Re: [CML] Re: Gleevec vs Transplant

[Joanann98]

Hi Tanya,   I would add the following info to Erin's post on GVHD...From my experience, the severity of the GVHD shows in what my doctor called a "rash."  That is the first visual sign they look for.  I had it from the tip of my toes to the top of my head.   The rash is the first indication that the transplant is on it's way to doing it's job.  It is graded on a scale from 1 to 4, 4 being the worse.  You definitely want the rash, but not a 4 scale.  It was the worse for me.   My sister was an exact match and I thought that was good.  From what I have gathered, however, that is what gave me all my GVHD problems.  Her match was so good it raised havoc fighting my own body, somewhat like siblings would do.   I had chronic sores in my mouth, which after 3 yrs have finally left me alone.  The next chronic I dealt with was intestinal.  It kept me thin and looking great, but feeling like crap.    I believe the closer the HLA match the more possibilities of irritating problems which you learn to deal with and eventually overcome....but I'm  not a doctor.  This is an observation from experiencing, speaking and reading with others.   That is all past now and my immune system seems to be working well after 4 years.   Do I have the "cure?"  When I ask my doctor if I'm cured, he always says "You'll know that you're cured when you die from natural causes in perhaps your 80's."   Joan Ann     dx CML 5/3/00 SCT 12/21/00 PCR Neg. 1/02 Still in Remission 2004 New! Sign up for local CML support group meetings in your local community at http://cml.meetup.com Apply for Commercial Real Estate loans online and submit your deal to dozens of hungry lenders in just minutes. Loan programs for all types of business and commercial real estate. Apply anytime at http://realestatezoo.com CML (Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Support List) --------------------------------- Part Of CMLHope.Com An International Community Of CML Patients For more information: http://cmlhope.com Post Message: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe:  [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe:  [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change To No Mail/Web: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change To Digest: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change To Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] List Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED]  CML Group Web Site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CML Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ADVERTISEMENT Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CML/   To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]   Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.