We are in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and my 69-year-old father, who has always been a fit and healthy man, has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
We are so new to this. We are waiting for an appointment at Cancercare. No idea how far along or what type he has, though he has been anemic and had a chronic cough since spring. He now has fluid in his lungs and is waiting for his doctor to treat him for that. He developed shingles this summer as well. He's painful in his rib area, too, so I'm thinking he's rather advanced and that the pulmonary edema says the same thing.
I've done lots of reading and have seen that it's not necessarily how far it is but how it responds to treatment that really matters. Crossing our fingers and hoping for a miracle over here.
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69-year-old father just diagnosed with multiple myeloma
Last edited by jxnsmma on Wed Oct 12, 2016 2:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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jxnsmma - Name: Stacey
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Dad
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 69
Re: 69-year-old father just diagnosed with multiple myeloma
Hello jxxnsmma,
Welcome to the Forum, although I am sorry you have to be here.
Some of the tests that your father might have now are a bone marrow biopsy, a skeletal x-ray survey and other scans, and blood tests, as well as a 24-hour urine test. I imagine he has already had some of these tests, if he is diagnosed already?
From the bone marrow biopsy, tests can be done to determine genetic risk, as well as what percentage of cancer cells are in the marrow.
From the electrophoresis tests on the blood, the type of myeloma can be determined, according to immunoglobulin type.
The knowledge gained from these sorts of specialized tests can be used to help determine treatments.
There is an acronym, CRAB, which is a rule of thumb about a myeloma diagnoses:
C - excess Calcium in the blood
R - Renal (kidney) problem
A- Anemia
B- Bone involvement (lytic lesions, fractures)
So he may already have the A and possibly the B. Pain in the ribs could be due to lytic lesions.
I hope that he gets his immediate problems treated and that he can respond well to myeloma therapy too.
Please keep us posted as to how he is doing! Many patients come back really well, even if the myeloma is advanced at the time of diagnosis.
Welcome to the Forum, although I am sorry you have to be here.
Some of the tests that your father might have now are a bone marrow biopsy, a skeletal x-ray survey and other scans, and blood tests, as well as a 24-hour urine test. I imagine he has already had some of these tests, if he is diagnosed already?
From the bone marrow biopsy, tests can be done to determine genetic risk, as well as what percentage of cancer cells are in the marrow.
From the electrophoresis tests on the blood, the type of myeloma can be determined, according to immunoglobulin type.
The knowledge gained from these sorts of specialized tests can be used to help determine treatments.
There is an acronym, CRAB, which is a rule of thumb about a myeloma diagnoses:
C - excess Calcium in the blood
R - Renal (kidney) problem
A- Anemia
B- Bone involvement (lytic lesions, fractures)
So he may already have the A and possibly the B. Pain in the ribs could be due to lytic lesions.
I hope that he gets his immediate problems treated and that he can respond well to myeloma therapy too.
Please keep us posted as to how he is doing! Many patients come back really well, even if the myeloma is advanced at the time of diagnosis.
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Nancy Shamanna - Name: Nancy Shamanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Self and others too
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2009
Re: 69-year-old father just diagnosed with multiple myeloma
He was diagnosed with a bone marrow biopsy at a hematologist / oncologist. Also had skeletal x-ray survey and lots of blood pulled there. We are waiting on a call from Cancercare for him to get an appointment for the rest of his results and to discuss treatment. It's only been since Friday, but it feels like a lifetime. Now they are thinking its not fluid in the lungs and maybe its an embolism. ARGH!
Thanks for all the info. I am an animal health technologist, so I have a more than average knowledge of medicine (though I certainly don't profess to be a doctor), so I am acting as a bit of a translator for my parents to help them understand the physiology of what is going on.
Thanks for all the info. I am an animal health technologist, so I have a more than average knowledge of medicine (though I certainly don't profess to be a doctor), so I am acting as a bit of a translator for my parents to help them understand the physiology of what is going on.
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jxnsmma - Name: Stacey
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Dad
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 69
Re: 69-year-old father just diagnosed with multiple myeloma
I'm in Winnipeg and am being treated at CancerCare (Health Sciences Centre) as well. I'm currently in remission, so I only have to go once a month for a blood test, followed the next day by a bone strengthener infusion.
I didn't have fluid in my lungs or bone issues on diagnosis, so I can't give you an idea what to expect with respect to that.
When I was diagnosed, I was started on chemo right away. I went once a week to the chemo room on the third floor. My chemo consisted of a shot of Velcade to my stomach. So I was in and out in less than 10-15 minutes. The same day I took a steroid, dexamethasone (dex), in pill form. Both the Velcade and dex can cause side effects. I also took a valacyclovir pill daily to prevent shingles. The first month of treatment I also took a number of other pills and also took dex more frequently.
My doctor holds a myeloma clinic one afternoon a week. When in treatment, I saw him once a month. Now I see him once every three months. I think I had to go to CancerCare once a week for blood tests to start with and after a couple of months that changed to twice a month . Whenever I saw the doctor, I'd ask for a printout of my blood test results (or asked the nurse). I liked to be able to monitor my own progress towards remission.
Make sure your father is signed up for Pharmacare if he isn't already. There is no income test to be eligible for Pharmacare coverage for cancer drugs. Any drug given in the chemo room (or a hospital) is free. Dex is free if your father is signed up for Pharmacare. He will have to pay for the valacyclovir (it was about $120 per month when I stopped taking it last year when I quit Velcade).
WiFi is free throughout CancerCare (I often bring my iPad). There are also a number of useful resources in the building (see left column).
The Drivers Ride Program is excellent. For $13 a round trip, a van will pick your father up and drive him to CancerCare. When he's finished there, he simply goes to the Drivers Ride lounge on the main floor (TV, coffee, cookies) and wait for a van ride back home. The drivers are all volunteers.
I didn't have fluid in my lungs or bone issues on diagnosis, so I can't give you an idea what to expect with respect to that.
When I was diagnosed, I was started on chemo right away. I went once a week to the chemo room on the third floor. My chemo consisted of a shot of Velcade to my stomach. So I was in and out in less than 10-15 minutes. The same day I took a steroid, dexamethasone (dex), in pill form. Both the Velcade and dex can cause side effects. I also took a valacyclovir pill daily to prevent shingles. The first month of treatment I also took a number of other pills and also took dex more frequently.
My doctor holds a myeloma clinic one afternoon a week. When in treatment, I saw him once a month. Now I see him once every three months. I think I had to go to CancerCare once a week for blood tests to start with and after a couple of months that changed to twice a month . Whenever I saw the doctor, I'd ask for a printout of my blood test results (or asked the nurse). I liked to be able to monitor my own progress towards remission.
Make sure your father is signed up for Pharmacare if he isn't already. There is no income test to be eligible for Pharmacare coverage for cancer drugs. Any drug given in the chemo room (or a hospital) is free. Dex is free if your father is signed up for Pharmacare. He will have to pay for the valacyclovir (it was about $120 per month when I stopped taking it last year when I quit Velcade).
WiFi is free throughout CancerCare (I often bring my iPad). There are also a number of useful resources in the building (see left column).
The Drivers Ride Program is excellent. For $13 a round trip, a van will pick your father up and drive him to CancerCare. When he's finished there, he simply goes to the Drivers Ride lounge on the main floor (TV, coffee, cookies) and wait for a van ride back home. The drivers are all volunteers.
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cdnirene - Name: Irene S
- Who do you know with myeloma?: me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: September 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 66
Re: 69-year-old father just diagnosed with multiple myeloma
Thanks for the info. I much appreciate it. This weekend Dad had to go to St. Boniface's emergency. His hemoglobin was 66, so they gave him 3 units of blood and he had a CT scan of his lungs that showed it was actually pneumonia. So he is being treated for that as well.
His family doctor is getting a hold of CancerCare to let them know he needs to get in right away and start treatment.
His family doctor is getting a hold of CancerCare to let them know he needs to get in right away and start treatment.
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jxnsmma - Name: Stacey
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Dad
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 69
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