I take duloxetine, an anti-depressant, and have done for some years. Prescribed for chronic pain as well as mild depression. With me, it’s impossible to hold negative thoughts for more than a few seconds. Added to my personality, I remain fairly laid back with no mood swings.

I too was on CTD and took 40 mg dex days 1-4 and 12-15. I didn’t get…[Read more]

Thanks David,

I’ve an alternative theory that I haven’t spoken to the docs about yet but will do so in the next few weeks.

Firstly, I would have thought that RT damage to cells would be noticeable and would be definitive as a diagnosis. Not sure if that’s presently the case.

Secondly, thanks to this website, I recorded my original diagnosis and…[Read more]

Morning vivbev,

You might find that CTD gives you a good response again and maybe an even longer remission. It seems myeloma is so individual that there’s just no telling.

Looks like it’s the same decision as the first time and there’s no way of saying whether sct would be of benefit at all, or if it would give you a similar remission or a…[Read more]

Did you have CTD as your initial treatment before your first sct?

Did you have CTD as your initial treatment before your firdt sct?

Can’t offer any advice, can only say that after 4 cycles of CTD I said that I didn’t fancy a sct, as I didn’t think I’d be able to handle it. It was never mentioned again.

I also wondered if it was worth it, requiring maybe up to a year to recover to get a year’s extension of life expectancy.

Best Regards, whatever you decide.

Quick update –

Had my 3 month post-treatment review today: bloods magnificent, apparently I achieved a complete response. Still receiving monthly biphosphonates.

Feeling much better generally, though still with altered taste, variable appetite, fairly mild neuropathy. Also, still weak but getting stronger. Shoulder ok now, got full movement.…[Read more]

Hi sabs,

It’s early days yet and your man’s on a trial, so it’s difficult to say what might happen and when. The fact that MM is very individual also has to be taken into consideration.

Just after diagnosis I became very ill, unable to do anything for myself. Went from driving a taxi to being unable to drive. Virtually every bone was affected…[Read more]

Hi sabs,

I’d lived with chronic pain for 3o odd years and accepted it as part of life. When I was diagnosed with MM however, my pain became much more severe and I was prescribed morphine – slow release tablets twice a day and oramorph for breakthrough pain, up to 6 times a day.

There are of course side effects to morphine – tiredness, confusion,…[Read more]

Legs crossed is supposed to be a no no due to the higher risk of blood clots.

Turns out my shoulder/arm pain was due to calcific tendonitis – a build up of calcium in the tendon. Apparently the painful phase is when the body starts to reabsorb the calcium and it can last months.

What they did was give me a local anaesthetic then using ultrasound, aspirate the calcium, which has a consistency of toothpaste at this stage,…[Read more]

All the best Dave.

Hiya Jayne,

When I started my treatment I was very ill with a lot of pain and on both sorts of morphine. I found it took a few days to kick in properly and for me to become virtually pain free except when in certain positions.

Don’t worry about becoming addicted to the morphine, take the oral 6 times a day if necessary as well as the…[Read more]

Well, for the last 2 or 3 days I’ve been getting severe pain in my left shoulder/upper arm, occasionally right down to the hand and up into my neck and face. 9 on a scale of 1 – 10. Unable to move upper arm.

X-rays today showed no plasmacytoma or bone lesions – will have an MRI in the next few days.

Both slow release and oral morphine doses…[Read more]

Thanks David and congrats on your Granddaughter. They’re a joy.

Well I’ve rung the bell – radiotherapy finished on Wednesday. MM treatment is now finished except for monthly bloods/bone strengthening infusions. Follow up appointments with consultants in a couple of weeks.

Scans before and after radio showed a shrinking plasmacytoma and slight regrowth of pelvic bone so things appear to be on the up. Still…[Read more]

Well so much for not catching the lurgy off the wife – temp went up to 38 for a couple of hours the day after my last post and I developed a cough and raw throat. Temp was back down after a sweaty sleep and though I’m still coughing a bit, it’s getting better. I think it was viral rather than an infection. But it seems I’ve fought it off, which is…[Read more]

Hi David, nice of you to post.

Yep, first day of radio gaga. Transport to hozzy was over an hour late – no sweat. Machine’s software crashed and they had to reboot and start again – no sweat. No transport home, hozzy organised and paid for a taxi – no sweat.

Didn’t feel a thing – sweet.

Overall, have started to have comparatively good days, or…[Read more]

Goodly. I’m quite laid back about myself but reading of other peoples’ experiences certainly stirs up the dust around here.

Regards

Taff