[Beacon Staff]

Weekly Poll - How Long Since Your Myeloma Diagnosis? - 2011

by Beacon Staff on Wed Sep 28, 2011 3:40 pm

Welcome to the second edition of The Myeloma Beacon’s “Weekly Poll”. This week’s question is about how long it's been since your diagnosis with active multiple myeloma.

A few clarifications:

First, as indicated in the question, you should only respond if you have active, not smoldering, myeloma. (For those of you with smoldering myeloma, we'll have a separate question in a later poll about the time since your diagnosis.)

Second, if you are a caregiver or spouse of a myeloma patient, please answer on behalf of the myeloma patient you care for / are married to.

Once you have answered the question above, feel free to add whatever comments you feel might be relevant in the discussion below.

We also ran similar polls for people with smoldering myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), check out those results:

Smoldering multiple myeloma:
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/weekly-poll-how-long-since-your-smoldering-diagnosis-t662.html

MGUS:
https://myelomabeacon.org/forum/weekly-poll-how-long-since-your-mgus-diagnosis-t1202.html

[Boliviababe]

November 2009

by Boliviababe on Wed Sep 28, 2011 3:50 pm

Hi...I was first diagnosed in Nov.2009.I have chromosome deletions of 13 and 17.

[Julie, caretaker]

Re: Weekly Poll - How Long Has It Been Since Your Diagnosis?

by Julie, caretaker on Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:21 pm

Okay, we all want to know more about the one person at 15 years. Give me some of that!

[suzierose]

Re: Weekly Poll - How Long Has It Been Since Your Diagnosis?

by suzierose on Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:35 am

LOL LOL, what Julie SAID!!!

[Vern]

Re: Weekly Poll - How Long Has It Been Since Your Diagnosis?

by Vern on Thu Sep 29, 2011 4:33 pm

I was diagonsed in Oct. 1992. I've been in and out of remission several times since my first tantrum transplants. I am now in CR and on 10 mg of Revlimid daily. Just got back from Little Rock yesterday and am still clear. Good luck to all here.

[Jubyanne]

Re: Weekly Poll - How Long Has It Been Since Your Diagnosis?

by Jubyanne on Thu Sep 29, 2011 7:48 pm

Vern wrote:
> I was diagonsed in Oct. 1992. I've been in and out of remission several
> times since my first tantrum transplants. I am now in CR and on 10 mg of
> Revlimid daily. Just got back from Little Rock yesterday and am still
> clear. Good luck to all here.

Congratulations and God's speed!
If you don't mind saying, Vern, how old are you?
Julia

[Julius Bramley]

Re: Weekly Poll - How Long Has It Been Since Your Diagnosis?

by Julius Bramley on Fri Sep 30, 2011 1:44 am

Dignosed 2005 0n St Patric's day. Had Melphalan and Prednisone (had no effect) the Thalidomide: dramatic effect for three months then no more. Radiation. Transplans. Now in VGPR. No maintenance therapy since transplant.

[mlweezieclark@yahoo.com]

Re: Weekly Poll - How Long Has It Been Since Your Diagnosis?

by mlweezieclark@yahoo.com on Fri Sep 30, 2011 7:59 am

I was diagnosed NOV 2009 had a complete response in two months with an added two months for good measure. Will be starting treatment on Sept 3, Had a two great summers of gardening and welcomed a great grandchild and grandchild during my time of complete response. My best to all of you. Mary Louise

[Stann]

Re: Weekly Poll - How Long Has It Been Since Your Diagnosis?

by Stann on Sun Oct 02, 2011 12:08 am

I was diagnosed on 9-11 of 2009. It sounds dramatic, so I use that date--and it's easy to remember. But the truth is that in August, my family doctor had confirmed with 2 Complete Metabolic Blood panels that I had a real high protein count and she told me to schedule an appointment with the oncologist. So I knew I had some sort of life altering disease in August, but the results of BMB came back on 9-11-09.
I'll never forget that day in late August. I parked the car, got out and waited for my wife to join me, folder in hand. And then we slowly walked towards the sign that read "Oncology". YIkes.

[suzierose]

Re: Weekly Poll - How Long Has It Been Since Your Diagnosis?

by suzierose on Sun Oct 02, 2011 11:41 am

Stan,
I had the same response as you when I saw the door marked Cancer Care Center and knew I was headed in. Just a life altering moment and I was queasy with fear with each step towards that door. My diagnosed came one month after my last cancer-free, unbeknowst, birthday..so it is always easy to remember the date ...for me as well.