After going through hundreds of pages on anything and everything related to multiple myeloma, I couldn't find any one who had pain starting in the hand / thumb. My mother started with pain in the thumb and upper back. I am still a wondering if it had anything to do with multiple myeloma at all?
I see the most affected ones are lower back, hip, pelvis, and ribs.
Is it really that unusual for multiple myeloma-related pain to occur in the hand?
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Re: Initial multiple myeloma pain in hand?
Hi bhagya:
The pain that sent me to the hospital that precipitated my multiple myeloma diagnoses was in my right arm which radiated down to my hand. I am not a doctor nor an expert, but since multiple myeloma is such an individualized cancer, I think the pain can start just about anywhere. Its just more likely to be in the lower back, hip, pelvis, and ribs.
Try not to compare your Mom's symptoms or pain to anyone else's. There are really no 2 patients that are identical.
Best of luck to you and your Mom.
Kathleen
The pain that sent me to the hospital that precipitated my multiple myeloma diagnoses was in my right arm which radiated down to my hand. I am not a doctor nor an expert, but since multiple myeloma is such an individualized cancer, I think the pain can start just about anywhere. Its just more likely to be in the lower back, hip, pelvis, and ribs.
Try not to compare your Mom's symptoms or pain to anyone else's. There are really no 2 patients that are identical.
Best of luck to you and your Mom.
Kathleen
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kshornb - Name: kshornber
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Initial multiple myeloma pain in hand?
Thank you so much for the reply, Kathleen.
My mother is 65 and her doctor says she cannot have a transplant is what the doctor says. She is under CyBord treatment and the doctor said he will repeat it for 6 cycles (3 in a month with one week off) and then on Zometa (zoledronic acid) every month.
Doctor today said me that she will at one stage develop resistance to this treatment regimen. But he reassured me that there are many more drugs available, and there are various research going on and new drugs which are well tolerable will be out soon. I so much hope so.
My mother is 65 and her doctor says she cannot have a transplant is what the doctor says. She is under CyBord treatment and the doctor said he will repeat it for 6 cycles (3 in a month with one week off) and then on Zometa (zoledronic acid) every month.
Doctor today said me that she will at one stage develop resistance to this treatment regimen. But he reassured me that there are many more drugs available, and there are various research going on and new drugs which are well tolerable will be out soon. I so much hope so.
Re: Initial multiple myeloma pain in hand?
Has your mother's doctor said why she isn't eligible for a transplant? In the States people older than your mother can be eligible if their overall health is ok. What treatments has your mother received other than CyBorD? When she finishes this course of treatment will she only be getting Zometa? That's for her bones, not a true treatment for myeloma, Has your mother told her doctor about the pain in her thumb?
I developed pain in the joint between my thumbs and wrist bones in the spring. At the time I had been on Levaquin (levofloxacin), an antibiotic, for 2 weeks following each part of my treatment for leukemia. The pain became disabling in March which was during the 6th 2-week course of the drug. I stopped taking the drug and refused it for the rest of my treatments. Your mother may be taking something that is causing the pain.
About 4 years ago I developed excruciating pain in my left lower leg. When I told my oncologist about it, he ordered x-rays of my lower legs. Both of my fibulae showed lesions in them right where the pain was in my left leg. I had 6 sessions of radiation for that pain. Now I only have discomfort there if I overdo things and become over tired. The skeletal x-rays that we get typically only go to the level just above the knee. My doctor had to specifically order x-rays of my lower legs. Has your mother had any scans of her hands and wrists? Again the skeletal x-rays only go to the level of the elbow.
And my last question is: Is the doctor that your mother is seeing a myeloma specialist? I looked at your profile and I am making the assumption that you are in India? I know that access to myeloma specialists is somewhat limited there. But it would be worth your while and your mother's health to possibly get a second opinion, even if you have to travel quite a long way to see a specialist.
All the best to figuring out what is going on with your mother's hand and in her responding to treatment.
Nancy in Phila
I developed pain in the joint between my thumbs and wrist bones in the spring. At the time I had been on Levaquin (levofloxacin), an antibiotic, for 2 weeks following each part of my treatment for leukemia. The pain became disabling in March which was during the 6th 2-week course of the drug. I stopped taking the drug and refused it for the rest of my treatments. Your mother may be taking something that is causing the pain.
About 4 years ago I developed excruciating pain in my left lower leg. When I told my oncologist about it, he ordered x-rays of my lower legs. Both of my fibulae showed lesions in them right where the pain was in my left leg. I had 6 sessions of radiation for that pain. Now I only have discomfort there if I overdo things and become over tired. The skeletal x-rays that we get typically only go to the level just above the knee. My doctor had to specifically order x-rays of my lower legs. Has your mother had any scans of her hands and wrists? Again the skeletal x-rays only go to the level of the elbow.
And my last question is: Is the doctor that your mother is seeing a myeloma specialist? I looked at your profile and I am making the assumption that you are in India? I know that access to myeloma specialists is somewhat limited there. But it would be worth your while and your mother's health to possibly get a second opinion, even if you have to travel quite a long way to see a specialist.
All the best to figuring out what is going on with your mother's hand and in her responding to treatment.
Nancy in Phila
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NStewart - Name: Nancy Stewart
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 3/08
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Initial multiple myeloma pain in hand?
I was about 10 years younger then your Mom when I was diagnosed, so once again her experience could be very different than mine. I was also on CyBorD for induction (6 cycles), I achieved a complete response in four cycles. They also gave me a high dose of Cytoxan before the melphalan for my stem cell transplant. I handled Cytoxan very well, and my stem cell transplant was uneventful as well. I achieved a stringent complete response after the transplant, and have maintained that for 14 months now without any maintenance. I also had Zometa infusions monthly for 22 months, now I am switching to every 3 months.
Yes, most people do become refractory to treatments, but no one can predict when that will happen.
I am not sure what country you are in, but did the doctor explain why your Mom is not a candidate for a stem cell transplant?
Kathleen
Yes, most people do become refractory to treatments, but no one can predict when that will happen.
I am not sure what country you are in, but did the doctor explain why your Mom is not a candidate for a stem cell transplant?
Kathleen
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kshornb - Name: kshornber
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Initial multiple myeloma pain in hand?
Thank you for your replies.
I am still in a state of shock after my mother was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. When her oncologist said she cannot go for a stem cell transplant, I didn't even ask why, I don't know what made me do that. I kept asking him if she will be alright with medications.
I am going in this Friday and will ask the oncologist why she can't go for a transplant.
She takes Ecosprin Gold 10 (atorvastatin 10 mg, clopidogrel 75 mg, aspirin 75 mg) daily after an angiogram that revealed a minor block in her heart last year. No high blood pressure, no diabetes, and all her organs are fine, but she has lesions in ribs and arms caused by multiple myeloma.
I am still in a state of shock after my mother was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. When her oncologist said she cannot go for a stem cell transplant, I didn't even ask why, I don't know what made me do that. I kept asking him if she will be alright with medications.
I am going in this Friday and will ask the oncologist why she can't go for a transplant.
She takes Ecosprin Gold 10 (atorvastatin 10 mg, clopidogrel 75 mg, aspirin 75 mg) daily after an angiogram that revealed a minor block in her heart last year. No high blood pressure, no diabetes, and all her organs are fine, but she has lesions in ribs and arms caused by multiple myeloma.
Re: Initial multiple myeloma pain in hand?
You are very welcome, that's what this forum is all about. We all try and help each other as much as possible.
Again, I am no doctor, but it may be her heart issue that could have eliminated her from a transplant, it is still best to ask the doctor.
I know how shocking this diagnosis is, but it sounds like you are a wonderful help to your mother, and I know she appreciates you being there for her. I hadn't noticed that you mentioned what type of myeloma she has (for example, mine is IgG lambda, but I've never had an M-spike, so that's not something I watch with my current testing.
I recommend you find out what type she has, and ask for a copy of her blood results so that you can track her progress. It can help allay your fears of your Mom's progress.
Oh and by the way, there ARE many different medications, and combinations that can help your mother, so no worries about the stem cell transplant.
Kathleen
Again, I am no doctor, but it may be her heart issue that could have eliminated her from a transplant, it is still best to ask the doctor.
I know how shocking this diagnosis is, but it sounds like you are a wonderful help to your mother, and I know she appreciates you being there for her. I hadn't noticed that you mentioned what type of myeloma she has (for example, mine is IgG lambda, but I've never had an M-spike, so that's not something I watch with my current testing.
I recommend you find out what type she has, and ask for a copy of her blood results so that you can track her progress. It can help allay your fears of your Mom's progress.
Oh and by the way, there ARE many different medications, and combinations that can help your mother, so no worries about the stem cell transplant.
Kathleen
-
kshornb - Name: kshornber
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2015
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Initial multiple myeloma pain in hand?
I see that it says M-spike of 1.26 g/dL seen in gamma region, and her kappa free light chain level is very high (around 1140, reference range 3.3 -19.4 mg/dl). So her myeloma is IgG kappa.
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