[Mojobarksalot]

Do Revlimid's side effects subside with time?

by Mojobarksalot on Tue Mar 14, 2017 5:55 pm

Hello.

My mom started treatment with Revlimid 10 mg and dexa­metha­sone about 1 week ago. She has a great deal of bone pain and fatigue. Will these side effects diminish over time once her body gets accustomed to the treatment?

Thanks so much.

[kshornb]

Re: Do Revlimid's side effects subside with time?

by kshornb on Tue Mar 14, 2017 7:07 pm

Every patient is different and responds to medication individually as well. I was not able to tolerate Revlimid at all, 10 mg or 5 mg. I had extreme body aches, bone pain, joint pain and fatigue. How­ever a lot of patients handle it very well, and do adjust over time. My advice is, if she does not feel better after her first cycle (I assume she is on the standard 21 days on  / 7 days off schedule), please let her doctor know. There may be alternative medications for her.

[Colin]

Re: Do Revlimid's side effects subside with time?

by Colin on Tue Mar 14, 2017 8:34 pm

I was newly diagnosed last November and have just finished 3 cycles of cyclophosphamide, Velcade, and dexamethasone (CyBorD) induction therapy, so I hardly qualify as an expert, but my understanding is that bone pain is usually related to the multiple myeloma, rather than a side effect of Revlimid or dexamethasone. Fatigue can be caused by both the disease and the treatment. There is good information on this site about the side effects of the various treat­ments.

[kshornb]

Re: Do Revlimid's side effects subside with time?

by kshornb on Wed Mar 15, 2017 7:56 am

Hi Colin:

I should have been more clear in my response to Mojo. When I was on Revlimid treatment, it was for maintenance only. I was, and still am, in stringent complete response (sCR), and am minimal residual disease (MRD) negative, so theoretically I should not have any myeloma in my system.

I would just hate for Mojo's mom to suffer with a medication that she may be able to change.

Kathleen

[Sharon W]

Re: Do Revlimid's side effects subside with time?

by Sharon W on Sat Jun 10, 2017 6:30 am

I took my first Revlimid tablet this morning and have just gone through almost exactly 12 hours of terrible bone pain. So bad that I was nauseous due to the pain and completely unwell, Brought back some bad memories.

It is Saturday night here, so will I be going through this forever, as I really need this tablet to work? Will it ease off as my body gets used to it?

The pain was my entire back and rid cage. I could not sit or stand and was on the edge of going to the hospital as at first I could not separate it from chest pain. It was only as it eased I saw it as bone pain.

Sharon

[Janet1520]

Re: Do Revlimid's side effects subside with time?

by Janet1520 on Sat Jun 10, 2017 11:47 am

I've been on Revlimid for over 3 years. I was at 25 mg for the first 6 months and 15 mg maintenance since. For me, the first month or two were the hardest. I find yoga helps for the aches and pains, and walking helps keep my energy going. I also take turmeric, which is supposed to help with aches and pains. It seems everyone responds differently to Revlimid. I'm also on 3 other drugs as well, so it's hard to say exactly which drug was causing the issues (or maybe all of them). If your mom is on dex, that should help with the aches and pains. Good luck to your mom.

[JinMingDao]

Re: Do Revlimid's side effects subside with time?

by JinMingDao on Sat Jun 10, 2017 12:42 pm

Everyone's experience is different. Revlimid was my first treatment, and although my body did not tolerate it well (GI issues, itchiness, neuropathy, etc.), it reduced the size of my jaw tumor by half in 2 weeks. I stayed on Revlimid until my stem cell transplant 5 months later. I am now on Pomalyst, a drug that is chemically similar to Revlimid, for maintenance, and the side effects are pretty much the same, but considerably less severe.

My prayers go out to you and all on this forum. It is a great resource when you need info or a digital hug.