[moyal77]

Myeloma and Intimacy

by moyal77 on Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:23 pm

Lynn M. in Orlando What about Myeloma and intimacy? Is it safe to have sex with your partner while you are getting treatment? I really have not seen any information on this topic.

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Myeloma and Intimacy

by Nancy Shamanna on Tue Jun 18, 2013 8:54 am

Hi Moyal77...if you are taking thalidomide or Revlimid, there are precautions to be taken due to the fact that they are 'teratogenic'. Thalidomide caused deformities in babies before they were born and was pulled off the market in the 1960's for use as an anti-nauseant for pregnant women. Revlimid is also in the same category of drug, and so as a precaution there are warnings attached to it also. In other words, when women or men are taking these drugs, they must not get pregnant or cause a pregnancy!
At the pharmacy at my cancer centre, patients are queried about these matters before each cycle of Revlimid, and even the packaging of the drug has to be returned to the the pharmacy.
So there may be other concerns, but those drugs have cautionary concerns! There may be other concerns for other drugs too, but I don't know about them.

[Ron Harvot]

Re: Myeloma and Intimacy

by Ron Harvot on Tue Jun 18, 2013 6:00 pm

Pomalyst, which was recently approved, comes from the same company and category of drugs as Nancy mentioned and thus may carry the same risks.

Aside from these drugs and the needed safeguards, I am not aware of any limitations on intimacy. The patient and his/her partner have to be on guard for any infections that could be transferred to the patient due to the weakened immune system. Assuming your partner is infection free there should be no issues.

Ron