hello sir/mam,
I have an query.my grandpa is 70 yrs old is sufferring from multiple myeloma.he was diagnosed in 2008 in stage 3 with no spread to bones .his myeloma proteins level was about 3.75 mg/dl in august 2008 which came down to 0.87 mg /dl within a month on chemotherapy with thalidomide 200mg/daily and dexamethasone 40 mg /day .then he continued treatment till december 2008 but there was a static response and d protein level was about 0.67 mg/dl.currently he has stopped the treatment presuming to be in plateau phase.but the thing he developed cataract dis month dat is jan 2010.and post operatively he is taking prednisolone oral 10 mg tds for 2 days wid gradual tapering upto 6 days.I want to enquire that does this medicine will have any effect on myeloma status.kindly inform.also he is having some problems like tingling sesnsation.we r presuming it to b side effects of steroids.can it b possible.also from past few days he developed pedal edema.
Hi.. Prednisolone is in fact useful in controlling the myeloma.. hence he can continue to use them as advised by the doctors.. The most important sideeffects of steroid are that it can cause gastritis, increase blood sugars, increase BP, and to some extent cause bone pains... Chronic usage can cause increase in weight.. So it is not sure that tingling sensation and the pedal edema is secondary to the steroid therapy.. So I would suggest you to consult a doctor for an examination, if his symptoms have been recent...