Well if you follow along on Facebook you know that for the past couple weeks I've been experiencing a great deal of pain in my joints, especially in my knees. I'm not finding much relief for the pain in anything, including narcotic strength pain killers. The one thing that seems to provide some moderate relief is Ibuprofen, but I'm not allowed to take much of that.
Today I heard back from Dr. Bixby's office with the results of my bone marrow biopsy. In just a few short weeks from my last biopsy the percentage of leukemia in my bone marrow has gone from "maybe up to 5%" to 55%. They dont know if this grew because I was off the trial drug, or because the new 500mg dosage is not effective.
They believe all my joint pain is leukemia pain, not a side effect from any medication.
I have the option to stay on the trial drug until I have my next bone marrow biopsy on July 31 to see if being on the drug longer will bring the blasts back down or I have the option of coming off it and trying something else. The problem is we don't know yet what "something else" is.
The problem is there arent many treatment options for leukemia to begin with and I have already done pretty much all of them including some newer approved ones and of course the trial.
There arent many options left out there and this may be the beginning of the end.
