[rosaryParticipant]

Sorry to hear you and your dad is going through this …I’ve just started on this ….The MRI scan will be helpful and will show up any lesions on the bones that can in itself lead to a diagnosis of MM. Blood tests will also be used to determine the diagnosis. I understand that smouldering is often used when results are below the threshold for a formal diagnosis which then triggers monitoring rather than treatment – in my case I went straight to treatment (radiotherapy on the bone lesions and chemotherapy for the Blood/ bone marrow cancer.) Get to a haemotology consultant as soon as you can and they will help you understand this … it is confusing as Myeloma very individual and not straightforward to get to grips with but once you understand how they diagnose it will help …your dads age and general health will also be a factor in this and something to ask about

[rosaryParticipant]

Thanks Bren for a very interesting post , this question of whether to go straight into SCT or wait and test remission is something I’m intrigued by , need to get to that stage after 4 months induction. The BBB were carrying a story about C-ART this morning – have you looked at these trials ?

[rosaryParticipant]

Yes I have been given my first infusion of Zometa. My back Bain is mild as my MM diagnosis was really from fracturing my shoulder where there is a significant lesion being treated with radiotherapy with other mm lesions on my clavicle and spine that are small and not being specifically treated.

Did you consider any alternatives to stem cell treatment and has how has that gone generally against expectations – I’m sensing that is the hard yards part of the treatment.

Do they give you an opening paraproteinn measurement ?

Thanks again for all the responses Sue

[rosaryParticipant]

Thank you both for you replies which are much appreciated

Sue – was the 6 months what you expected at the outset and if not too intrusive did you start out at stage ISS stage 1 and were you on Lenalidomide as one of the chemo drugs. I have a collapsed vertebrae as well and interested if you had any specific treatment for that. Thank you so much for the help, very much appreciated and as you say overwhelming initially but now getting on top of some of these tail which is helpful

[rosaryParticipant]

Becki

I was diagnosed 3 weeks ago so have been getting to grips with some of the key initial questions you are asking that cause so
Much confusion and and anxiety. As many have said Myeloma is very individual and all circumstances are different but If I can be of help with these first stage questions and what I did to get some answers including problems in my spine please email me to Stewartalastair@btinternet.com

[Author]

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