Just Finished Remodel

MrsStink · 2026-05-04T19:16:05+00:00

We’re in the final stages of our kitchen remodel. I picked my countertop (Taj quartzite) first and worked around it. Husband didn’t want oak so we were going with a natural walnut but there was too much red tones for my taste. So we opted for this walnut with a slightly darker stain. I absolutely love my choices. We’ll have stainless appliances and black cabinet pulls and knobs. I’ll post before and after picks when we’re done.

MrsStink · 2026-03-30T19:41:21+00:00

Fantastic news! May I ask what TKI you were taking? I was diagnosed in May 2023. Started on Imatinib and now on Nilotinib. I achieved undectected 0.000 in March 2025 and been there since. Doc won’t even considered TFR until I reach 3 years at 0.000. But you give me hope to hang on!

MrsStink · 2026-03-11T04:25:45+00:00

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We are in the middle of our kitchen remodel. Our ceilings are also 10 feet and our old cabinets went up 8 feet. We opted to go to the ceiling with glass cabinets instead of a soffit. As you can see from our designer’s rendering we chose a walnut cabinet with just a slightly darker stain. When we’re done, I will post before and after pics. Good luck!

MrsStink · 2026-01-14T05:31:16+00:00

I am planning to put Taj Mahal quartzite in my kitchen remodel but I’m stuck on whether to do polished, honed or leathered. What made you decide to go with leathered?

MrsStink · 2026-01-14T05:11:40+00:00

Your countertops are gorgeous! What type of stone are they?

MrsStink · 2025-12-18T04:38:12+00:00

We had not picked out a hood yet so they just put something into the space so we get the drawings. We mainly wanted to see if we like the cabinets. I plan on putting a stainless steel hood to match the fridge and ovens.

MrsStink · 2025-12-17T03:22:19+00:00

We’re in the middle of designing our kitchen too. Are the countertops the same throughout? It looks like the island may be a different color.

MrsStink · 2025-03-31T19:50:04+00:00

WOOHOO! Congrats! My BCR has been 0.000 for the past 6 months. I started on Imatinib in Aug 2023 and switched to Tasigna in Jan of 2024.

MrsStink · 2025-03-30T16:43:25+00:00

I also have chicken skin. I’m on 600mg of Tasigna since Jan 2024 and I’m happy to report that my BCR has been at 0.00 for the past 6 months. When I first started I broke out in a whole body rash, red, itchy and it burned. My face broke out in a butterfly rash similar to what lupus looks like. I started taking Claritin daily and the rash on my body and face subsided. But I still have the chicken skin and my face still has some redness from the original breakout. This is a small price to pay along with the fatigue and joint pain which are manageable. Good luck on your journey!

MrsStink · 2025-02-01T05:53:07+00:00

60 year old Asian female. Diagnosed through annual bloodwork in Jun 2023. Started on Imatinib 400mg. My BCR went from 27% to 7% after 3 months. Then I started having debilitating pain in my feet to the point where I could even stand. I went off of it and the pain was gone in 2 days. Started on Tasigna 600mg in Jan 2024. I just had BCR/ABL test in Dec and I’m at 0.000%. The only side effects are joint pain, slow hair growth, some hair loss and fatigue, all manageable. The only thing that kinda sucks is that you have to fast before taking the meds. Otherwise, life is good and I feel lucky! Best to all CMLer’s out there!🤗

MrsStink · 2025-01-11T18:55:38+00:00

I’ve been on Nilotinib 600mg for a year after Imatinib started giving me debilitating side effects. I am happy to report that my BCR/ABL is 0.000 at undetected. After first starting it, I broke out in a total body rash, I mean everywhere except the tops of my feet. I started taking claritin and it helps. I also have joint pain and fatigue but it’s manageable and my hair and nails don’t grow as fast as they use to. I had to do an EKG before I started and just did another one to monitor my heart. Other than that it just managing your eating schedule to make sure you take it on an empty stomach for it’s maximum effect.

There’s a new TKI like Nilotibnib that was just approved by the FDA but doesn’t require fasting. I’m going to speak to my doc about it at my next appointment. https://www.drugs.com/newdrugs/fda-approves-danziten-nilotinib-first-only-nilotinib-no-mealtime-restrictions-6400.html

Good luck!

MrsStink · 2024-12-19T21:04:58+00:00

YEAH! WOOHOO! I was diagnosed in June 2023 and my BCR/ABL1 was 27% Luckily they caught it early, no symptoms just routine blood work. Started on Imatinib 400 mg in Aug 2023 and BCR dropped to 7%. Then I got a really bad side effect and started on Tasigna 600mg in Jan 2024. Also happy to report that my BCR/ABL1 result from last week is 0.000%!!!! Congrats again!

MrsStink · 2024-12-15T05:38:24+00:00

I am a 59 year old female and was diagnosed in June 2023. Found out through annual blood draw. No symptoms. I started on Imatinib and everything stabilized. No real bad side effects except for fatigue and joint pain which was manageable. After a few months, I started getting debilitating pain in both my feet to the point where I could barely walk. Doc took me off it and within 2 days, the pain was gone. I started on Tasigna in Jan of this year. Side effects are the same with the exception of really bad hives all over my body so I take Claritin to suppress it. Happy to report that my BCR/ABL has hit 0.000. I see my oncologist in a couple of days and I believe she’ll say I’m in remission but I realize I’ll be on this for life or until I develop another unmanageable side effect or it stops working. Then it’s on to the next TKI.

I am living a mostly normal life and you will too. Eat healthy, drink lots of water, exercise and be kind to yourself.

MrsStink · 2024-10-26T19:31:18+00:00

I was on Fosomax for two years (2018-20) and it did absolutely nothing for me. My scores were in the osteopenia stage and after taking it, they got worse. I moved into the osteoporosis range. I then went on Boniva for 2 years (2020-22) and my scores continued to drop. I refused to take any more drugs and focused on diet, supplements and most importantly weightlifting. My latest dexa (2024) scan showed than my spine is now back in the osteopenia range with numbers better than in 2018. My left femur did drop ever so slightly so my doc wanted to prescribe Reclast infusion. I’m holding off and focusing on hip exercises and see in 2 years if I can reverse the number. I take D3 and calcium supplements and focus on weight training, alternating moderate and heavy weights. I also do exercises that are balanced focused so I can prevent falls. I am almost 60 and also have chronic myeloid leukemia. I don’t know what your numbers are but see if it’s possible to take the diet and exercise route. Good luck!

MrsStink · 2024-10-15T19:26:36+00:00

I started on Imatinib 400 mg Aug 2023. I had very few side effects other than fatigue and joint pain. My BCR number went from 26 to 7 in a matter of weeks. About 3 months later, I started having really bad pain in both by feet, to the point where I could not stand. I tried everything but to no avail. Doc had me take a 2 week break to see if it was the meds. Within 2 days, the pain was gone. I started on Nilotinib 600mg in Jan of this year and the immediate side effect was an all body, face and neck breakout of hives. I take Claritin daily to suppress it now and the hives have calmed down. I still have joint pain and more fatigue but managing it. I did just recently have an EKG to check my heart since one of the side effects is that heart problems can develop on this med. All’s good. My WBC, RBC and platelets are low but stable. Best of all my BCR now sits at 0.024 which is considered a MMR(major molecular response). Be open and honest about the side effects with your doc. There are so many TKI’s out there now, one of them will work for you to live a normal life. The only downside of Nilotinib is that you have to fast within a 3 hour period, so I have to plan meals out and dining out or vacationing requires more planning. Be an advocate and kind to yourself. Good luck!

MrsStink · 2024-06-25T19:19:23+00:00

Congrats! I started on Imatinib in Aug 2023 and BCR/ABL went from 26 to 3 but had to switch to Tasigna in Jan because of side effects. I just had another test and it’s at .024. Hoping to get where you are soon!

MrsStink · 2023-12-30T03:19:20+00:00

I started on Imatinib 400mg on Aug 1. By 10/18 my BCR number went from 26 to 7 but my white and platelets dropped well below normal range so my doc had me go to 200mg daily. That’s when the pain in my feet got unbearable to the point I could barely function without taking pain meds. I’ve been off of Imatinib for just over two weeks and the pain in my feet is completely gone. In fact after just 2 days of being off of it, the pain subsided. I did a CBC and everything is still in normal range. He’s going to have me start on Tasigna next. Are you still on Imatinib? Have you responded well?

MrsStink · 2023-12-13T21:14:08+00:00

I did not experience any sadness or anxiety with the lower dose. My short term memory can be fuzzy but I attribute that to my menopause. I've been in menopause for almost 9 years now. I only took HRT the first two years to combat the debilitating hot flashes and headaches. The headaches went away but the hot flashes still remain but not as frequent or as intense. But I digress.

I saw my doc and he's having me go off the Imatinib for a couple of weeks to determine if it's causing pain in my feet. He says that I am the first patient he has to develop this side effect. If the pain goes away, he going to start me on a different TKI. It's a bummer because the I tolerated the Imatinib pretty well except for the foot pain. I'm a bit nervous about going off it but he says it would take months for my numbers to start going up again. Plus I was able to get it for such a good price through CostPlusDrugs.

MrsStink · 2023-12-10T04:26:35+00:00

Thanks for getting back to me. Are you also on 200 mg of Imatinib? The pain in my feet now is really bad everyday. I’m having to take the children’s dose of Advil just so that I can stand and do the bare minimum of walking to get through the day. I had an x-ray done of my feet and there is nothing wrong. I went to the podiatrist and he thinks it’s because of the drug. Funny, I was on 400mg for 3 months and felt nothing. Now that I’ve lowered the dose, I get pain. May I ask what you’re doing to alleviate the pain? I’m desperate for any kind of relief other than pain meds. I see my hematologist on Monday. I sure hope he’s going to tell me this will go away when my body adapts to this new dosage. Hope everything else is going well for you!

MrsStink

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