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jerry sommerville
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| Joined: | Tue May 26th, 2009 |
| Location: | Port Charlotte |
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Posted: Wed May 27th, 2009 03:07 am |
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| My hubby was diagnosed with MM in Feb. He has no symptoms but he has 80% myeloma cells, so the oncologist at Moffitt put him in stage 3. We have been doing a holistic approach so far with our local oncologist monitoring him. He has remained unchanged basically but with a slight upward number to his monoclastic protein cells up to 5.7 now.... they started at 4.6. No kidney involvement. I'm afraid that we may spend too much time with the natural method and the disease will get out of control and then his changes of survival will be lessened, but the natural way is helping him to maintain. It is so hard to go for chemo that will destroy the good with the bad when you feel great and have so much energy from all the nutrients that you are getting from your food. Has anyone tried the holistic approach? Any advise from anyone? We want to do the right thing so he can enjoy a longer life, there are just so many options. Thanks!
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DougC
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| Joined: | Wed Dec 26th, 2007 |
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Posted: Fri May 29th, 2009 02:25 am |
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I'm a patient who was diagnosed Nov 07. I'm currently under the care of the Huntsman and have undergone tandem transplants.
To be honest with you, I don't understand how people can be more affraid of the damage chemotherapy will cause good cells than the damage the myeloma will cause....wait, that was me! I thought for sure the treatment would get me before the cancer. Like my doc likes to say, "fear the myeloma, not the treatment." Why not kill the myeloma with chemo and rebuild the body with natural?
I guess all I can say is, have no regrets. Pick a treatment plan and go for it.
Personally, I'd consider visiting the Huntsman for a consult.
Best of luck
Doug
Last edited on Fri May 29th, 2009 02:55 am by DougC
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dpcaregiver
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Posted: Fri May 29th, 2009 02:58 am |
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Jerry,
Ditto what Doug C reported.
My husband has just completed his second stem cell transplant at Huntsman. He just turned 62 and began his treatment at 70% Myeloma. Of course, the transplants are not fun, however, better than letting the Myeloma destroy his body little by little. He is already feeling better than he did when this was diagnosed 7 months ago. His bone pain is literally gone. It was at a 7 and 8 last October. Median survival rate at Hunstman is a minimum of 10 years. They consider Myeloma not curable (yet) but treatable, but YOU HAVE TO GET TREATED. I have personally met patients that have undergone tandem stem cell transplant and maintenence therapy that have lived 11 (going on 12) years, 8 years another two people past 7 years of survival. And, not just survival, but healthy normal living. Other treatment protocols that we researched give a 3 to 5 year median survival rate. Not a difficult decision for us.
We feel very strongly that the Myeloma cells need to be killed while they are still young and 'stupid' and haven't learned how to get around other thins. Hunstman doesn't generally 'hold off' treatment, but move forward while the patient is still healthy enough to withstand the treatment. At the very least, please get a consult from a Myeloma specialist and not just an Oncologist (preferrably Huntsman as they are the 'Gold standard' in treatment of Myeloma).
Best of luck to you and your husband--please don't put off treatment, but as Doug C said, pick a treatment, go for it and have no regrets. We also recommend a consult at Huntsman.
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