Re: Malignancies, Xolair and Intro

[Guest guest]

,

I have been on Xolair for almost three years; Doug (group founder) a

little longer than I am. It took me about 12 weeks to start seeing

real improvement and by 6 months Xolair changed my life completely.

I have had NO side effects. Doug took a little over a year to see

any real improvement. It varies a lot based on IgE level and how

sick one is when one starts treatment.

I'm sure Pat will post a response to your concerns about

malignancies. She is a nurse with one of the specialty pharmacies

and understands the research findings thoroughly. We all have to do

our own risk/benefit analyses before using any drug, but we have to

remember that the manufacturers are required by law to report ALL

reported illnesses during the clinical trial period regardless of

whether or not they have anything to do with the medicine that is in

trial.

Good luck, feel better!

Addy

--- In , " geesiskwe " <nightsky@...>

wrote:

>

> Hello,

>

> My name is and I started Xolair at the highest dose of

> 375mg about 10 weeks ago and the only difference that I have

noticed

> is after I stopped Advair (salmeteral) which I had been on in one

> form or another for about 6 years. Finding a new home for our

little

> dogs prompted me to take the risk and stop using the Salmeteral in

> any form after I read it could exacerbate asthma symptoms! We had

> already sold our furniture, ripped out our carpet and replaced it

> with Laminate flooring. Found some used but in good shape leather

> furniture and I was NOT better. Bought 2 large and one medium

sized

> Hepa Filters and I continued to get worse while on the Xolair but

> when I stopped the med containing the Salmeteral there was almost

> immediate improvement! Doggies are still here! Yea for the 7lb

Shih

> Tzu's! The Pulmonologist said they had to go. They are a part of

the

> family.

>

> Now I am struggling with deciding whether or not to stay on the

> Xolair. My IGE was 1243KU/L, off the chart but could that have

been

> an allergic reaction to the Salmeteral??? I have had a lot of

tests

> and I test positive for so many many allergens. I drive over two

> hours round trip to get the shots and I am not able to work due to

> my health so that really strains our budget. Luckily our insurance

> covers the cost of the Xolair other than a co-pay.

>

> I am also concerned about the malignancies that have been reported

> with Xolair. I have Liver Disease and so I am predisposed to

> Hepatocellular Carcinoma. I am worried this drug could trigger it.

I

> am now taking Singular which I don't know if it helps but I am

> trying it. I seem to be better on it. I also take 5mg of Zyrtec

per

> day and Albuteral 1-2 times per day, was 3-6 so that is better but

> what is helping? I also use Flovent but I cut that in half too and

> the Xopenex with the machine has been put back in the closet.

Again

> this was after stopping the Salmeteral. I didn't notice any

> improvement from the Xolair, yet. The docs kept piling meds on top

> of one another and I said this would never happen to me!

>

> Last year, Feb 2005 I had another ear infection added to my

routine

> of Chronic Lung Infections and Pneumonia and Sinus infections but

> this time they almost lost me. On Valentines Day 2005 my husband

> came home Monday morning from work to find me in a daze with the

hot

> water running in the bathroom sink and me just a bit short on my

> marbles. The ear had ruptured on sat and I went partially deaf for

> the umpteenth time so he called an ambulance. I was diagnose with

> Haemophilus Influenenza Meningitis! I was in a coma for 6 days and

> stopped breathing in the second ambulance that was taking me to

the

> big city hospital. I was Inti-bated and received a new pathogen.

> MRSA. Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. They were

> vacuuming out my lungs! I was not the same after that. I asked the

> attending after two weeks in the hospital where my Asmtha meds

were.

> He said I didn't need them and I didn't. It was when I came back

> home and went back on them that I fought to breath without

coughing

> up prfuse amounts of mucus for the next year. New drug in the

pile,

> Xolair.

>

> Now I am not saying it is good or not, I don't know. I am thinking

> of quiting and see what happens but with my Allergies and the

Sinus

> thing that heads to my left ear I might be better off to bite the

> gasoline bullet and do the Xolair. It is allergy season now and

that

> I need to consider too. By the way, it is back, the ear infection

> that is, this time I am totally deaf for the first time and was

put

> back on PREDNESONE again along with a second dose of OMNICEF and a

> steroid eardrop with ceflosporin in it since March 6 of this year.

(

> I was on Floxin Otic before this new eardrop).I had a Sinus thing

> that spread to my ear AGAIN!

>

> I don't know if this helps but I sure hope it doesn't hurt anyone

> out there. Just my experience as I walk this somewhat lonesome

> journey that takes up more time than I would like it too. I was

told

> I think to much about my health by the Pulmonologist. Well, after

> what has happened " I think " it has served me well.

>

> Breathing easy for now,

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

MD did a study on the malignancies reported, they found that there

was no correlation between Xolair & malignancies.

You could have had an allergy to Salmeterol but I doubt it. If you did, it

would have been more of a reaction. Most of the people who had problems with

Salmeterol were using it as a rescue inhaler not as a maintenance medication as

it was designed. An IgE of 1200 shows you have allergies to many, many things

and are continually exposed tot hose things. The leather furniture is great, no

carpeting is great, HEPA filters are wonderful. All of these things help. I

didn't get rid of my puppy either (5lb miniature dachshund).

I can't tell you what to do, you have to chose for yourself. I can tell you

that stopping Xolair is probably a mistake. You haven't been on it long enough

to say you gave it a chance. !The 1 year mark is a generally accepted length of

time to try Xolair. Many of the patients on Xolair didn't see a resuslt until

the end of the year (9months or longer). Speak to your Physician before you

just quit, please.

Pat

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