[LadyLib]

From Nose Bleed to Multiple Myeloma

by LadyLib on Sun Sep 01, 2013 12:05 am

While I was away on business, my 42-year old husband called me and told me he woke up with a nose bleed. I asked him if he felt like his blood pressure was high. I was a little worried, because he has always been a picture of perfect health - works out 4-5 times per week, trains athletes in his spare time, bench pressing 500lbs with no sweat, works faithfully, never sick, etc. He told me he felt fine. When I flew home that night, he just did not look well when he picked me up. We went to the walk in to have his blood pressure checked, it was HIGH! They told him to check on it with his doctor.

The next day he scheduled an appointment, but began complaining about a headache. Then, he woke up in the middle of the night sick to the stomach. We went to the walk in again the next day because he could not get into his doctor, they drew blood and said check back in 48 hours. Well, the next night we were in the emergency. They just gave him blood pressure medication and sent him home. He never got the prescription filled. He wanted to wait on the blood results. I called on a Friday night at 6pm to check on the results, because they had not called us. They told him he needed to get to an emergency room asap that he was in renal failure with a creatinine level of 5.8.

From the emergency room, we had a 2 day stay while they got him on medications. He was released, then the nephrologist called and said he wanted to do a kidney biopsy. From the kidney biopsy, we went back in the hospital for monitoring and more tests with a creatinine level of 6.6. The key test was the bone marrow biopsy, that revealed multiple myeloma.

From there, they flushed his kidneys once, gave him 5 days of plasmapherisis, along with 4-40mg doses of dex. The next week he started a weekly regiment of Velcade, Dex and Cytoxan. After 5 weeks, his kappa light chains have went from 518 to 73. He is responded well and we are likely going to be referred to a team for the SCT by the close of the year. His kidney function has shifted from 6.6 at its worst to 4.8 so we are looking for that number to keep trending down. My hubby does not want dialysis. He is eating a reduced sodium, reduced potassium and low protein diet faithfully. His blood pressure is extremely normal, also too low at times (we think the medicine can be reduced now). He takes sodium bicarbonate and labetalol also.

He is still working every day and is making the best of this situation. Faith is our guide.

[Anonymous]

Re: From Nose Bleed to Multiple Myeloma

by Anonymous on Wed May 04, 2016 4:40 am

Thank you for sharing your story. My husband is having nosebleeds with neck pain, so I'm reading everything I can. I hope your husband is doing well now.

[dogmom]

Re: From Nose Bleed to Multiple Myeloma

by dogmom on Wed May 04, 2016 9:23 pm

LadyLib,

My husband was diagnosed at age 58 and he too was in kidney failure. Creatinine of 5.0. He was in the hospital for 4 days with high-dose dex and hard fluid flush. After 4 cycles of CyborD, his kidney function has returned to normal and hopefully he will be having his stem cell transplant the first of June.

Good luck to you and your husband. I was very glad to find the Beacon and I am glad you have as well.