Hi All,
I'm fairly new and posted a few times about my father's new diagnosis with multiple myeloma.
We found his multiple myeloma because he had a fracture in his spine. Had Kyphoplasty surgery done 2 weeks ago and that fracture is stabilized. However, pain has quickly spread to lower back and ribs. He has terrible pain/muscle spams that aren't being controlled with strong pain meds. He hasn't even made it to the oncologist yet for initial biopsy results and to start treatment.
My question is, once treatment is started can this bone damage be reversed and render him pain free? If not, I fear his quality of life is over even if they can put the cancer in remission. He cannot even get out of bed currently.
Any advice appreciated on this subject.
Forums
6 posts
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Re: Can multiple myeloma Bone Damage / Pain be reversed with
The bone pain from Myeloma is excruciating before treatment. I had never had a broken bone in my life and didn't know what bone pain was. Well, when my arm broke I learned. I couldn't move at all without searing pain in my arm that was debilitating. Both my orthopedic doctor and my oncologist told me that once I started treatment that the pain would lessen. Of course I didn't believe them, but both of them were right. Within a couple weeks of starting Rev 15 mg, Dex 40 mg, and Zometa infusions the pain began to resolve. Now I only have mild discomfort if I have lifted something too heavy with that arm or if I am overly tired.
My orthopedist didn't think that my fracture would heal completely and had begun to prepare me for the possibility of needing surgery to put a rod in my arm. But, slowly the fracture healed. He was quite surprised by that. I have bone lesions throughout my body. Some seem to have improved with treatment, according to my scans, some have stayed the same, and new ones have appeared. None of them give me problems.
If your father is having spasms in his back, has he been prescribed a muscle relaxant? I know many years ago when I developed a herniated disc that the only thing that helped me with the pain at that time was a muscle relaxant to calm the spasms. Does your father's doctor know about the spasms or just the pain?
Hopefully your father will get some relief soon, see the oncologist for results of his testing and start treatment.
Nancy in Phila
My orthopedist didn't think that my fracture would heal completely and had begun to prepare me for the possibility of needing surgery to put a rod in my arm. But, slowly the fracture healed. He was quite surprised by that. I have bone lesions throughout my body. Some seem to have improved with treatment, according to my scans, some have stayed the same, and new ones have appeared. None of them give me problems.
If your father is having spasms in his back, has he been prescribed a muscle relaxant? I know many years ago when I developed a herniated disc that the only thing that helped me with the pain at that time was a muscle relaxant to calm the spasms. Does your father's doctor know about the spasms or just the pain?
Hopefully your father will get some relief soon, see the oncologist for results of his testing and start treatment.
Nancy in Phila
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NStewart - Name: Nancy Stewart
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 3/08
- Age at diagnosis: 60
Re: Can multiple myeloma Bone Damage / Pain be reversed with
Than you so much for your reply. Very encouraging and I'm happy to hear you had positive results from treatment.
Would love to hear from others to know if this is the norm and treatment usually improves bone pain.
Thanks all!
Would love to hear from others to know if this is the norm and treatment usually improves bone pain.
Thanks all!
Re: Can multiple myeloma Bone Damage / Pain be reversed with
Hi floridagirl. My damage is primarily in my ribs, although I had lesions elsewhere. I was lucky that the myeloma had not attacking my spine yet at the time I was diagnosed. I am beginning to have problems in the neck area of my spine, however.
Dexa took away the pain. My oncologist calls them "happy pills," and they really work well. I've been getting Zometa infusions since my diagnosis, and most of the damage has filled in as a result. Annual x-rays show healed areas. I hope this info helps.
Dana
Dexa took away the pain. My oncologist calls them "happy pills," and they really work well. I've been getting Zometa infusions since my diagnosis, and most of the damage has filled in as a result. Annual x-rays show healed areas. I hope this info helps.
Dana
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darnold - Name: Dana Arnold
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: May 2009
- Age at diagnosis: 52
Re: Can multiple myeloma Bone Damage / Pain be reversed with
I had a rib fracture from multiple myeloma and the pain did subside. On most days I hardly feel it and other days it's present but very tolerable. I didn't start treatment until 3 months after the fracture. The pain subsided before starting treatment.
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torimooney - Name: tori
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: apr 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 64
Re: Can multiple myeloma Bone Damage / Pain be reversed with
Hello Florida Girl,
The bone pain should substantially improve or resolve with treatment. Both the chemotherapy and bisphosphonate (Aredia or Zometa) treatment will improve the bone pain. Unfortunately the bony lesions tend not to return to normal although there can be some healing. The bisphosphonates will reduce your chances of a skeletal fracture by about 50%.
Best of luck in sunny Florida
The bone pain should substantially improve or resolve with treatment. Both the chemotherapy and bisphosphonate (Aredia or Zometa) treatment will improve the bone pain. Unfortunately the bony lesions tend not to return to normal although there can be some healing. The bisphosphonates will reduce your chances of a skeletal fracture by about 50%.
Best of luck in sunny Florida
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Dr. Edward Libby - Name: Edward Libby, M.D.
Beacon Medical Advisor
6 posts
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