[PerkymiteParticipant]

Hi all,
Well my appointment on Friday went very well, pp still low at 1.9. They have now set my SCT for start date 22nd Nov. (my sons 47th birthday and two days before our 48th wedding anniversary.
When I got home I realised that I still did not really understand one part of the process. When you are given the Chemo (Mapahlan?) what does it actually kill off? Is it the Bone Marrow, the Stem Cells or both? Can any of you techy?s help me out?
Kindest regards
David

[brochoParticipant]

Hi David great to hear your pp are still low and it wont be long now What a shame about your wedding anniversary are you going to have a knees up later? At least you should be at home for christmas even if you might not manage a full turkey dinner , but you never know .I think the mephalan kills off the myeloma cells in our bone marrow and perhaps red blood cells as well sorry my brain just wont work today , I am sure someone who has a working brain can provide a better answer Do you know if you will have internet access when you are in hospital ? Last time I was in I used a dongle which worked well most of the time Have a good weekend love Bridget x

[GayeParticipant]

Hello David – really good news about your SCT date and not so long to wait now. We will all be rooting for you. Your question about Melphalan I think is that it aims to kill off remaining myeloma cells after all your previous chemo so that your harvested stem cells can be put back into a hopefully healthy body where they can regenerate and put you into remission. If I am wrong I hope there is somebody out there that can put me right but that's my understanding of its effectiveness.

Bridget – I am sorry you are suffering chemo brain today and hope it will pass soon. It's a b****r I know but you are doing so well, like the fighter you are, so hang on in there.

Love to you both, Gaye x

[brochoParticipant]

Hi Gaye I think its really lame brain today but I brazenly call it chemo brain rather than admit its old age haha !! Thankyou for your kind words and for always being a support to us all Its great being able to see faces now isnt it and I knew you would have a lovely smile love Bridget x

[GayeParticipant]

Dear Bridget – lame brain or chemo brain it's all the same. Just exploit it for all it's worth! Yes, I agree, it is lovely seeing faces at long last and I loved yours with your family. What better! Mine was taken at a family member's 100th birthday last year. They obviously got my better side. The lady in question is now 101 and I think will go on forever – she is just amazing! My loveliest memory is when we sat in the garden, having had a few too many, and swore we could both see an albatross at the end of the garden! Sad but true.

Hope you are all having a good weekend.
Love. Gaye xx

[zasrsParticipant]

Hi David

good luck with sct, my husband goes for his 2nd sct on 7th november at kch good luck to you both!!

Sarah

[anneParticipant]

Re melphalan – i have read about people having this before SCT but is there anybody, who like my husband, is having it as a last resort treatment (we have been told he will never be able to have SCT as he never got a remission from CTD, velcade or revlimid – and there are no healthy stem cells to harvest. The consultant said the huge dose of intravenous melphalan will kill of all his bone marrow as well as the cancer. He is hoping this can buy some time until a new drug on the horizon is available. Is there anyone else in this position? My huisband is 62 and was diagnosed in july last year. The first two treatments gave a short initial response but only for a month or two. He developed an extensive bright red rash with the revlimid and had to stop taking it. Anne

[MinParticipant]

Ann Its possible that they will also give him GCSF injections rather than an transplant as they will force his body to produce extra new immature cells to replace the ones killed with the melphalan. The body makes its own but help is useful.
min

[Author]

Posts