Hi, sorry things have been so rough for your mom, and for all of you.
I was reading your posts. You didn't mention the diarrhea in today's posts. If that is not better, ask the doctor to check her for C. diff. Particularly in the elderly, C. diff is the cause of not only diarrhea, but the inability to have control over the bowels. And the urine issue may all be a part of it.
A compromised immune system is the perfect host for this horrible illness. Antibiotics can trigger it easily in an elderly person. Someone with multiple myeloma would likely be more susceptible. I know those going thru stem cell transplants can get it. But we see many cases in our elderly post hospital patients.
C. diff stools smell horrendous and look loose an mucosy. A simple stool sample can diagnose or rule it out. And antibiotics, and probiotics can cure it.
Any uncontrolled diarrhea can make your mom feel extremely weak and tired also. Whatever the cause, it needs to be treated. And, believe it or not, just having the proper incontinence products, and some pre-moistened wipes that she can carry when she has an appointment, can help her mental state.
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Re: Dealing with depression - any suggestions?
Hi Kbev,
I know it's been a while since you posted about your experience with your mom and her struggle with multiple myeloma.
If you're still on the forum, or anyone else has experience with this subject, I wonder if someone has any additional advice.
Reading the initial description by Kbev is like reading the story of what my dad going through right now. He started Velcade + dexamethasone and is in his resting phase now, but he's gotten very bad with his energy and mental state. He gets exhausted when going up or down a set of stairs, is hardly able to have a conversation, is very absent minded, has trouble sleeping (yet he's trying to sleep probably 20 hours per day), and barely eating.
He has a history of mild depression already, and was and still is taking some medications for it.
I'm very worried for him since neither his body nor his mind is getting enough rest, nor is he getting enough nutrients.
It's just very hard to get through to him to even try to break this cycle at any point.
I understand that with a disease like this, depression to some extend is to be expected, and I'd normally would be in favor of giving space and time. However I'm afraid of the current trajectory since the last thing he needs right now is a body that's even more weakened.
Does anyone have any advice on how to break this sort of downward cycle?
I know it's been a while since you posted about your experience with your mom and her struggle with multiple myeloma.
If you're still on the forum, or anyone else has experience with this subject, I wonder if someone has any additional advice.
Reading the initial description by Kbev is like reading the story of what my dad going through right now. He started Velcade + dexamethasone and is in his resting phase now, but he's gotten very bad with his energy and mental state. He gets exhausted when going up or down a set of stairs, is hardly able to have a conversation, is very absent minded, has trouble sleeping (yet he's trying to sleep probably 20 hours per day), and barely eating.
He has a history of mild depression already, and was and still is taking some medications for it.
I'm very worried for him since neither his body nor his mind is getting enough rest, nor is he getting enough nutrients.
It's just very hard to get through to him to even try to break this cycle at any point.
I understand that with a disease like this, depression to some extend is to be expected, and I'd normally would be in favor of giving space and time. However I'm afraid of the current trajectory since the last thing he needs right now is a body that's even more weakened.
Does anyone have any advice on how to break this sort of downward cycle?
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uncrase - Name: Martijn
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Father
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Aug-2018
- Age at diagnosis: 69
Re: Dealing with depression - any suggestions?
Hi Martijn,
I am sorry to hear that your father is going through such a difficult time while taking Velcade plus dexamethasone, having trouble getting enough rest and also getting poor nutrition.
I took the same treatment as induction therapy and remember the nausea which had to be controlled by drugs, but I also took ginger ale, candies, etc. Ginger seems to help with nausea, and you could ask the doctors if he could take an over the counter medication such as Gravol (dimenhydrinate). Since my appetite was low, I tried those nutrient shakes such as Ensure. The vanilla flavour, chilled, worked the best at that time.
I walked a lot, outdoors, and family and friends came with me to do that too. I was using a walker or a walking stick, due to having had vertebral fractures. That certainly helped.
That was the first time I took dexamethasone, and I had a lot of sleeplessness. The second time I needed to take dexamethasone, a few years later, I took a prescription drug called trazodone, which is used for sleep deprived patients, and also which has a mild anti-depressant effect. Your doctors would know what would be the best treatment for your father, though.
So I hope that helps and that his Velcade-dex treatments are helping to quell the myeloma. If he can see positive results from the treatments he is taking, that should help him to feel better.
I am sorry to hear that your father is going through such a difficult time while taking Velcade plus dexamethasone, having trouble getting enough rest and also getting poor nutrition.
I took the same treatment as induction therapy and remember the nausea which had to be controlled by drugs, but I also took ginger ale, candies, etc. Ginger seems to help with nausea, and you could ask the doctors if he could take an over the counter medication such as Gravol (dimenhydrinate). Since my appetite was low, I tried those nutrient shakes such as Ensure. The vanilla flavour, chilled, worked the best at that time.
I walked a lot, outdoors, and family and friends came with me to do that too. I was using a walker or a walking stick, due to having had vertebral fractures. That certainly helped.
That was the first time I took dexamethasone, and I had a lot of sleeplessness. The second time I needed to take dexamethasone, a few years later, I took a prescription drug called trazodone, which is used for sleep deprived patients, and also which has a mild anti-depressant effect. Your doctors would know what would be the best treatment for your father, though.
So I hope that helps and that his Velcade-dex treatments are helping to quell the myeloma. If he can see positive results from the treatments he is taking, that should help him to feel better.
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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
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