Well I went in today at 11am and had my blood taken… my Neutrofils were 1.17 which meant that Thunderbirds were Go… but very slowly, in 1st gear and with a hill start, on a 1 in 3 hill. The Bendamustine was ordered at 12pm or slightly before. It arrived in the Day Case Unit at 3.50pm and I left the unit at just gone 5pm. It made for a long day, leaving us both more than a little stiff and sore. I knew that things might be a bit slow with the catch-up following the Bank Holiday but even so.
But never mind, at least I am back on treatment and I will hopefully be back for more next Tuesday as long as my Neuts are OK.
David, my experience with Velcade was both good and bad. Good because it knocked a secondary tumour for six and my light chains for seven within the first 2 Cycles… I was in complete remission after 5 Cycles and treatment finished after 6 Cycles. I should have pressed for the full 8 Cycles (as I was told I would from the start) to ensure that the disease was properly put in its place as, like Slim, my MM returned almost immediately (I was declared in full remission in mid-October and declared as relapsed in December). I was told at the start of treatment that remission could be anywhere between 6 and 18 months but I only got 6 weeks. From what I can work out it seems that the more bone damage you have the less remission you get.
I have always responded well to treatment but not as well when left to my own devices while in remission… which is why I haven't given up on Revlimid as yet. I started Revelimid (after waiting for five weeks while trying to qualify for the Carfilzomib trial which I missed out on by a week) in February 2012. My Light Chains were at 125 at the start of treatment and at 525 at the end of treatment in December 2012. I am still convinced that my struggle with C-Diff and the difficulty in absorbing the Revlimid was the reason for the rise in my light chains. Even so, my Light Chains rose by 400 over a 10 month period. In the interim period of 4 weeks between coming off Revlimid and starting Bendamustine my Light Chains rose from 525 to 2,800… they are now down to 575.
So Velcade is certainly effective as a treatment but I am not sure of its efficacy as a long term remission giver. But I am a believer in Revlimid. As you have relatively little bone damage you may well do better.
Here's hoping. 🙂
Dai.
