[Gala]

Improvement of disease symptoms during treatment

by Gala on Tue May 03, 2016 9:03 pm

Hi everyone

My sister is now due for her 4th round of the induction chemo. She is receiving high dose of doxorubicin, bortezomib (Velcade), and dex + Zometa. When she was diagnosed, she was very symptomatic, with full skeleton bone involvement (lesions, but no fractures). She has also had a lot of different side effects from her treatment.

She is now getting discouraged as her bone pain, though it reduced initially, is back. She says she is not feeling any improvement with her myeloma symptoms and takes it as a sign that the treatment may not be working. Her markers go down immediately after a round of chemo, but go up by the time the next round is due.

Did you guys whose treatment worked experienced a subjective sense of improvement of your myeloma treatment during your chemo?

I am thinking that the treatment itself is pretty painful and could cause bone pain among other things.

Those of you who were symptomatic, when did you start feeling better with your myeloma?

Thank you!

[dogmom]

Re: Improvement of disease symptoms during treatment

by dogmom on Wed May 04, 2016 6:35 am

Gala,

My husband had some bone pain in ribs and lower back but his scans looked pretty good with not wide spread lesions, but he was in kidney failure . He was treated with cyclo­phos­phamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone (CyBorD) and after about the 3rd or 4th treatment he felt better and just continued to do so through out the 16 treatment cycle and is now getting ready for a stem cell transplant June 1st.

Hope you sister feels better soon. She should discuss her concerns with her medical team. That is what we would do. Good luck to you and yours.

[Gala]

Re: Improvement of disease symptoms during treatment

by Gala on Wed May 04, 2016 1:05 pm

Thank you, Cathy. I do hope so. I am glad your husband's condition has improved.

[moonscape]

Re: Improvement of disease symptoms during treatment

by moonscape on Thu May 05, 2016 2:51 am

I had/have bone pain in my limbs, with lesions in both arms and legs (plasmacytoma was in one tibia). I am next week starting my 6th cycle of induction chemo on Revlimid, Velcade, and dexamethasone.

My numbers, which weren't high to begin with, came into normal range after my first cycle, and the bone pain began diminishing during the 3rd cycle if I remember correctly.

Then, although my numbers did not tick up, I was concerned since the bone pain was returning, but it has now receded again to the point that usually I have none.

[Gala]

Re: Improvement of disease symptoms during treatment

by Gala on Thu May 05, 2016 11:05 pm

Thank you, moonscape. I am glad the treatment is helping. I hope my sister's will, too.