Good point Nan Liz. I am fortunate to be in the care of an oncology team, doctors and nurses, who finish each appointment with, "o.k., any questions?" Each is incredibly busy, so I'll prepare questions before hand based on my reading and questions that arise in here. But, every meeting my questions are answered and the current treatment plan is reviewed.
For example, I asked why not just keep me on Rev, as it had performed well knocking my mm right on its butt.. I'm infused at my monthly appointments with Zomeda for bone strength and that's been it for about a year. MM is there, it threatens, but I'm lucky for a relative stability with, so far, a slow, upward trend in protein levels.
My oncologist described a number of strategies and, if he were the patient, why and when he would choose X strategy from the array of those available.
MM reacts to whatever touches it, like most of the cells in our bodies. Rev/dex worked for me and I was taken off before my, (emphasis my), configuration of mm figured out how to overcome the drug. Our bet is that Rev/dex or possibly just Rev at first, will work against the next attack. But at some point, mm will figure it out and another drug with different side effects and likely more intrusive on the daily routine of a 'normal' life will be tried.
I agreed to a strategy of maintaining in the arsenal as many weapons as possible so; a) we are not wasting bullets and b) we are extending the efficacy of available drugs in the hope that new and better drugs, or a cure perhaps, will be found in the interim.
To Amy's point, a high level of communication is of the utmost importance. It's also important, in my opinion, to use time in front of busy specialists efficiently because there is another patient waiting her turn in the adjacent exam room. Which is why the suggestions, links, references and ideas of the people in this community are so valuable in preparing for the next appointment which, by the way, I have on Wednesday.
Hoping for another month without drugs as I'm training for a 150 mile bike ride on August 7th and 8th. Interesting thought from a recent discussion with Liz.... I doubt that at 61 I would be training for such an event if I was not fighting mm. As KC said in a post the other day, we are competing for our lives with this beast.
Everyone in here makes me more stubborn, tougher and determined to beat mm. We're fighters all, right to the very last....
Bless you all,
Frank