Chemo #3 yesterday, and the end of the rather short 3-week cycle 1. Just an hour and a quarter now, as I don't have any immediate reaction to the Dara. The only noticeable effect is some fatigue hitting on the second day of the weekend and into Monday. Consultant said that fitted with the treatment levels falling off at that stage. Also reported a couple of minor nosebleeds - advised to go to A&E if I get a bad one that won't stop.
The forward plan for the chemo is that we continue as at present until there is clear sign of improvement not just in the numbers but in a scan, probably in 6 months time, to look at any bone changes. If that's good, then reduce Dara to 2-weekly and then to 3-weekly and finally monthly, continuing for as long as it's working i.e. blood numbers start going up again and/or new bone lesions appear. Velcade to continue weekly for the rest of the year, so I shall still have to go in to hospital once a week. Also Zometa starting early July, 3-weekly. That's on a drip in hospital.
Speaking of the numbers:
Paraproteins 23, down from peak in low 40s just before treatment started. FLC ratio 46.36 with kappa down from the 400s to 297. So the treatment is working, long may it continue!
Everything else is good, unless I'm going to worry about my red cells being minutely below the normal range at 4.49 (bottom end of normal is 4.5). I'm not worrying. Corrected calcium, which has been a tiny bit high recently, now back to inside the normal range.
That's it for today. This is a Chemotherapy image, I'm sorry to say that it isn't entirely accurate... I just get two stomach injections, and this time it was a male nurse. At least, I think so. Can't be too careful these days.
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