[Tracy J]

Re: The beginning of a long journey

by Tracy J on Thu Feb 12, 2015 9:44 am

My team at Dana Farber tried the highest doses of bortezomib (Velcade), Revlimid and dex first because presumably they work better controlling the myeloma! If you can tolerate them, why not hit the myeloma hard? Then, when I had side effects, they worked with me to see what could be done about them.

For example, I started on 25 mg daily of Revlimid, but after a couple of cycles, I developed a rash. So then DFCI recommended monthly alternating of Allegra (fexofenadine) and Zyrtec (cetirizine). But I still got the rash, so then they decreased my dose to 15, which did not give me a rash.

After 3 cycles, I had a clean PET/CT; PET was definitely not clean before starting treatment. But then I relapsed in late December with increasing bone pain and a bone scan that showed lesions all over the place, including some new one.

So then DFCI switched me to carfilzomib (Krypolis )/ Revlimid / dex.

Interestingly, they increased my Revlimid dose back up to 25 mg daily even though I had gotten rashes before. I continue taking alternately monthly Zyrtec and Allegra. No rashes. I wonder if the rashes were somehow the product of some kind of interaction between the Velcade and Revlimid?