[the-old-manParticipant]

Hi,

Like Jeff, I had treatment on Velcade, Dex and Cyclophosphamide and, as progress was slow( a bit like my school reports ‘ Satisfactory but could do better’) I was switched to Revlamid and Dex. It turned out that I had an unrelated cancer in my bowel which may have affected my progress. The bowel cancer was removed and all is reasonably well.

Fatigue and breathless are a bit of a problem. The consultant thinks the breathlessness could be a result of the pulmonary embolism that I had just as treatment for the MM was about to start, for it left blood clots in my lungs.

Two flights of stairs and my legs go wobbly and I sit and suck in air for a few minutes. Otherwise, I’m coping ok and so accept these two things as bearable.

Next month I’ll come to the end of the second cycle of treatment and await the appraisal of my progress. We’ll see how things are then.

Good luck everyone.

Don

[the-old-manParticipant]

Hi Susie

Apropos Frag Min injections

My diagnosis of MM was followed swiftly by a pulmonary embolism and for nine months I had daily injections of Frag Min. A month ago the consultant decided that, istead of Frag Min, I could  take a daily pill called  Rivaroxaban. Check with your consultant as, for me, it is definitely an improvement on the daily tummy injection. If it is as effective as Frag Min, well I don’t know but I trust my consultant.

Best foot forward,

 

 

[the-old-manParticipant]

Hello,

I had four cycles on CVD at which point my consultant felt that my progress was slow. However I felt reasonably comfortable about the treatment with only the usual side effects – poor sleeping, tiredness.  A bone marrow sample showed that the percentage of cancerous cells  had dropped from 74 to 50. A PET – CT scan showed that I had an unrelated cancer in my bowel. This has now been removed and the MM is now being treated with Revlimid  that I take daily for three weeks, then a week off and weekly Dex, being 20 x 2mg pills. This is my first cycle on the revised treatment. Again minimum side effects – tiredness, breathlessness, bone ache in the back and ribs, irregular sleeping pattern, some tingling in hands and feet, grumpiness after the Dex. Like all of us, we just have to cope and accept each day as a bonus.

Good luck to everyone.

Don

[the-old-manParticipant]

Hi everyone,

I too am a newcomer to this site. I was diagnosed with MM in November and am concluding the third cycle of the eight planned for my treatment which is at my NHS hospital. All the staff are caring and friendly and have put me at ease, though, like everyone, I am unsure of what lies ahead. I am 79, so I assume the future must be uncertain, particularly as, just before my treatment started, I had a pulmonary embolism.

If my experience is anything to go on, the NHS and the McMillan Centre cannot be bettered. One thing I appreciate is that, at the regular treatment, I am meeting and chatting with others facing the same or similar situations.

Like everyone, my wife and I are focussing on living and enjoying every day.

TTFN

[Author]

Posts