Thanks, Terry!
It's weird - I didn't even know I'd had sepsis until I was discharged and saw it on my paperwork. Either they told me and I didn't remember it, or they just didn't tell me. I agree, I have always heard that sepsis is pretty serious, so I was glad that I apparently made a quick recovery!
Karen
Forums
Re: Karen's Stem Cell Transplant
Hi Karen, I am day 71 from my auto transplant. I swear by my gummy vitamins and calcium. There are enough pills to take as it is and I find the gummy easier. My doctors have no issue with it. Despite my appetite having decreased during treatment, I never did lose weight. Too bad I put so much on when I was doing the steroids. Best of luck to you.
Kim
Kim
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kjpoppit - Name: Kim Nelson
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Sept. 19th, 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 47
Re: Karen's Stem Cell Transplant
Hi Karen,
Great to hear that you are home and doing well. You've been through quite a bit but it sounds like you are tough and things are fine except for the really annoying food sensitivities. I hope that improves quickly.
I wish you the best of everything and that you feel more like your old self everyday!
Great to hear that you are home and doing well. You've been through quite a bit but it sounds like you are tough and things are fine except for the really annoying food sensitivities. I hope that improves quickly.
I wish you the best of everything and that you feel more like your old self everyday!
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Joy - Name: Joy
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Karen's Stem Cell Transplant
Hi everyone,
Now that I am almost 4 months out from my transplant, I thought some of you might be interested in an update.
I'm doing really well! After about the first month (I had the transplant on June 24th), I started feeling more like myself - the fog was lifting. Every month after that was better until now I can really say that I feel just about back to normal. In fact, I really feel better than before the transplant because I'm not on any steroids
My energy level is good, and I've started walking every day to build up stamina. My husband and I are going to London for a week in December and I need to be ready for a lot of walking! I felt well enough to go to a wedding at the end of September in NYC and that went fine.
All of the intestinal/taste issues have gone away. I can drink water again, thank goodness. My creatinine is back in the normal level and I think I will be taken off the coumadin (for the blood clot in my arm) fairly soon. The only thing I'm waiting for now is for my hair to grow back! It is growing, but it's still very very very short.
I saw my regular oncologist earlier this month and he ran the myeloma blood work - all was in the normal range. I'm just hoping that it stays there for a while! I am on Velcade (4 weeks on, 2 weeks off) as a "maintenance" drug and so far I'm not having any serious side effects from that.
If anyone has any questions about the transplant process and/or the aftermath, I'm happy to answer any questions!
Karen
Now that I am almost 4 months out from my transplant, I thought some of you might be interested in an update.
I'm doing really well! After about the first month (I had the transplant on June 24th), I started feeling more like myself - the fog was lifting. Every month after that was better until now I can really say that I feel just about back to normal. In fact, I really feel better than before the transplant because I'm not on any steroids
My energy level is good, and I've started walking every day to build up stamina. My husband and I are going to London for a week in December and I need to be ready for a lot of walking! I felt well enough to go to a wedding at the end of September in NYC and that went fine.
All of the intestinal/taste issues have gone away. I can drink water again, thank goodness. My creatinine is back in the normal level and I think I will be taken off the coumadin (for the blood clot in my arm) fairly soon. The only thing I'm waiting for now is for my hair to grow back! It is growing, but it's still very very very short.
I saw my regular oncologist earlier this month and he ran the myeloma blood work - all was in the normal range. I'm just hoping that it stays there for a while! I am on Velcade (4 weeks on, 2 weeks off) as a "maintenance" drug and so far I'm not having any serious side effects from that.
If anyone has any questions about the transplant process and/or the aftermath, I'm happy to answer any questions!
Karen
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Karen - Name: Karen
- When were you/they diagnosed?: December 2010
- Age at diagnosis: 51
Re: Karen's Stem Cell Transplant
That's great news Karen. Enjoy London!
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Karen's Stem Cell Transplant
Hi Karen,
I am so glad you are doing well! It is great to hear from you! Enjoy London!
Kim
I am so glad you are doing well! It is great to hear from you! Enjoy London!
Kim
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KimT - Name: Kim Tank
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 53
Re: Karen's Stem Cell Transplant
Thanks!
I forgot to mention that like some others who've posted, I had some very weird (for me) food cravings for the first month or so. I thought I'd write down a few of them in case anyone heading into a transplant is curious about what might taste good afterwards:
Since I couldn't tolerate water I drank:
Food:
When I first came home I had almost no appetite. A friend brought over a roast chicken and mashed potatoes and I found the mashed potatoes actually tasted OK and I could keep them down.
Also:
Karen
I forgot to mention that like some others who've posted, I had some very weird (for me) food cravings for the first month or so. I thought I'd write down a few of them in case anyone heading into a transplant is curious about what might taste good afterwards:
Since I couldn't tolerate water I drank:
- Lemonade (I liked the Simply Lemonade brand)
- Seltzer water (for some reason I could drink water if it was fizzy)!
- Grape juice
- Tomato juice
- Orange juice
- Unsweetened iced tea
- Low-fat milk
- Milkshakes
Food:
When I first came home I had almost no appetite. A friend brought over a roast chicken and mashed potatoes and I found the mashed potatoes actually tasted OK and I could keep them down.
Also:
- Canned peaches
- Macaroni and cheese (I developed a craving for the Annie's mac & cheese from a box)
- Frozen egg rolls and breaded shrimp (I can't explain this one!)
Karen
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Karen - Name: Karen
- When were you/they diagnosed?: December 2010
- Age at diagnosis: 51
Re: Karen's Stem Cell Transplant
Hi Karen,
Good to hear your appetite and taste have recovered. I had an auto transplant July 2013 and had no issues at all with appetite loss or taste. I returned for second auto this July and had similar experiences to yours. In the BM Unit I could hardly eat unless there was sugar involved. I had cravings for vanilla ice cream. The first month at home was very difficult as I could not eat any of my favorite foods. I have been home for more than two months now and things have returned to normal. I am enjoying food more than ever!
Pat
Good to hear your appetite and taste have recovered. I had an auto transplant July 2013 and had no issues at all with appetite loss or taste. I returned for second auto this July and had similar experiences to yours. In the BM Unit I could hardly eat unless there was sugar involved. I had cravings for vanilla ice cream. The first month at home was very difficult as I could not eat any of my favorite foods. I have been home for more than two months now and things have returned to normal. I am enjoying food more than ever!
Pat
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bluebird
Re: Karen's Stem Cell Transplant
Hi Karen. Good to hear that you are doing so well.
Your hair will come back -- I'm four years post-SCT, and mine is now well below my shoulders again, long enough to clip up in the summer or make a small braid.
I laughed when I read your food list. I lived on canned peaches for a while post-SCT. They are still a go-to food when I feel lousy, for some reason.
Have a wonderful trip!
Dana A
Your hair will come back -- I'm four years post-SCT, and mine is now well below my shoulders again, long enough to clip up in the summer or make a small braid.
I laughed when I read your food list. I lived on canned peaches for a while post-SCT. They are still a go-to food when I feel lousy, for some reason.
Have a wonderful trip!
Dana A
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darnold - Name: Dana Arnold
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Karen's Stem Cell Transplant
Mashed potatoes made me laugh. That's all my daughter would eat after her SCT. It sort of became a joke to run to Wawa and get some plain mashed potatoes at any time of the day.
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