My husband fractured his femur a little over a month ago and they put a rod in it. His x-ray last Monday showed no bone development at all around the rod. Without it, they will not recommend putting his weight on it, so he still has to use a walker for another month.
Is this a common thing? Does multiple myeloma slow down bone regrowth and if so, how long can we expect the femur fracture to heal?
He does take Zometa monthly, if that makes a difference.
FYI, he is on Darzalex, has an M-spike of 0.6 g/dL (6 g/l) currently. It has hovered there for several months now.
Forums
7 posts
• Page 1 of 1
-
vmeyer - Name: vmeyer
- Who do you know with myeloma?: my husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 65
Re: Does multiple myeloma slow bone growth after fracture?
Sorry to hear about this. I can only relate to when my humerus broke and it seemed to take a long time to heal. It was explained to me at the time that the osteoblasts were suppressed and needed assistance. I was then taking pamidronate (Aredia) to help heal my bones.
Did your husband have radiation at his break? If so, that also has an effect that can slow down the healing process. It will heal in time, he just has to be gentle and patient with it!
Take Care
Did your husband have radiation at his break? If so, that also has an effect that can slow down the healing process. It will heal in time, he just has to be gentle and patient with it!
Take Care
-
GaryH - Name: GaryH
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Nov./97
- Age at diagnosis: 44
Re: Does multiple myeloma slow bone growth after fracture?
Gary H.,
He had had radiation on the spot in January because he had a plasmacytoma there that caused pretty severe pain even on meds. Could radiation, even that long ago, slow healing, I wonder? Good question to ask the orthopedist next time we go.
He had had radiation on the spot in January because he had a plasmacytoma there that caused pretty severe pain even on meds. Could radiation, even that long ago, slow healing, I wonder? Good question to ask the orthopedist next time we go.
-
vmeyer - Name: vmeyer
- Who do you know with myeloma?: my husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 65
Re: Does multiple myeloma slow bone growth after fracture?
Four and a half months after surgery for the fracture, my husband's orthopedist referred him to an orthopedic oncologist at a major medical center two and a half hours away. After perusing the x-rays, she showed us a large myeloma lesion on one side of the femur, bisected by the fracture. She said bluntly, "I don't think this will heal." She plans to re-xray in two months, and schedule surgery for January if there's still no significant healing. She said the lesion, the Zometa, the myeloma, the steroids he's taken, and the radiation he had on the plasmacytoma formerly in the bone all contributed to this problem.
She plans to do a hip replacement and use a longer rod in his thigh, made of a more durable material that he can walk on, more or less supplanting the bone so nonunion is no longer a problem. She thinks he will walk pretty decently afterward, with some loss of sideways hip motion.
My husband was not a happy camper, as he had hoped to return to work soon, but has come to terms with it and realized that it means he will be able to work again after the surgery. He's working on weaning himself off painkillers prior to the surgery.
Now as long as the Darzalex continues to keep the myeloma down ... we refer to the battle as "knocking the weasel back under the woodshed." Darzalex has been a good weapon since January.
She plans to do a hip replacement and use a longer rod in his thigh, made of a more durable material that he can walk on, more or less supplanting the bone so nonunion is no longer a problem. She thinks he will walk pretty decently afterward, with some loss of sideways hip motion.
My husband was not a happy camper, as he had hoped to return to work soon, but has come to terms with it and realized that it means he will be able to work again after the surgery. He's working on weaning himself off painkillers prior to the surgery.
Now as long as the Darzalex continues to keep the myeloma down ... we refer to the battle as "knocking the weasel back under the woodshed." Darzalex has been a good weapon since January.
-
vmeyer - Name: vmeyer
- Who do you know with myeloma?: my husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 65
Re: Does multiple myeloma slow bone growth after fracture?
The broader question that this thread raises is whether myeloma sufferers who break bones in a manner unrelated to their myeloma can expect slower than normal healing or a failure to heal at all.
We know that the lesions created by myeloma are said to never heal. I know that in my own case, despite being in remission for several years, the lesions that I had at diagnosis are still there, having "healed" a little bit by partially filling in with a callous type substance, but have not really healed completely.
On the other hand, a couple of years ago I crashed my bike and fractured two ribs, right above a rib with a significant myeloma lesion. The broken ribs healed right on schedule (4-6 weeks), but the lesion is still there.
We know that the lesions created by myeloma are said to never heal. I know that in my own case, despite being in remission for several years, the lesions that I had at diagnosis are still there, having "healed" a little bit by partially filling in with a callous type substance, but have not really healed completely.
On the other hand, a couple of years ago I crashed my bike and fractured two ribs, right above a rib with a significant myeloma lesion. The broken ribs healed right on schedule (4-6 weeks), but the lesion is still there.
-
goldmine848 - Name: Andrew
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Does multiple myeloma slow bone growth after fracture?
Since I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, I had open heart surgery to replace a bad heart valve. That surgery necessitated an opening of the sternum. That occurred in 2014. I also had a biking accident and broke 4 vertebrae in my neck and had disc fusion surgery last Christmas Eve. Both of those have healed without any complications. I still get quarterly infusions of Aredia (pamidronate). The lesions that I originally had are no longer showing on a bone scan. Its been over 8 1/2 yrs since the original diagnosis and scan.
-
Ron Harvot - Name: Ron Harvot
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Feb 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Does multiple myeloma slow bone growth after fracture?
Ron and Andrew,
I am glad you had good bone healing! It sounds like Ed's was just a "perfect storm" for failure to heal. We're still hoping that the situation will change. He has been using a bone growth stimulator three hours a day for three months now. It hasn't helped so far, but he figures that since he has it and it doesn't bother him, he'll use it.
I would like to say that maybe the exercise you were getting contributed to bone healing, but Ed was pretty active in daily life before the fracture and has not been allowed even to do physical therapy since the fracture showed no signs of healing. That means it's not even something he can try.
I am glad you had good bone healing! It sounds like Ed's was just a "perfect storm" for failure to heal. We're still hoping that the situation will change. He has been using a bone growth stimulator three hours a day for three months now. It hasn't helped so far, but he figures that since he has it and it doesn't bother him, he'll use it.
I would like to say that maybe the exercise you were getting contributed to bone healing, but Ed was pretty active in daily life before the fracture and has not been allowed even to do physical therapy since the fracture showed no signs of healing. That means it's not even something he can try.
-
vmeyer - Name: vmeyer
- Who do you know with myeloma?: my husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: March 2016
- Age at diagnosis: 65
7 posts
• Page 1 of 1