My mother was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in July of 2014. She has been taking 20 mg of Revlimid each day for 21 days, with 7 days off, as well as acyclovir twice per day, each day, and dexamethasone once a week (20 mg total).
After the first cycle of Revlimid, she developed deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) in her right calf and had to go on Coumadin [warfarin] as well as receive Lovenox shots each day for 6 days. The DVT was resolved, and her Coumadin level has finally been regulated.
We have been advised by her doctor that while her numbers are good and the treatment is working well, he is reducing her Revlimid dosage to 10 mg and Velcade will now be administered once per week. She has started her lower Revlimid dose and is currently in the middle of a cycle. Velcade shots will be starting this week.
I have noticed that she has developed a slight cough. It's not a hacking, persisting cough, such as one someone has when they are sick, but rather every now and then she will cough as if to clear her throat. She says that every now and then she feels as if she has a "tickle" in her throat but other than that she feels okay.
Has anyone else ever experienced a cough developing as either a possible side effect of Revlimid and/or dex?
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Nanine - Name: Anna Tedone
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 70
Re: Cough from Revlimid and/or dex?
I would most definitely contact her doctor. Keep in mind that her myeloma already compromises her immune system and her treatment compromises it even further. Also, you mention she already had a DVT, which I would think makes her more prone to blood clots in any area of her body. My husband developed a cough shortly after his treatment and it blossomed into pnuemonia. So you should most definitely contact her doctor to rule out anything serious.
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Melanie - Name: Melanie
- Who do you know with myeloma?: husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 54
Re: Cough from Revlimid and/or dex?
Our daughter has developed a cough and hoarse sounding throat since starting dex. That seems to be one of the side effects.
Re: Cough from Revlimid and/or dex?
I'm currently on maintenance therapy with 10mg Revlimid/day and 8mg dex one day per week. Even at such a low dose of dex, my voice will sound hoarse for a couple of days after I take the dex. I don't have a cough but I know it affects my throat and voice.
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DallasGG - Name: Kent
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 6/20/2013
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Cough from Revlimid and/or dex?
Thank you everyone. I appreciate your responses. I am going to speak with her doctor so as to rule out anything negative that may or may not be brewing.
I just scheduled her Velcade treatments to begin this weekend. I'm hoping she responds as well to the Velcade as she has been to the Rev/Dexa combination.
I just scheduled her Velcade treatments to begin this weekend. I'm hoping she responds as well to the Velcade as she has been to the Rev/Dexa combination.
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Nanine - Name: Anna Tedone
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 70
Re: Cough from Revlimid and/or dex?
I started taking dex again two months ago at 40mg once a week after being off for three years.
My voice certainly changes when I take dex and I also get a slight cough when by WBC counts are low from Revlimid. Often the cough is a sign that I know my next labs will show WBC. Strangely this time around I am seeing a pattern of getting hiccups on the day I take dex. I do not remember this from the last time I was on it three years ago.
My voice certainly changes when I take dex and I also get a slight cough when by WBC counts are low from Revlimid. Often the cough is a sign that I know my next labs will show WBC. Strangely this time around I am seeing a pattern of getting hiccups on the day I take dex. I do not remember this from the last time I was on it three years ago.
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Eric Hofacket - Name: Eric H
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 01 April 2011
- Age at diagnosis: 44
Re: Cough from Revlimid and/or dex?
Hi Eric
Thanks for your response. Currently mom is on 20 mg of dex once per week and instead of 20 mg of Revlimid, she is now on 10 mg of Revlimid.
At her last doctor visit, it was decided that she would begin Velcade since her counts were low and the doctor did not want to risk them going any lower.
I will speak to him regarding the chance that perhaps the fact that her counts were low a cough is developing. I want to be sure to rule out any type of lung infection.
Thanks for your response. Currently mom is on 20 mg of dex once per week and instead of 20 mg of Revlimid, she is now on 10 mg of Revlimid.
At her last doctor visit, it was decided that she would begin Velcade since her counts were low and the doctor did not want to risk them going any lower.
I will speak to him regarding the chance that perhaps the fact that her counts were low a cough is developing. I want to be sure to rule out any type of lung infection.
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Nanine - Name: Anna Tedone
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: July 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 70
Re: Cough from Revlimid and/or dex?
I have had a very bad cough since mid-October. It is a dry, persistent cough. It starts with a ticklish feeling in my throat. I do not have cold symptoms. My myeloma specialist had me have an x-ray and a chest CT. Pneumonia and bronchitis were ruled out. The cough continued.
Out of desperation, I recently saw a gastroenterologist because I thought that maybe I have silent acid reflux which could be the cause of the cough. She advised that 20% to 28% (a rather high number) of people on Revlimid have reported cough as a side effect. I contacted a Celgene representative who confirmed that approximately 20% on Revlimid develop a cough. Not all the people taking the drug have myeloma.
At the suggestion of my myeloma nurse and my gastroenterologist, I have started taking omeprazole each morning. The purpose of this is to rule out an acid reflux condition (or to confirm one). The gastroenterologist also thinks that the baby aspirin and dexamethasone I take each day may be causing problems with the lining of my stomach, and so it may be prudent to reduce stomach acidity.
If anyone has had any experience with a severe cough while on Revlimid and dexamethasone, I would appreciate hearing how the situation was handled or is being handled.
Out of desperation, I recently saw a gastroenterologist because I thought that maybe I have silent acid reflux which could be the cause of the cough. She advised that 20% to 28% (a rather high number) of people on Revlimid have reported cough as a side effect. I contacted a Celgene representative who confirmed that approximately 20% on Revlimid develop a cough. Not all the people taking the drug have myeloma.
At the suggestion of my myeloma nurse and my gastroenterologist, I have started taking omeprazole each morning. The purpose of this is to rule out an acid reflux condition (or to confirm one). The gastroenterologist also thinks that the baby aspirin and dexamethasone I take each day may be causing problems with the lining of my stomach, and so it may be prudent to reduce stomach acidity.
If anyone has had any experience with a severe cough while on Revlimid and dexamethasone, I would appreciate hearing how the situation was handled or is being handled.
Re: Cough from Revlimid and/or dex?
Thanks for posting this information, mrozdav. I didn't know about the connection between Revlimid and coughs. I'll definitely be interested to know if the steps you're taking to get rid of the cough work.
Re: Cough from Revlimid and/or dex?
Ian,
It is now March and my cough persists. Not as bad as before, but I still have it and I am still on Revlimid and dexamethasone.
During a recent consultation with a specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, I learned that losartan (Cozaar), a blood pressure medication, also causes the kind of cough I have (in 10% of patients). I have been taking losartan for about three years without any cough complication, so I do question whether my cough is the result of this BP medication. But, who knows?
I am learning to live with this situation. My regular specialist at Hopkins gave me three choices, one of which was to "just live with it."
It is now March and my cough persists. Not as bad as before, but I still have it and I am still on Revlimid and dexamethasone.
During a recent consultation with a specialist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, I learned that losartan (Cozaar), a blood pressure medication, also causes the kind of cough I have (in 10% of patients). I have been taking losartan for about three years without any cough complication, so I do question whether my cough is the result of this BP medication. But, who knows?
I am learning to live with this situation. My regular specialist at Hopkins gave me three choices, one of which was to "just live with it."
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