Partial Response Following Sct, Lots Of Pain, Shingles

Hi,

I am wondering if anyone has had the following symptoms. My husband was diagnosed with multiple myeloma a little more than a year ago. He has already been through Thalidomide/Dex (mimimal response), Velcade (they took him off for transplant), Autologous Stem Cell Transplant (partial response). Now about 2months after tranplant he feels worse then he ever did. It is painful for him to urinate (he says this happens when there are lots of light chains in his urine), he has a ton of hip pain, they put him on a  Fentanyl patch, and want him to get a pain pump. He is falling from losing feeling in his legs, he has compression at T12. His IgA is not detectable (I think that is why he got the shingles) and his IgM and IgG remain very, very low. He continues to have light chains in blood and urine.    He doesn't want anymore treatment, and I am all about comfort and enjoying life. I am a critical care nurse and see far too many people tortured to death.  I don't know when is the right time. When are you providing comfort and when is it assisted suiced because of depression? I would appreciate any thoughts anyone may have.    Thanks, Carolynn

I'm 2 months post transplant (8 Feb 08) and will have my second transplant the first week of May.  Was your husband on Acyclovir prior to getting the shingles?  I had some trouble with urination in the begining, but I believe it was the Velcade and Thal.  I also have light chain, but I've never experienced any pain.  My Igg/Igm/Iga have been low since I was dx in Nov 07...no problems.  Did your husband have a tumor at the T-12?  I had a 5cm tumor at T-1/T-2 and it was crushing my spinal cord.  The chemo has since shrunk the thing to 2cm pre-transplant....I'm assuming it's much smaller now, if not gone.  However, I also have pain in that area....mainly from lying in bed.  I try very hard to stay out of bed.    All of us respond differently as you know.  I wish the best for you and your husband.