At the hospital today.
FL has been taken off Thalidomide altogether because interim results of the drug trial indicate that Thalidomide is not of sufficient benefit to sufficient people to make it viable as a maintenance therapy for longer than a year.
So as FL says, now he is on his own. He gets a Zometa drip once a month and takes calcium supplements. Other than that, it's FL versus Myeloma, seconds out, ding ding!
Symptoms reported to the doctor today:
(1) painful swollen left breast. Doctor started off by suggesting hemight refer him to the breast clinic to have it checked out, but that it could take several weeks. FL explained that the previous referral in March (for his right breast) was instant. Doctor sat there in a dream for several minutes, then decided it was just a sign of aging and that unless FL wants testosterone injections there is no point in referring him, although "do you know that one in a hundred breast cancers are in men?" This doctor has crossed our paths before. Not a helpful comment! He said that testosterone would increase FL's libido "which is just a nuisance in a man your age". Not sure how either of us managed to keep a straight face. Bottom line - no referral for the breast issue, and FL will monitor it himself. If it gets worse, we will report it next month.
(2) Biting the inside of his mouth while eating or at rest. Maybe four times a day. Painful, sudden and involuntary. Doctor thought this was something he could live with. FL said "Well I hope so!" Dark humour lost on the doctor. Doctor had no reason to offer except that it might be something to do with his neuropathy (nerve damage).
So, in summary, a waste of two hours of our lives, unless you count the time spent having blood drawn, which is to be sent off to Birmingham to measure his Free Light Chains.
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5 comments:
Good gawd! that doctor sounds like he suffers from some sort of personality disorder.
Some Dr's are just a peach. Yes in the sense you want to bite them. Had a laugh at the testosterone comment. May you, as his wife might not find it all that much of a nuisance. LOL
Darl humour is most definitely need in these situations.
It does sound like a useless visit. Hope the next one is a better use of time.
It's unfortunate to see that FL is being treated like a statistic. I guess part of the problem is your location, not the British system per se. The rurality of your location gives the doctors very little exposure to the vast amount of info on multiple myeloma. FL may be their only patient with the affliction. I wish I had an answer for you.
Tell FL to keep putting his pants on every morning and play a few rounds for me.
That's a tad unhelpful... And libido a nuisance?! I think I would have at least pulled an appropriate face at him in that scenario! Silly sod.
Big hugs to you both in the hope that coming off the Thalidomide is smooth.
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