New Multi Myeloma patient

They’ll have a plan and they’ll explain it to you very well.  that was me 10 months ago.  But write down your questions in advance because I’ll tell you for nothing as soon as you leave the room. You’ll remember what you wished to ask! 

Hi  Helen   i am sure you will  get a few  welcomes  and advice,     sorry to see you here!   but its a very active forum with great support,   i am male 68,   with MM,    19 months post stem cell transplant and living a good life ,      have you been diagnosed with MM  by someone other than your  Haemotologist consultant ?       The  normal go to  plan is   4 cycles of DVTD    a  combination of    injections at outpatients  and home tablets,     it is painless and if this is used it is very effective in lowering MM  in your bloods,   i am sure you will possibly have weekly blood tests,      a cycle of treatment  is    21 days,  then 7 days rest,  then start again,    ( that was my journey)  but we are all different.    i think this may be enough for now,    but please use the great resource of Macmillan  and Blood cancer .org,  with great   easy to understand    pamphlets,   as physical and  downloadable   documents,      a good support network,  and  be aware of your  immune system  being more vulnerable   under treatments.     a  good support network   is important for you,  and also    be  aware your   carer and loved ones may be  very concerned for your well being,         there are many of us on here  that  have great   advice and support for you,    you are not alone,   and   we wish you well,     please feel free to ask anything you wish   Kevin     AKA  Vespa  

Hello Helen and welcome to this Forum. 
My name is Jo (female) and I was diagnosed with smouldering myeloma last year and then myeloma 11 days ago. 
Whilst I can’t tell you what is ahead for you (as I only know about my own treatment plan) I can relate to feeling nervous about the future. I believe it’s natural to wonder about treatments and how they will impact on one’s life. 
I’ve found the support on this Forum invaluable and I’m also fortunate to have an excellent haematologist and supportive nurses. 
I am of course nervous about treatment, which will  start in early January, but I know I can get through it. 
I hope that you too have a supportive medical team and just keep in mind that you too can do this. 
I wish you well. 

Thank you very much for your reply.  It is all very daunting t the moment.

Thank you, Joo100. Yes I have started the list. How long after your first visit did you start your treatment?

Thank you for the encouraging words. It is just a daunting prospect.

Hi Helen and welcome to the forum.

Your diagnosis has probably come as one hell of a shock to you.

I agree about writing down your questions in advance. Also the answers may well be a lot to take in, both because of the shock and simply the amount of information that you may receive, which may be full of myeloma jargon (names of chemo drugs, for example). Therefore I suggest being ready to take notes too.

If someone can come with you, to help with questions, note taking and sheer moral support, that could be good too.

Looking further forward, the treatment can bring side effects, but you can do this. Many of us on this forum have been through it (such as Vespa and I) and are now enjoying remission. 

This is a supportive and friendly forum. Happy to explain stuff.

• It’s quite a few weeks, maybe about six or seven weeks because I had to have various tests the MRI and the bone marrow. 

Thank you. This has not arrived suddenly so not a shock for me. Bloods have slowly deteriorating. Not looking forward to treatment.

That's why I said that it was "probably" a shock!

Some get diagnosed as having MGUS or smouldering myeloma, which then develops into active myeloma. Many - like me - get it diagnosed completely out of the blue.

Treatment is nothing to look forward to, but I suggest focussing on getting into remission, and then celebrating it in any way that appeals (for me it was holidays). You could start planning now.