I have tried steroid injections (helped) and also Toradol injections once a month (inflammation). Also meds like celebrex, naproxen and muscle relaxers. Only when needed. :))

Part 2...

Along the way, I worked with my GP for my Pain Management solution. Gabapentin, Cymbalta and Lyrica are extremely terrible drugs that cause brain fog, fatigue and lack of alertness. I could tell these drugs, especially Lyrica, were making me unsafe on the road. Finally I phased out all three of these drugs (only one was being used at a time but we changed types along the way).

Velcade gave me extreme neuropathy. For probably a year, I've been on 5mg oxycodone - 4 to 6 times daily, as needed and 400mg magnesium glycinate for neuropathy pain (it helps buffer the pain from oxy - to -oxy dose) and now with Revlimid + Dex, I've added back 200 mg magnesium citrate to prevent constipation from the MM Meds (it was quickly becoming a problem again - the two Magnesium have it handled).

In addition, except for the once a week, Dex Day, I take 10 mg Ritalin once or twice a day for energy and focus support (I spend hours daily reading MM Case Studies).

You need pain management and real exercise to keep your muscles strong. I buy 35 bottles of 16oz reverse osmosis water. A package is 36 lbs. I have no problem lifting it into the cart, into my car, and into our house (up 4 steps from the garage).

No back pain, strong legs, strong core (I do 40 to 60 crunches with a 60lb resistance at the gym). I have cut most of my arms weights back by 10 to 20 pounds as I'm rebuilding my left arm from this healing lesion (the bone built a new solid bone shell in around the top of my humerus in under 4 weeks (from the MRI to PET/CT timeframe - I'd been on Revlimid and Dex for 10 days at the time of the PET/CT).

We have the capacity of recover and heal quite amazingly well - we have to be part of the recovery process - PT, Exercise, and now for two+ months, I'm on a plant-based diet and key supplements - No Hemi-Iron that Cancer needs for growth. I'm getting 4 to 5 days at the gym again and they expect my bone cancer will be solved in another few weeks with no need for Radiation. My recent HIP Biopsy on Aug 30th came back - No Cancer, <0.1% bad plasma, No Abnormalities and No Relapse. They're a bit Confused about the healed Humerus (I don't take Xgeva or Zometa shots) - they can't Understand my Completely Clean PET/CT, except for the Lesion, and they say all of the is Excellent News - Keep up with whatever your Doing. Part of that is I've been taking 8 grams of C3 Curcumin for 2 years, each and every day without pause. In April, when my clonoSEQ reported an impending problem (6 cells per million), since my Labs were still normal, I asked for some Monitoring time where I tried additional Curcumin products - though helpful, they could not kill-off a Bone Lesion which is actually a Bone-Tumor Cancer, that required Revlimid+Dex - I had been on No Maintenance since July 2022 - 15 months off All MM Meds.

I'll be posting full Plant Diet and Supplements to my @A MyMyelomaTeam Member Story soon. There's early info already there now.

Mentioned Users

A MyMyelo...

I am slightly older at 66, and just had a SCT in April, at the Myeloma Center (UAMS) in Little Rock, Arkansas. Prior to this I had kyphoplasty on 2 back factures, the others were too old to treat. Physical therapy helps, as do the back braces, I have one that I can alternate between cold/hot. Dr. has ordered Zometa to increase bone strength. UAMS has been super, they work in conjunction with my cancer center here in Okla., so maintenance can be done close to home.
Lots of good info here, keep learning asking questions.
UAMS has lots of info on the web uams.health.com/expertise/cancer-care/multiple-myeloma/

I use a back brace for support my doctor recommended it I have 6 verbal fracture will not due surgery yet I am not in a lot of pain just stiff sometimes . and I take D3 vitamin for my back 2000 units and IV once a month for my bones too make them stronger.

I agree with Donna That a Good PT facility is the best place to Start. Find one with the credentials of a Doctorate in PT. Ask for at least your initial Evaluation be done by that person rather than just a Masters in PT or their Support Staff. During a session, they may have others assist but ask that your primary be the Trained Doctorate.

I've been with a PT facility for over two years. They've politely put up with me as I've walked out on three or four of their staff, even in the middle of a treatment session, yet the Main Dr Sarah does continue to help me achieve very important results.

A year ago she worked on my feet and left hip pain. She found that my feet had No Range of Motion due to extreme cramping from my treatment meds. We spent a few weeks - she would do deep muscle messages under my feet, around my ankles and lower legs. When we finished, I had a full 20 degrees of upward flex of my feet.

And this was after I'd been back at the gym for 3 months and many months at an indoor golf range for months.

Treatment causes us significant muscle wasting and tendon and never damage.

The importance of a qualified Dr of PT is that person can determine when its safe for you to go to the gym to really complete your recovery. The Gym Trainer is not qualified to do a PT Eval, they can only provide training on the use of their equipment.

After my initial treatment 2 years ago (I went from Stage 2 - 80% bad plasma, one high risk factor t4;14, to MRD Negative in 7 months and No SCT - on DarzFasPro+Revlimid+Velcade+Dex). That left me in a walker and wheel chair. I spent a month or two with PT. While at PT, I tried their Leg Curls and Leg Press and realized I was ready for the gym. I went to Planet Fitness (free to seniors with Silver Sneakers or similar Insurance). In July 2022, I went there 3 months - 7 days a week. When I started, I could not stand in place on my own. 3 months later, I joined an indoor golf range and was back golfing again this past summer.

Due to what looked like a Relapse that was starting this May/June 2023, I started back at the gym. I was having pain in my left arm with certain motions. I immediately went to my PT for eval. She determined through resistance tests, no breaks or tears - probably a strain of my rotor cup.

I followed up with a Xray to find a left humerus lesion went from dormant to active. They now know that I have Not Relasped but I do have a bone-lesion that became a bone-cancer, completely isolated at that spot. It has quickly responded to Revlmid+Dex - in two weeks, its almost back to Normal Labs, down by 2/3rd.

Over the past two years, my PT has been a First Stop, and Continuing Support for help on different issues along the way. But there's a limit to what they can do - they can help you get ready and release you to the Gym where you can really fix the remaining problems. We need very strong muscles - arms, legs and Core to support our backs, stomach and body weight.