New Prescription By Dr Advani | Lenalidomide Regime | Multiple Myeloma

Diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma

Dr Advani after going through our bone marrow aspiration reports, suggested Lenalidomide regime, he was confident that this medicine would help him. By this time, I was tired, irritable , depressed and was angry with life as a whole. Wondering what this new drug and their side effects will be?

 We came back to Hyderabad, went back to Dr Dattatreya and consulted regarding this regime, he agreed and wrote the prescription and schedule for taking this medication, Dr Advani had suggested this as our first medicine ,but as our doctor wanted to try velcade we went along with him, Dr Dattatreya was feeling upset that we should have gone with Dr Advanis advice earlier, but since we had all agreed on that.......

Lenalidomide started alright and since this a tablet and Dexamethasone also a tablet, we were comfortable. This we started in June 2009 and after 2 months the result was very encouraging, his M.M. had come down to 4%, we went and did bone marrow aspiration and this also confirmed all good results. Both the doctors advised for 2 more months of Lenalidomide regime for consolidation.

The doctors also advised us that we will have to go undergo a bone marrow transplant after 2 months, so we have to decide where to do it ?

Fortunately after 2 months of lenalidomide, Anand was in complete remission, all the test were conducted, pet ct was taken, bone marrow aspiration done immunofixation, electrophorosis test, all the results were encouraging.

Treatment Diagnosis | Reports after using Velcade | Multiple Myeloma

Every medicine has a regiment. So Velcade has a regiment of 4 cycles.

After 2 cycles we took his blood samples the results were very hopeful and our expectation of remissions for Anand seemed a probability

   

The bone marrow showed “8% of cells” as when we started with 44%.There was another gentleman who was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma who was undergoing the same treatment as ANAND, during the same period, so we had something to compare, Luckily Mr MURTY also showed good response to the medicine VELCADE.

During this period I was giving home medicine therapy as well, reading a lot on internet getting to know how other people were treated with alternative medicines.

I had also received advice from my guru Jaggi Vasudeva that first try to get him in remission only then try other source of medicine .

 

Anyway we gave other 2 cycles of VELCADE combination regime to Anand and again the same blood samples, pet ct. and bone marrow examination

After 2 cycles we had to wait for a month to get the entire tests done.

To our utter astonishment, the myeloma had become very aggressive in this one month and was back to original readings.

We were very depressed, and did not know what to do?

Dr Surendra Reddy of Vijaya Diagnostic was a pillar of strength, and he said let your doctor try other medicines do not give up hope.

Dr Dattreya was also astonished since, he had always had a very good result with VELCADE regime.

It’s so difficult after 4 months to know that you are right on the same spot as you began.

In the meantime Anand was also depressed, but he said he is going to fight it and let’s go back and discuss with Dr ADVANI.

What is MULTIPLE MYELOMA

The term Multiple Myeloma (or MM) is the name for a type of cancer of the blood. The prefix myelo- means bone marrow and is the term identified with this condition because blood cells are generated in the bone marrow. This particular cancer is associated with white blood cells, which are a crucial part of the immune system. Due to the connection to the immune system this particular condition can have symptoms that are varied, and often the same as symptoms for other conditions due to their systemic nature. Because of this issue it is often hard to diagnose this particular condition. It is also generally considered an incurable condition, though it is possible to bring the condition into remission through such things as steriod treatments, chemotherapy and stem cell transplants.

Among the symptoms that can be caused by MM are the following: bone pains, infection, kidney failure, anemia, and neurological issues. Bone pains caused by MM are generally centralized in the area of the ribs and the spine, with pain increasing with activity. Sometimes these problems in the spine lead to spinal cord compression and issues associated with this condition. Infections that MM commonly causes are pneumonia and pyelonephritis, increased risk of infection is created by immune deficiency brought on as a part of MM. Renal failure due to MM is commonly brought on by hypercalcemia, or an increasing level of calcium in the blood as the bones break down. Anemia caused by MM occurs when the normal bone marrow in the bones is replaced by the infiltration of tumor cells. Issues of the neurological order are also brought on by hypercalcemia, which can lead to weakness, confusion and fatigue. Changes in the viscosity of the blood may also lead to headaches and visual changes.

While diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma may be difficult, due to the danger of the condition its symptoms should be taken seriously. While most or all of the symptoms that present from MM may be caused by other issues, if these have been ruled out then efforts should be undertaken to ascertain whether or not this blood cancer is the cause.

Meeting With Dr Advani | Multiple Myeloma

After meeting Dr Advani he gave a choice of 3 treatments we could choose to follow

1. VELCADE + DEXAMETHASONE
2. THAIDOMIDE + DEXAMETASONE.
3. LENALIDOMIDE + DEXAMETHASONE

Since Anand was also into renal failure he suggested a course of injections.

He was happy to coordinate with our Doctor at Hyderabad i.e. Dr Dattreya and guide him to take care of Anand, which is very important as Mumbai is far.

Dr Dattareya had suggested 2 other specialist in Mumbai, which we showed and zeroed down to Dr ADVANI.
  
After reaching Hyderabad Dr Dattreya suggested we will go with VELCADE REGIME we agreed and started the treatment.

Here I would like to mention that support of the family is needed in every step of the treatment, I would suggest to you, do not have your Parents staying with you call them, or your children are needed.
The regime goes for 21 days which is standard all over the world; your Doctor will guide you every way.

We strongly feel a “General Physician” and an “Orthopaedic Physician, Kidney Specialist Should Be Roped In”, during this treatment.

The major side effects as symptoms are, shivering, pain in legs, fevers, vomiting, constipation, unable to eat food etc. The blood samples and testing has to be done every 4th day. To monitor your results, accordingly supplements have to be given, so that you recover.

It’s a very trying and a very difficult period for the whole family. The patient is so irritable that you want to run away, you just feel very helpless.  Many a times I told my children to keep a full time nurse, but it’s you who have to take care, feed him little by little, they are a baby in your hand,

“The feeling is more like a mother than a wife”.

You will require continuous monitoring trying to give medicines on time, sometimes the patient refuses to take, but let it be just give him when he can.

How To Find A Good Doctor | Multiple Myeloma

This is most important and difficult........it’s best if you can get a reference! Internet is a big tool today and Google is a very good search engine.


“There is a good list of doctors on the internet, you can also use a help of someone more internet savvy. Children are a big help. For me my daughter helped me locate a good doctor in Mumbai”.

“Our friend Dr Surendra Reddy knew of a very good Doctor in HYDERABAD, we have a "Indo American Cancer Institute" In HYDERABAD, so with his reference, we met Dr S Dattatreya and his team.”

If the doctor you meet makes you comfortable in your first meeting, he is your first doctor, “DR DATTATREYA................A LOT OF RESEARCH IS GOING ON AND EVERYYEAR WE ARE ABLE TO DEVELOPE NEW MEDICINES IN MULTIPLE MYELOMA,WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO TREAT MR ANAND SUCESSFULLY AND GIVE HIM A GOOD LIFE.”

Still we are never satisfied with one Doctor, so we went to Mumbai to meet “Dr ADVANI”. The best way is to search for him on the internet and take an appointment. Here again my daughter looked him up on internet and took an appointment for the next day.

How We Discovered Anand Had Multiple Myelome

The day was 13th of February 2009, “My Son Came Down And Asked Me, Mom Dads Not looking well” show him to a doctor, I was preoccupied, asked him to please show on the way to office as the doctor sits near there.

Meanwhile I called the doctor and said, please do not prescribe antibiotics, they are not effective his cough and cold is reoccurring every 15 to 20 dayside please investigate. The doctor prescribed routine medicines and gave a list of investigations to be done; promptly we went to a diagnostic centre and gave his blood samples, ray of chest to be done. The reports came next day

Hemoglobin was: -9

ESR was            : -130

Reports were not good showed some serious infection.

The x-ray showed lesion.

Our good Doctor advised us to get bone scan done, exactly a pet CT. Still I was cool as he had a T.B. problem earlier, I thought this has reoccurred.

I asked my chest physician how serious is the problem, can we wait for some time and investigate, he advised us to go immediately for the investigation.

As we were travelling next day called up my friend, who is good Doctor, he said it is okay wait for 2 days and when you get back, do not delay.

We coolly went to GOA had a nice holiday and came back, went for investigations.

After All The Investigations They Carried Out He Was Diagnosed With “MULTIPLE MYELOMA 3 RD STAGE”.