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A MyMyelomaTeam Member asked a question 💭
Newfoundland, Canada
April 5, 2024
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Answer Summary

Members shared deeply personal experiences about deciding when to stop maintenance drugs like Revlimid, with the overwhelming consensus being... Read more

Members shared deeply personal experiences about deciding when to stop maintenance drugs like Revlimid, with the overwhelming consensus being that doctors, especially MM specialists, should guide these decisions based on individual labs, disease markers like M-spike and light chains, and risk factors. Several members described remaining on maintenance for years despite feeling unwell because stopping too early can lead to relapse, sometimes more aggressive than before, while others shared stories of stopping after years due to side effects like strokes or rising numbers that required restarting treatment. A recurring theme was the tension between tolerating difficult side effects to keep the disease at bay and the desire for quality of life, with many acknowledging that each person's disease behaves differently and that balancing immune system health, secondary cancer risks, and relapse prevention requires close monitoring, open communication with doctors, and sometimes difficult personal choices.

A MyMyelomaTeam Member

I've been on Darzalex faspro and Pomalyst 2mg for over 6 years. My numbers are good. I'm still MRD positive so I won't be stopping maintenance. I'm just glad my myeloma is controlled 😉

April 5, 2024
A MyMyelomaTeam Member

I went off Revlimid for 7 months after being on it for 2 years with excellent results. Then my lambda started rising, mSpike not measurable, 10 mg Revlimid stopped the rising lambda. Who knows what will happen went you go off treatment. Everyone is so different but yet some similar results. It’s a game. And it’s your life you are playing with.

April 6, 2024
A MyMyelomaTeam Member

I stopped maintenance a year after my sct. The original plan was for at least two years of maintenance. Was on revlamid and velcade. Felt miserable all the time. Went down to just velcade. Lasted about 4 months and was still miserable. Decided, with my oncologist, that my body couldn’t handle it. It was a year ago in January and my numbers are good. Bloodwork every three months. Now just dealing with issues from the side effects. It’s never ending!

April 5, 2024
A MyMyelomaTeam Member

Curt, I was quite advanced with this disease when it was found. Pray, try to be positive and take supplements. I’ve been very blessed, 2 1/2 yrs no disease detected per blood work since SCT.

April 9, 2024
A MyMyelomaTeam Member

My doctor is considering taking me off maintenance because of angioedema and low white counts from Revlimid and then Pomalyst. First am getting a pet scan and bone marrow biopsy to see if the disease is minimal. Just switched to Pomalyst from Revlimid and I seem to be tolerating it though so might keep on with it.

April 7, 2024

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