[Charlie WV]

My multiple myeloma diagnosis

by Charlie WV on Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:28 pm

In latter part of 2010 I felt that I had cracked some ribs reaching for a rod in my boat. The pain would not go away, later on I cracked ribs on the other side. Neither side showed up on x rays, I ended up having to have my gall bladder removed in Jan. of 2011 , still had lots of pain, the surgeon called in an oncologist, I had an MRI which showed my bones looked like swiss cheese and they did bone marrow biopsy and told me I had stage 3 multiple myeloma but it was treatable.

I started chemo immediately, aftet 8 or 9 treatments there was no evidence of the M protien in my blood. My onclolgist then sent me to the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center in Morgantown, WV, where in July of this year I had a stem cell transplant.

I am now in complete remission and have started taking a Revlimid (lenalidomide) maintenance dose daily (10mg) as part of a clinical study. I go back every 28 days to get the next batch of medicine and they take labs and give me an infusion of zometa to help strengthen my bones.

I am very blessed to have had great friends and family support, they got me thru the rough times, now I am pretty much back to where I was prior to my diagnosis. I am able to take my boat out fishing and do most anything I want to do.

[Boris Simkovich]

Re: My multiple myeloma diagnosis

by Boris Simkovich on Sun Dec 04, 2011 12:02 am

Hi Charlie,

Welcome to the forum. No one here is ever happy to hear that yet another person has been diagnosed with myeloma, but we're glad you found this place to share experiences and ask questions.

It's also wonderful to hear that you've responded so well to your initial treatment. I hope the maintenance therapy you are on now keeps the myeloma at bay for a LONG time.

Best regards,

Boris.

[ninja performance]

Re: My multiple myeloma diagnosis

by ninja performance on Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:33 am

Sounds like you responded to treatment very well, that is great.

You say 8-9 treatments, do you mean cycles?

What therapy were you on for 8-9 treatments?

What was your initial M-Spike and Bone Marrow numbers?

Thanks
Chris