- Some people have aches or flu-like symptoms after their first infusion of Zometa. I didn't but my best friend, who gets a similar infusion for treating her osteo, did.
- There are great postings in the Beacon about both Revlimid and Velcade. My myeloma became active again last spring, so my oncologist put me on Velcade. The first thing I did was research through the Velcade postings here.
- Speaking of Velcade, the injection site can develop what looks like a small patch of sunburn and be itchy. Hydrocortisone helps, so if your mom doesn't have any in the house, you might want to get her some now. The redness/itching goes away in about a week.
- Don't believe any of the survival statistics you'll read on-line (except here of course!!). They are old and don't represent the current treatments.
- If your mom is considering starting herbals and supplements, do talk to the oncologist before your mom starts taking them. My oncologist said yes to some and no to others.
- Has your mom's hip been x-rayed? She might have lesions from the myeloma.
Forums
Re: Nervous wreck - biopsy results tomorrow for mom
Hi Jaren. I'm sorry your mom received a multiple myeloma diagnosis. Some things to think about and do:
-
darnold - Name: Dana Arnold
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Nervous wreck - biopsy results tomorrow for mom
darnold
Great to hear from you again. My mother has not started the Zometa yet. She has to get a dental clearance first. She needs a tooth extracted and a general cleaning, then she will receive her clearance to start the medication.
As for her severe hip pain, she went for an MRI earlier yesterday. The doctor hasn't contacted her about the results (so I guess it must have been fine). Last night my mom started to feel dizzy and had blurred vision, so we rushed her to to the emergency room. She had to get another blood transfusion. Her previous transfusion was a week before Thanksgiving. Hopefully, once her treatment starts, it will eliminate the need of the transfusions. If you don't mind me asking, did you have to get any blood transfusions?
Fast forward now, she is discharged from the hospital and is feeling much better.
I hope that you are having a great day.
Great to hear from you again. My mother has not started the Zometa yet. She has to get a dental clearance first. She needs a tooth extracted and a general cleaning, then she will receive her clearance to start the medication.
As for her severe hip pain, she went for an MRI earlier yesterday. The doctor hasn't contacted her about the results (so I guess it must have been fine). Last night my mom started to feel dizzy and had blurred vision, so we rushed her to to the emergency room. She had to get another blood transfusion. Her previous transfusion was a week before Thanksgiving. Hopefully, once her treatment starts, it will eliminate the need of the transfusions. If you don't mind me asking, did you have to get any blood transfusions?
Fast forward now, she is discharged from the hospital and is feeling much better.
I hope that you are having a great day.
Re: Nervous wreck - biopsy results tomorrow for mom
Hi Jaren,
You've gotten some great info and advice already in this thread. Just a couple of things to add from my experience.
Mike
You've gotten some great info and advice already in this thread. Just a couple of things to add from my experience.
- On the Velcade injection in the abdomen, it does sound gross and the thought of it freaked me out a little bit at first too. (Sounded like something a drug addict might do ...) But once I had the first one, it was not that bad at all. They rotated my shots around my abdomen and thighs.
- On Zometa and flu-like symptoms. Ask the nurse to make sure that the infusion is timed to take at least 30 minutes. That seems to reduce the chance of flu-like symptoms the next day. Also, don't let your Mom do like I did a couple of months ago and get a flu shot on the same day as a Zometa infusion. The two together seemed to have a synergistic effect of producing relatively rough flu-like symptoms the next day.
Mike
-
mikeb - Name: mikeb
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009 (MGUS at that time)
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Nervous wreck - biopsy results tomorrow for mom
Hi Jaren. I hope things are going well with your mom's treatment. Part of my stem cell transplant process was over the Xmas holidays; not fun.
The only time I had a blood transfusion was after my stem cell transplant. I did not have any before then.
Dana A
The only time I had a blood transfusion was after my stem cell transplant. I did not have any before then.
Dana A
-
darnold - Name: Dana Arnold
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Nervous wreck - biopsy results tomorrow for mom
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to give an update on my mom. She has started some of her medications, and so far she seems to be doing well.
Currently she is taking dexamethasone, Revlimid, and hydrocodone for pain. She will start the Velcade injections on Thursday. She has yet to get her dental clearance to start Zometa. We were told to take a baby aspirin daily once starting the Revlimid, so the dentist was not comfortable with pulling her tooth while on the aspirin. The doctor gave her permission to forego the aspirin until after her tooth extraction. So she will start the Zometa very soon.
Mom is getting somewhat annoyed by all the medications she needs to take. So I made a joke and told her that I would rather have a body full of medication than a body full of myeloma (she thought that was hilarious)
Yes we have a weird sense of humor.
I just wanted to know what side effects have you all noticed once you started taking Revlimid?
Mom says this medicine knocks her out within 15 minutes. I was just wondering if this was normal?
Also I wanted to know if the Velcade injections will make mom weak or if it will hinder her in any kind of way? Just want to know what to expect!
I hope you all had a happy holidays! I will keep you all updated!
I just wanted to give an update on my mom. She has started some of her medications, and so far she seems to be doing well.
Currently she is taking dexamethasone, Revlimid, and hydrocodone for pain. She will start the Velcade injections on Thursday. She has yet to get her dental clearance to start Zometa. We were told to take a baby aspirin daily once starting the Revlimid, so the dentist was not comfortable with pulling her tooth while on the aspirin. The doctor gave her permission to forego the aspirin until after her tooth extraction. So she will start the Zometa very soon.
Mom is getting somewhat annoyed by all the medications she needs to take. So I made a joke and told her that I would rather have a body full of medication than a body full of myeloma (she thought that was hilarious)
Yes we have a weird sense of humor.I just wanted to know what side effects have you all noticed once you started taking Revlimid?
Mom says this medicine knocks her out within 15 minutes. I was just wondering if this was normal?
Also I wanted to know if the Velcade injections will make mom weak or if it will hinder her in any kind of way? Just want to know what to expect!
I hope you all had a happy holidays! I will keep you all updated!
Re: Nervous wreck - biopsy results tomorrow for mom
Hi Jaren,
My husband is on his third cycle of Revlimid, dexamethasone and Velcade (RVD) plus a bone strengthener. He also takes many supplements, including the daily aspirin. Yes, better all the meds than the disease!
My husband likes to think of how the drugs are fighting the myeloma as he gets his shots and tosses back all those pills. He takes the Revlimid just before bed, so it's hard to say whether it knocks him out the way it does your mom. But the combo of drugs has definitely caused major fatigue. He has been going to bed by 9 p.m. most nights and, pre-diagnosis, we were often just eating dinner then. Perhaps your mother should consider the Revlimid a bedtime pill.
Sounds like your mom is lucky to have you helping her out on this journey! Best of luck for her treatment.
My husband is on his third cycle of Revlimid, dexamethasone and Velcade (RVD) plus a bone strengthener. He also takes many supplements, including the daily aspirin. Yes, better all the meds than the disease!
My husband likes to think of how the drugs are fighting the myeloma as he gets his shots and tosses back all those pills. He takes the Revlimid just before bed, so it's hard to say whether it knocks him out the way it does your mom. But the combo of drugs has definitely caused major fatigue. He has been going to bed by 9 p.m. most nights and, pre-diagnosis, we were often just eating dinner then. Perhaps your mother should consider the Revlimid a bedtime pill.
Sounds like your mom is lucky to have you helping her out on this journey! Best of luck for her treatment.
-
EF11 - Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 43
Re: Nervous wreck - biopsy results tomorrow for mom
Hi EF11,
Sounds like your husband is taking the exact same medicines as my mom. Mom is a fighter, so I do not worry about her as much as I used to. Just hearing the words " your mom has cancer",is what initially scared me to death. I thought I would lose my mom and never have the chance to do what I imagined doing while we had all the time in the world.
Then I saw that this diagnosis isn't necessarily a death sentence. I decided to put it in God's hand and not dwell on the why and what ifs. Now we have restored our lives to be what they were before the diagnosis.
Mom has a little difficulty with walking. She can't lift one of her legs very high (to get on curbs or what not). But, as long as she can walk , we will take advantage of that!
I hope that your husband's treatment is a success! Are you all looking forward to stem cell transplant in the future?
Sounds like your husband is taking the exact same medicines as my mom. Mom is a fighter, so I do not worry about her as much as I used to. Just hearing the words " your mom has cancer",is what initially scared me to death. I thought I would lose my mom and never have the chance to do what I imagined doing while we had all the time in the world.
Then I saw that this diagnosis isn't necessarily a death sentence. I decided to put it in God's hand and not dwell on the why and what ifs. Now we have restored our lives to be what they were before the diagnosis.
Mom has a little difficulty with walking. She can't lift one of her legs very high (to get on curbs or what not). But, as long as she can walk , we will take advantage of that!
I hope that your husband's treatment is a success! Are you all looking forward to stem cell transplant in the future?
Re: Nervous wreck - biopsy results tomorrow for mom
Jaren - You have a great outlook. Yes, my husband will likely have an auto (his own cells) stem cell transplant in March and then go back to 3 or 4 more cycles of the Revlimid, dex and Velcade for "consolidation," and then onto maintenance levels of Revlimid for hopefully many many years of remission. How about your mother?
-
EF11 - Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: November 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 43
Re: Nervous wreck - biopsy results tomorrow for mom
EF11
Our goal is to do the stem cell transplant (using her own stem cell cells). Right now our goal is to be fortunate enough to respond to treatment of the targeted chemo. She starts her Velcade injections tomorrow. My husband will take her for that injection. I will let you know how she says it went! Hopefully it doesn't make her sickly or weaker.
I wish your husband much success when he gets his transplant. I also wish that he stays in remission for a very long time!
Our goal is to do the stem cell transplant (using her own stem cell cells). Right now our goal is to be fortunate enough to respond to treatment of the targeted chemo. She starts her Velcade injections tomorrow. My husband will take her for that injection. I will let you know how she says it went! Hopefully it doesn't make her sickly or weaker.
I wish your husband much success when he gets his transplant. I also wish that he stays in remission for a very long time!
Re: Nervous wreck - biopsy results tomorrow for mom
EF11-
Your husband's fatigue should improve as his body responds to the treatment he is getting. My first couple of years of treatment, I was disappointed that I couldn't stay awake long enough each night to watch my favorite 10 p.m. TV shows. Of course, working all day and having to get up at 6 a.m. to get to work on time didn't help. As I began to respond to treatment (Revlimid + dex, followed by ASCT and then recovery), my energy began to improve and the fatigue lessen.
I don't have as much energy as I used to have pre-myeloma, but it is better than it was after diagnosis and initial treatments. So, things should improve for your husband.
Nancy in Phila
Your husband's fatigue should improve as his body responds to the treatment he is getting. My first couple of years of treatment, I was disappointed that I couldn't stay awake long enough each night to watch my favorite 10 p.m. TV shows. Of course, working all day and having to get up at 6 a.m. to get to work on time didn't help. As I began to respond to treatment (Revlimid + dex, followed by ASCT and then recovery), my energy began to improve and the fatigue lessen.
I don't have as much energy as I used to have pre-myeloma, but it is better than it was after diagnosis and initial treatments. So, things should improve for your husband.
Nancy in Phila
-
NStewart - Name: Nancy Stewart
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 3/08
- Age at diagnosis: 60
24 posts
• Page 2 of 3 • 1, 2, 3