[marty2019Participant]

My name is Martin. I live in Adelaide here in South Australia. I wish to send everyone affected by Multiple Myeloma by best wishes and hope everything works out for you all. Multiple myeloma seems to be a family tradition for me. This disease claimed my mother in 2002. I was diagnosed with it in May this year. Some inheritance 🙂 In February, I was kept awake for two nights by intense pain in the lower left quadrant of my rib cage. I thought I had strained myself lifting a heavy weight and that the pain would eventually go away over time. Over the two days, the pain travelled up my back then across the front of my chest. I already had an appointment with my GP for a general checkup. When I mentioned the chest pain I could almost here the alarm bells going off. I was sent to a local hospital where a huge Deep Vein Thrombosis was discovered in my right leg extending from my ankle to midway between my knee and hip. Apparently, three pieces had broken off and lodged in both lungs (Bilateral Pulmonary Embolism). I was told that I was lucky to have survived. My sister-in-law is also a GP. She was not satisfied with only the DVT being treated. She also wanted to know why the DVT had occurred. I followed her recommendation to see a haematologist. Following a bone marrow biopsy, the presence of Multiple Myeloma was confirmed. Luckily, Australia has an outstanding medical system. My current haematologist is a leading expert in Myeloma treatment. I have total confidence in her. Today, I began by third cycle of chemotherapy. By November, it is anticipated that I will have a stem cell transplant.

[susieParticipant]

Hi Marty
Welcome to the forum tho I’m sorry you’ve found it necessary to join us. You will find a lot of support here.
It would be very interesting to learn how MM is dealt with in Australia so I hope you can keep up the info on your journey.
I was diagnosed in 2014 and am on my 3rd line treatment at present (ird) until it stops working. It’s not too bad and all oral, so it’s only a hospital appointment every 4 weeks.
I wish you the very best in your journey. Keep in mind it’s a marathon, not a sprint. I’m sure it will be a confidence boost having your sister in law around.
Best Wishes
susie

[puyarnaudParticipant]

Hi Martin,

I have MM and my wife has a blood cancer Polycythemia Vera. She has a forum which is extremely well supported and very supportive. This forum does not seem to be and people are left for weeks without anyone responding which seems very strange to me.

I was very lucky as I have been monitored by haematology for the the last 7 seven years. At first it was MGUS so I half knew it would become MM, no shock there when it was confirmed in October 2018 However treatment didn’t start until May this year. Unlike others I still have no idea of what “bone pain ” feels.

I don’t know if it is evening with you, for me it is 8.45 and I am off to do bloods for tomorrows consultant meeting.

Roger

[marty2019Participant]

G’day Roger.
It’s about 7:30PM here in Australia. Good to hear from you given the circumstances. I have just finished my third cycle of CyborD chemo. Had a big dose of Mesna, Cyclophosphamide & Filgrastim chemo treatment last Friday that took six hours to go through. Now I am enduring eight days of daily G-CSF injections in preparation for stem cell harvesting. This has left me extremely tired.

[puyarnaudParticipant]

Hi Martin,

Today I am with my haemo consultant followed by a Zometa infusion in the clinic. Zometa because my blood calcium level is too high. It was that which alerted endocrinology many years ago that something was amiss and it was they 7 years ago who wrote to me to say that the tests for MM had proved positive. Imagine the shock then when I went to Dr Google to find out what MM is.

Enjoy the day.

Roger

[puyarnaudParticipant]

addendum

Sorry Martin, I didn’t read your post carefully enough. We seem to have so many different regimes and I don’t recognize any of yours. None of mine have involved anything more than a subcutaneous injection in the tummy. Now I take my chem at home. I hope the STC goes well for you, I am in two minds about having STC if offered.

Roger

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