This July will mark my being in remission from leukemia for five years, and thus no longer being a cancer patient, and yet my journey as a perma-patient has only just begun. As a permanent patient, I now need several types of continued care for the rest of my life because of the treatments I received. It was an expected tradeoff that comes with surviving an aggressive form of leukemia called acute promyelocytic leukemia, a subtype of AML.
The evening I was diagnosed, not only was I told that without treatment I might not survive the night, but I had to decide on the course of treatment at once. In addition to taking arsenic and all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), I had two options for a primary chemotherapy agent, Idarubicin or Mylotarg, and less than 24 hours to decide.
I poured over the research and statistical studies, knowing the downsides after reading the package inserts and understanding that both could hinder my fertility, albeit in different ways. I chose Mylotarg (a new drug on the market) instead of Idarubicin as my principal chemotherapy agent for induction since I’d have less risk of hemorrhaging and could expect fewer long-term side effects. I am lucky to have made it out alive.
Instead, I now suffer from osteoarthritis and chronic bone pain, most likely caused by a drug called Lupron, the very same drug used to stop puberty in children claiming to be transgender.
Painful and Longterm Side Effects
I received a Lupron injection
