myelomahope.blogspot.com
Myeloma Hope: 08/01/2014 - 09/01/2014
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Saturday, August 2, 2014. Today I felt much more like myself, even went for a stroll and mowed a little bit of the lawn. Temps are normal and the pulse oximeter regularly shows numbers in the high 90's. The pneumonia is on the run, and I won't post any more about it here unless there is a dramatic reversal. Links to this post. Friday, August 1, 2014. Right now my temp is generally around normal, which is a definite improvement, and I have some appetite. However, blood oxygen isn't much better than it...
myelomahope.blogspot.com
Myeloma Hope: Seven Great Years
http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/2015/04/seven-great-years.html
Friday, April 10, 2015. The image shows a cross-section of my body laying on my back, the view slicing through both arms and the chest, including the lungs (black) and with the T5 vertebra at the bottom. The brightest spot is the myeloma, just above the spinal cord in the vertebra. Dr L called this evening and we had a wonderful conversation. Some points:. Either way, this lesion has to be treated, both to protect the spine and to keep the new clone from taking over. This would be the most conservative a...
myelomahope.blogspot.com
Myeloma Hope: 02/01/2015 - 03/01/2015
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Tuesday, February 24, 2015. FDA Approves Farydak (Panobinostat). This is a victory for myeloma patients, and perhaps for all patients facing a life-threatening disease. Farydak (panobinostat) is a new oral drug approved specifically for use with bortezomib (Velcade) and dexamethasone to treat patients who have previously undergone at least two prior regimens, including Velcade and an immunomodulatory agent (thalidomide, Revlimid, or Pomalyst). It comes with this boxed warning:. I congratulate the FDA on ...
myelomahope.blogspot.com
Myeloma Hope: Dr Martha Q Lacy, Woman of the Year
http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/2015/04/dr-martha-q-lacy-woman-of-year.html
Sunday, April 5, 2015. Dr Martha Q Lacy, Woman of the Year. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) combats all blood cancers, including myeloma, supporting research as well as the patients themselves. Every year the LLS holds a Woman (and Man) Of The Year competition, to raise funds and to honor the nominees. Dr Lacy is a nominee this year. Martha Q Lacy, M.D. Recommended reading: Here is a copy of a letter that we received from her a few days ago: lacyletter.html. Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom).
myelomahope.blogspot.com
Myeloma Hope: Beta Blockers May Improve Myeloma Survival
http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/2014/12/beta-blockers-may-improve-myeloma.html
Tuesday, December 9, 2014. Beta Blockers May Improve Myeloma Survival. ASH Monday, December 8, 2014. Results: The five-year overall survival (OS) for myeloma patients taking beta blockers was about 62%, contrasted with OS of 47% for those not taking beta blockers. How much is enough or too much? Is it really the beta blocker, or is it the underlying condition or lifestyle that prompted the doctor to prescribe the beta blocker? There is work to be done. Caution: Beta blockers are contraindicated for some ...
myelomahope.blogspot.com
Myeloma Hope: New Regimen
http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/2015/04/ixazomib-study.html
Monday, April 13, 2015. After seven years my myeloma has finally made an end run around my dear friend Pomalyst and found a way to hurt me. The previous post. Shows the PET scan of the hot little lesion that threatens to hurt my spine. Pomalyst is still working, you might say, because the blood markers IgG and M-Spike continue to be stable. Nevertheless the T5 lesion appeared, so something must change soon, and I am enrolling in a study of a new drug. Blood draw for who knows what. A fond farewall to Pom...
myelomahope.blogspot.com
Myeloma Hope: Pomalyst Study Ends
http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/2015/02/pomalyst-study-ends.html
Saturday, February 14, 2015. But I'm still on Pomalyst, 2 mg daily with no days off, thanks to insurance. Somewhat to our surprise, Mayo Clinic abruptly cancelled my participation in the study at the visit which ended my 89th 28-day cycle. As far as I know the drug manufacturer, Celgene, was prepared to continue the study, but Mayo explained that they needed the resources elsewhere. At a gluten-free restaurant called Nourish in Gilbert, AZ. That dressing is lime-based, perfect for the salmon and the salad.
myelomahope.blogspot.com
Myeloma Hope: End of Cycle Two
http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/2015/06/end-of-cycle-two.html
Tuesday, June 23, 2015. End of Cycle Two. Tuesday, June 16, 2015:. I have been on a trial of a new oral regimen for two months now, and I am a little disappointed to report that there is no significant change in my numbers. My IgG dropped from 1230 to 1190 mg/dL this month, and M-Spike from 1.2 to 1.1 g/dL, but both of those values are well within their recent variability. The good news is that the numbers didn't go up! In the meantime I am physically quite active with. Running, cycling, and lawn mowing,...
myelomahope.blogspot.com
Myeloma Hope: Day One of Cycle One
http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/2015/04/day-one-of-cycle-one.html
Wednesday, April 22, 2015. Day One of Cycle One. I'm now on a study of a new drug (Primary drug), along with dexamethasone (Dex). I take both once per week for three weeks, then one week off from the Primary drug, then repeat that cycle. Dex with the evening meal: ten tiny 4-mg tablets = 40 mg. Wait an hour and a half after finishing the meal and my one beer. I asked - the pharmacist said beer is food. Tsk. Take a Kytril tablet (Granisetron) against possible nausea. Wait another half hour. My biggest con...
myelomahope.blogspot.com
Myeloma Hope: 03/01/2015 - 04/01/2015
http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/2015_03_01_archive.html
Wednesday, March 11, 2015. A couple of weeks ago Mayo sent me a cube-shaped box (kit), perhaps 10 inches on all sides, containing five vials, instructions, a FedEx overnight return label, and a freezable gel block about the size of a pound of hamburger. Instructions said to do the draw on March 9. Just to check, I stopped in at the clinic a week or so ago, showed them the box, and asked about the kit draw. "Oh yeah, we do that all the time," was the response. I froze the gel. Links to this post. I have b...
