New Post After a Long Silence

I have been taking Revlimid for over a year now. The 15mg pill results is tolerable cramps so that is the one I have been taking. The cramps are directly related to the amount of exercise or excessive usage that I give my muscles. I've stopped jogging but continue walking at a slightly brisk pace. I get leg cramps every once and a while as a result.
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The good news is that the 15mg pills are controlling the cancer to a great degree. Every blood is basically flat. The numbers are not increasing or decreasing. That is good is the sense that they are flat at a relatively low level. I have had a new blood test in early june and am awaiting the results report.
George

Lower Dose - The leg cramps are gone.

It has been three months since my dosage was lowered from 25mg to 15mg. Good news - blood tests show that the drug is continuing to fight the cancel cells although a little slower than the 25's, and the bad leg cramps have gone away 95%. I will continnue on this dose, have a blood test every two months, and visit with Doc in Oct when we return to PHX.

Started Chemo Treatments Again

About 2 years after my stem cell transplant, the "numbers" were increasing past the point where Doc was worried about kidney damage. He wanted me to go on a chemo routine. There were a couple of drug choices that included IV's and Pills. We chose the pill type because that would allow us to go away for the summer. IV's would require us to stay in Surprise and go in for weekly treatment.
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So, I started on Revlimid and Dexamethozone (spelling?). Twenty-one days "on" and 7 days "off". Many problems with muscle cramps until we got the dosage adjusted. Now, it's tolerable. I got the good word in early April. The numbers are down and the dosage can stay the same for the summer -  it is OK for us to pack up the RV and get out of Dodge!
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We plan to hit the road about 5/1. bye

More Treatment May be Coming

Here is some interesting news. We went to the cancer doctor on 3/12 to review
the results of my March blood test. From our last discussion with him, we fully expected
to find another increase in the protien in my urine and to be started on a new round of chemo
using pills.
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Well to our surprise, all of the indicators being monitored went DOWN! He could not
explain this and decided to wait for an April test to see which direction things are going.
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Either the February spike UP or the March spike DOWN is a fluke and we have to decide
which before starting chemo.
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It still appears that we will be able to get away for the summer - he said that the
chemo pills can be perscribed even if I am on the road. I will have to go in for
more frequent blood tests to make sure that there are no (or limited) side effects.

Still Waiting Until October

My monthly blood tests are "stable". They are not without issues, but they are stable and Doc is still saying that we can wait until the 10/18 appointment. So, that's the plan. Going back to Phoenix during the first week of October. bye

Good News and Bad News

Hi - I'm back after a summer delay.
The blood tests continue once a month or so. At first, the rate of increase was alarming. Then it slowed, and even turned down for a month. The Doc said that it is common to oscillate a little. The good news is that he feels I can wait until October to see him, and I do not have to come back to Phoenix early. So, we are staying in Jackson, WY into September and will go back to Phx then. The bad news is that there is cancer activity, and I will have to have more Chemo soon. bye.

New Blood Test Results Not the Best....

My Cancer is a more active than we had hoped. Instead of going for a blood test every three months to monitor the levels, I have to go every month now. Doc wants to see how fast things are changing to determine when additional treatments will be needed. The next test is mid-May. Oh well!