Gmaoftriplets]

Hello everyone, it’s been a while since I posted anything. My PET scan in September of 2023 showed the cancer had progressed to a lymph node, I had never had surgery for my cancer and I have been on Ibrance 100 and letrozole for 7 years. My oncologist and I decided it was time for surgery, I had a double mastectomy in January and then 33 days of radiation, my radiation ended May 16 and since then my neutrophils have been low. Has anyone else experienced anything similar to this? Never had a problem until now.

[Kerryd22]

my neutrophils have always been low. I’m in Exemestane and Xgeva. I read a post here which said that a square of dark chocolate a day (at least 70%) was the solution. I didn’t seek information online because it’s only chocolate. I hate dark chocolate but one square a day I thought I could tolerate. I started the regimen and 30 days later had another blood test. Normal range is 2 to 8 but mine was 1.96 before trying the chocolate idea. After 30 days neutrophil count was 3.63. Normal WBC is 4 to 11. Mine went from 3.6 to 5.7. Lymphocytes went from .94 to 1.36 and normal is 1 to 4. After I shared that result someone pointed out that research says it has to be 95% dark chocolate but my results prove that’s not true. The next set of bloods returned similar results. I haven’t made any other changes to diet or medication.

I’m not recommending it because I’m not a doctor and the online reports say something different but I’m glad I took the advice the OP gave. 😏 I’ve forgotten who it was so I can’t attribute it.

[mackster in reply to Kerryd22]

I'm so glad you had this response from dark chocolate. I read similar information and have at least a square of 90% dark chocolate daily, I absolutely love it, so no hardship. Unfortunately it has not helped in my case & neutrophils around 1.0. We can be very individual in our responses. I'm still looking for something to boosted my neutrophils. I'm on Ibrance 75mg & Fulvestrant for 18 months. I'm basically doing okay. Keep well.

[Kerryd22 in reply to mackster]

If there’s one truism that’s true -it’s that we all have individual responses. My oncologist told me ages ago that there’s no way of bringing up white cells etc without either a drug or a blood transfusion and I was prepared to believe that but thanks to some wonderful person here I have found a natural solution. I’m sorry it hadn’t worked for you. It really is the easiest drug I’ve ever taken! Not liking it is a bonus because I love milk chocolate and it’s hard to stop at one. It’s not at all difficult to stop at one dark chocolate 😂. If I come across anything else that might be useful I’ll let you know. 🤔

[Praising in reply to mackster]

Do you get delayed treatment at 1.00? Been on the same for 6 mo and there was progression. I m so dissapointed. Don’t know what is next.

[mackster in reply to Praising]

As long as neutrophils are 1.0 I get the go ahead. I'm on 75mg Palbociclib. I have had to delay a week a couple of times at least in 18 months. It's a bit of a mystery why some of us struggle with neutrophils more than others. I'm usually pretty resilient. Not sure of the science as to why this medication whacks out our immune system, when we need it most! Take care.

[Praising in reply to mackster]

Thanks. I’m probably going to be switching after progression w 6 mo on this. I’m so shocked.

[mackster in reply to Praising]

I hope your next option works out well for you. I believe I will get Exemestane & Everolimus next. Ibrance is popular with posters as it's usually well tolerated, most of us want to stay with it as long as possible. I've already got a touch of scanxiety & next scan is about 3 weeks away. Wishing you & all of us improved outcomes. x

[awesome4ever in reply to mackster]

I've been on Everolimus & Exemestane for 14 months with stable scans every 3 months. My next ones are next month and hoping to be able to stay on this combo as I have no side effects.

[mackster in reply to awesome4ever]

That's really good to hear. I couldn't tolerate my first 2 treatments & had trouble with Letrozole, plus it didn't work. So I feel my options might be limited. Of course I'm hoping & crossing everything that Palbociclib & Fulvestrant will keep working. Likewise I wish you longtime good results with E & E. x

[awesome4ever in reply to mackster]

Thank you. I was on Palbociclib and Femara for 5 years as my 1st line. It worked very well for me and I didn't experience any side effects except mild fatigue which is pretty common with all the CD K ,4/6 inhibitors. Sometimes it takes a little bit to find the right treatment that works for you. I believe you are in the UK. I'm from Canada which also has a government funded healthcare like your NHS so I face the same limitations in treatment options as you do. My approach thinking is to try and stay as long as I can on each treatment and perhaps by then some of the newer drugs available now to other countries may be then available here. Stay positive. We can do this.

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to Praising]

As long as my neutrophils are 1.00 I get to go ahead with the next treatment, this time my neutrophils were 600 . I’m going on vacation tomorrow so I’ll be delayed 2 weeks instead of 1 which means I’ll have been off of Ibrance for 3 weeks.

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to Kerryd22]

I will be buying some dark chocolate today! Thank you

[Kerryd22 in reply to Gmaoftriplets]

The thing about chocolate as a medicine is that it won’t do much harm. Excess could pose a problem but one square is all that’s needed in my experience.

Chocolate has health benefits anyway and every hiker should carry some for emergencies. Decades ago a young trainee doctor got lost in a snowy mountain region. Himalaya I think. All he had was a bar of chocolate for food and snow for fluid. He survived about four weeks from memory. The British round the world sailor whose yacht capsized in the Southern Ocean survived on chocolate. Tony somebody 🤔 I’ve forgotten his name now. If those two examples don’t encourage you to always have chocolate on standby for an emergency I don’t know what will 😂

[Lilywallytootsie]

My neutrophils stay low. My local oncologist withheld Ibrance until it got to 1.0, but when I went back to Moffitt Cancer Center they told me to go ahead and take it since I wasn't getting infections. I go to Moffitt every six months, so most of my care is local. If you aren't getting sick, your oncologist might approve taking it anyway. Best wishes, Hannah

[Gmaoftriplets in reply to Lilywallytootsie]

We are going on vacation tomorrow and I asked if I could take the Ibrance with me and start next Monday, but she is having me wait until I get back to have a blood test to see what my WBC are than decide if she needs to lower my dosage, I will be off of Ibrance by that time for 3 weeks.

[hopehope67]

To raise neutrophils, the oncologist and oncology nurses recommended me kiwi, dark chocolate, popcorn (I make it myself without additives in the popcorn maker), white bacon of organic origin, chicken and turkey meat, garlic. Yes, and a lot of walking as much as possible. Honestly it is hard for me to be disciplined with food (meat bacon) because I'm a fan of the Mediterranean diet( lot of fish, vegetables and meat very rarely) but I usually have an ANC of more than 1. I am on Ibrance 100 and fulvestrant once a month, Zometa every 3 months for 4 years.