Hi Stephen and Barb, I've been taking 100mg of Sprycel daily for just shy of a year now. With my Profs' approval, I take 50mg each morning when I wake up and 50mg each night when I get home from work - I've found that 'splitting' the dose over the day has greatly lessened some of the side effects that i was experiencing (nausea, dizziness, extreme hot flushes, palpitations and aching muscles and joints)... if you're up for it, maybe you could ask your care team about splitting the dose - in my experience, it doesn't harm/slow the way the the drug works. And yes, the side-effects do lessen over time - or maybe your body just gets used to and adapts to these different feelings and the new 'normal'.
Gentle stretching and/or going for a walk are also the most wonderful ways of alleviating muscle and joint pains - if you're interested, you can google simple 5 minute yoga and stretching exercises and practice them in the comfort of your own home. I always know when I've been a bit too sedentary - my neck, forearms, wrists and ankles ache like crazy... stretching and walking always fixes the problem!
Also, I've found that concentrating on work and all of the distractions that the work place offers, prevents me from thinking about what's going on with my body - you won't have time to get emotional and you'll tend to ignore the TKIs side-effects... before you know it the work day is over without you feeling ill or sore - I look forward to going to work because i know i'm not gonna feel like crap-ola.
Ask your care team for suggestions - with all of the monumental and positive advances in treating and managing this ridiculous disease, our doctors and the medical researchers are not going to let any of us suffer unnecessarily or die in a hurry... my Prof. reckons i'll be squashed by a double-decker bus before CML has any terribly negative effect on my quality of life or life-span (we don't have double-decker buses in Sydney - i'm guessing my Prof. has very high hopes!!!)
Good luck - try not to let it get you down. Be fabulous at all times!
Lynette x