[Ricardo]

Experiences of older vs. younger myeloma patients?

by Ricardo on Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:17 pm

Today's Beacon article about elderly myeloma patients made me wonder a bit.

How exactly are the experiences of older and younger myeloma patients different from one another?

Do older myeloma patients typically experience more side effects from their treatments than younger patients?

What about the other aspects of having a disease -- the family issues, the mental challenges? How are they different between older and younger patients?

I realize that everyone knows the most about their own experience. So it can be hard to make comparisons with the experiences of others.

I also know, though, that myeloma patients get to know other patients, or read about other patients, and can make some comparisons that way.

I'm interested in this issue because the myeloma patients I've known in person are all older, over the age of 70.

Thanks, in advance, for any insights you may be able to give me (and everyone else here).

[TerryH]

Re: Experiences of older vs. younger myeloma patients?

by TerryH on Sat Mar 30, 2013 6:09 pm

This is a topic that interests me as well. Unfortunately, almost all the myeloma patients I know I've "met" online, and we really haven't discussed this subject. But it's still one that I'd be curious to hear other people's thoughts about.

Thanks for asking the question Ricardo.

[ChallengerDave]

Re: Experiences of older vs. younger myeloma patients?

by ChallengerDave on Mon Apr 01, 2013 9:57 pm

New to all this and I have very limited experience. Newly diagnosed at 43 so to me and all I've read seems to indicate rare for someone my age, although more and more common.

It goes to figure that someone who is 43 in good health otherwise stands to have a longer rate of survival versus someone in their 70s. I believe that I bounce back better due to my age and can stand much more than my mother who is 76 and has a hard time and needs many adjustments to withstand the side effects of Chemo. Although not always true.

Mentally, for me at least, is my life has just begun professionally also with deeper involvement in my marriage, family, and community. Is hard to conceptualize applying the same to someone who is in their 70s possibly retired, empty nester, and statistically have poor health.

That doesn't minimize their experience. I believe in most cases it is harder regarding care and treatment as you age due to how your life expectancy is valued. How can anyone place a value on life 50/60/70/80. I too will face these disparities as I age. All of us will.

I hope this helps understand a perspective. This disease is as individual as the person.

[Christa's Mom]

Re: Experiences of older vs. younger myeloma patients?

by Christa's Mom on Thu Apr 04, 2013 7:26 pm

I think as we read the Beacon, we have a natural habit of comparing the experiences people share, with our own experiences and try to draw parallels. I think it would help if more people would share their age at diagnosis as part of their profile. And (hint, hint Beacon Staff ) it would also be nice if we could add the type of multiple myeloma we have and our risk profile to our Beacon profile. More and more multiple myeloma treatments are being developed based on this type of information, so there's no reason we shouldn't use it to facilitate our conversations.

Lyn