My husband thought he had his pain under control with Fentanyl patches but the past couple of days he has had to take oxycondone for breakthrough. We started with a 12.5 mcg patch back in September but increase it to 25 mcg, then 37.5 mcg and we are now on his 2nd 50 mcg patch. Don't understand what is going on. Could he already be drug-tolerant to it?
This is very upsetting to both of us. We've only been at this since late July of this year. He just finished his 4th cycle of Velcade / dex and we see his doctor next Thursday. He is so frustrated with the constipation problems, lousy taste of his food, jitters (from medications) and it has only been 3 months.
I am pretty sure that a stem cell transplant (SCT) is not in his future due to his age and overall health.
The only good thing right now is having a purring kitty on my lap while I am typing this!
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Halches - Name: Carol S
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 7/15
- Age at diagnosis: 73
Re: Husband's pain is back
Hi,
I feel for you. My husband has had a lot of pain, too. He was hit with all sorts of weird pain and oddball symptoms in July. His tastebuds quit working, his mouth is bone dry, he was horribly constipated and nauseated. He's hated to eat for so long. He had a few treatments of Velcade and Cytoxan, which did help to knock his smoldering myeloma down some and he has actually started to enjoy food again. He has to take Miralax and Magnesium to help him go to the bathroom. Without those, he would be dead in the water. He had HORRIBLE nerve pain in his legs, feet and arms when this disease hit him. Now, since the few treatments, he can feel his feet again and he is doing better, BUT he has horrible muscle wasting in his legs and finds it very hard to go up and down the many stairs in our house. No answers for this odd thing. It seems like myeloma creates so many weird and varied symptoms in everyone. He is due to start Revlimid soon. The Velcade, or the Cytoxan put his heart into atrial fibrillation and he had to be shocked back into rhythm last week. It's really been a rough ride.
Does your husband have nerve pain? Gabapentin does help that a lot, but it is such a mouth-drying drug! Makes your eye-sight blurry, too.
It's very hard to watch them suffer and feel so helpless. And then some days, I find myself upset because I am tired, TIRED to the bone in running to get his pills, etc. Many days, I don't mind, but some days, when my own pain ramps up, I find it hard.
It sounds like your husband has had a few similar issues---the food tasting bad, pain, constipation, etc. Miralax and Magnesium will really help. The pain meds cause constipation, too.
I feel for you. My husband has had a lot of pain, too. He was hit with all sorts of weird pain and oddball symptoms in July. His tastebuds quit working, his mouth is bone dry, he was horribly constipated and nauseated. He's hated to eat for so long. He had a few treatments of Velcade and Cytoxan, which did help to knock his smoldering myeloma down some and he has actually started to enjoy food again. He has to take Miralax and Magnesium to help him go to the bathroom. Without those, he would be dead in the water. He had HORRIBLE nerve pain in his legs, feet and arms when this disease hit him. Now, since the few treatments, he can feel his feet again and he is doing better, BUT he has horrible muscle wasting in his legs and finds it very hard to go up and down the many stairs in our house. No answers for this odd thing. It seems like myeloma creates so many weird and varied symptoms in everyone. He is due to start Revlimid soon. The Velcade, or the Cytoxan put his heart into atrial fibrillation and he had to be shocked back into rhythm last week. It's really been a rough ride.
Does your husband have nerve pain? Gabapentin does help that a lot, but it is such a mouth-drying drug! Makes your eye-sight blurry, too.
It's very hard to watch them suffer and feel so helpless. And then some days, I find myself upset because I am tired, TIRED to the bone in running to get his pills, etc. Many days, I don't mind, but some days, when my own pain ramps up, I find it hard.
It sounds like your husband has had a few similar issues---the food tasting bad, pain, constipation, etc. Miralax and Magnesium will really help. The pain meds cause constipation, too.
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Sister In Law - Name: Linda
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband, sister, father-in-law
Re: Husband's pain is back
He has very minimal neuropathy in his feet. Newest issue: lower leg pain since his bone marrow biopsy this week. Will be getting the date for his SCT next week. And so it goes ...
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Halches - Name: Carol S
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 7/15
- Age at diagnosis: 73
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