Promacta question

so, I've been reading recently that one shouldn't take Promacta with dairy or any calcium enriched products, because as I read, it can reduce the effects of the Promacta. Exactly how much will it effect it? Will it lower the count as little as 10,000 or as much as 100,000? Does it matter how much dairy or calcium one takes or will any amount effect it?

My understanding is that the calcium binds to the promacta simply stopping it from being released. So your count would be whatever it is usually when untreated, or pretty close.

It's not only calcium too, it's what's called polyvalent cations which includes minerals like iron, selenium, magnesium and zinc. Best to do the middle of the night taking thing really. Best for people who always get up in the night to go to the loo!

Yep....Take your dose in the middle of the night with plain water and calcium becomes a non-issue.
I studied all the scary stuff about Promacta when I started taking it. After nearly two years, none of the scary stuff has happened to me. Everyone is different though.
Read the warning info on pretty much anything these days and it'll scare the beejeebers out of you.
I'm not saying Promacta is for everyone, but it is no more scary than Prednisone.

I don't think it's scary, I just think it's difficult. I know I couldn't wake in the middle of the night to take a tablet. But if it works for you then that's great.

So, I'm thinking that could explain why my counts went down to 23 on 50mg a day. I quit taking my calcium and iron for a bit but recently started again and my numbers started going down! Why wouldn't the doc ask if I was taking it right? Why didn't I know not to take my calcium and iron at the same time? Guess I'll ask the doc tomorrow!
thanks for you input!

You should have been given the patient information leaflet when the drug was prescribed. If you didn't get it, ask the pharmacy next time you collect your medication.

Gretchen:

I am finding out more and more that we have to find things out by ourselves. My doctor never told me that I couldn't take antibiotics with Methotrexate....I found that out online. I recently had to take one and figured out what to do myself. It's ridiculous. I can never say it enough - research.

I do get the leaflet with every bottle and I read it the first time from top to bottom. Guess I forgot what it said! I will read it again. I was thinking more today about it all. In the very beginning I wasn't talking the calcium or iron at all and taking the Promacta in the morning. Then I started the c&i again, in the morning with my Promacta and just c&i at night. Then I decided to start taking the Promacta at night instead of in the morning and that's when the numbers started dropping. I hope that makes sense, it sounds confusing to me! The NP suggested on Monday that maybe the Promacta wasn't working anymore. I didn't mention the c&i to her at all, though she knows I'm on them. I'll see her again tomorrow and will discuss it with her. Thanks for listening. Sometimes it helps to type it all out, kinda to try to make sense of it. Though none of it makes sense to me at all!
I have been getting lazy with my research lately. I think it bothers my husband when I do it. He thinks I'm obsessing. Maybe I'll try to find time when he's not around cuz I just gotta know more!

It is tiring, isn't it? I don't think it's obsessive at all unless you don't do anything else!

Yes Sandi, it sure is! My counts are down to 20. I know, not much difference between 23 and 20 but I have to go every other day now for CBC. They increased my Promacta to 75mg/day. My NP called the Promacta people and they said to wait 2 weeks to see if there is any change. If there isn't then I gotta find another treatment! UGH. My doc wants to try NPlate again. I dunno, I really don't like the side effects. But I'm still not read to loose my spleen so I guess I'll have to give it a try. Steriods did nothing, Rituxan worked the first time but not the second, if Promacta isn't working anymore and I have to go back to NPlate what if it stops working? I know, what if's are a nowhere road. Research, here I come!