How long does it take to really feel good after a stem cell transplant?
Hi Sunshine,
I think your going to get a lot of different responses to this question since, from what I've seen & read, each case of MM is very different. In my DBF's case, he returned to work full-time 6 weeks after his transplant. That being said, he still gets fatigued fairly easily.
His transplant was done outpatient. He checked into the hospital 2 days prior and received Melphalan both days. On the third day, he received his stem cells and was released shortly after the same day. The next 2 and half weeks was spent going to the hospital every day for 5 hours of hydration & monitoring. Day 8 / 9 he developed C-diff which resulted in Colitis. This kept him in the hospital 5 days. All in all, we feel he was very fortunate.
We feel diet & supplements have a lot to do with wellness & recovery. He eats an anti-inflammatory diet and takes a daily probiotic which we feel is important as 70% of your immune system begins in your gastrointestinal tract.
A transplant is a lot for a body to go through. I believe the better you go into it, the better you will come out of it. But, as I said everyone is different.
Thoughts and prayers are with you!
Thanks jerseygyrl. My boyfriend is so irritated that he doesn’t feel good yet. It has only been 46 days since his transplant. He had two days of chemo and the third day he received his stem cells. He was in the hospital a total of 14 days. He has no energy. He goes out to walk the dog and comes in and rides a recumbent bike, but then lays back down. I told him the doctor said it will take 3 to 6 months to get back to normal and they are very happy with how everything has gone so far. I think he just has to learn to have patients and I know that is hard for him because he has always been very active.
I had the Stem Cell Transplant in July and I still tend to become tired. I am retired so going to work is not an issue. However, when I attempt to get active doing activities it does not take long to tire. Also, I developed weakness in my hands and knee pain. What I need to do is get motivated and begin a exercise program to move things along. BUT I must say that I do feel like things are slowly improving. Slowly but still improvement is improvement. All of my numbers are right on point and I have not developed any serious issues other than a bad cold that lasted 3 weeks and I am just managing to get over it. Bottom line is that I do feel things will get better and wife and I have a cruise coming up in Feb.
I had my stem cell May 2009. . That is a little over 5 and a half years ago I was diagnosed Nov.2008 and went through chemo --velcade, doxil and dexametazone. After my chemo in Jan.2009 I preceded to talk about stem cell at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Fl. After it was done in May I also got the C diff and had antibiotics for about 2 weeks twice a day. I had to live close to the hospital for about 2 weeks ago after I was discharged. Man I was so sick and weak . I lost over 30 pound . Finally I said to my PA I want to go home. It had been over a month. My problem since then has been neuropathy. It never goes away. I was blessed to have a wonderful caregiver . I go back to one of my Dr's this Wed.night for a report on my bloodwowork. I'm praying for a good out come. ank21ee said:
I had the Stem Cell Transplant in July and I still tend to become tired. I am retired so going to work is not an issue. However, when I attempt to get active doing activities it does not take long to tire. Also, I developed weakness in my hands and knee pain. What I need to do is get motivated and begin a exercise program to move things along. BUT I must say that I do feel like things are slowly improving. Slowly but still improvement is improvement. All of my numbers are right on point and I have not developed any serious issues other than a bad cold that lasted 3 weeks and I am just managing to get over it. Bottom line is that I do feel things will get better and wife and I have a cruise coming up in Feb.
My husband had his transplant in June. Some days he feels pretty good others he gets tired easily and achy. His said his pain is decreasing as time goes on which is a big positive to us. He is retired so going to work is a non issue. We are very pleased with his latest reports his Mayo Clinic doctor said he is in stringent complete remission. When he reached 100 days after transplant his doctor put him on two cycles of consolidation Revlimid, he is now on maintenance Revlimid. We feel we just have to be patient and take things one day at a time. He got shingles in one leg which really did a number on his leg shortly after he was diagnosed which caused him to have to use a walker to get around, he now uses a cane. Mayo put him on acyclovir as soon as we went there after our local oncology clinic got him into remission. There are so many differing factors for each person as to how soon they will recover. They have all been thru a lot with all those very potent drugs just hang in there and be patient.
Hello Sunshine, what a wonderful name. I had a transplant in Jan 2013, was back working at about 6 weeks. However I think it different with each of us. Depending on complications, mine being heart I feel we must adjust to a new normal . I really don't think we are ever fully the same as before the transplant, close but still a little more fragile . I still get sick easily and must be careful with viruses. Just don't rush things, it will get better, I lived life as normal, working hard long hours and lots of stress. Until with travel I got ill with a virus in May of 14, then life changed, it brought the heart issue back and I feel contributed to becoming refractory to velcade and revlimid. So take your time and do not rush things, be careful with exposure to big groups of people and just let your body heal, and treasure life.
God Bless
Rodney
It took me about 4 mos to go back to work post transplant, but my energy level has never fully made it back. After 6 mos post transplant, I had to start maintenance Revlemid. I can still get sick if I am not careful. I try very hard to eat right, and get plenty of rest, all of those good things we should. You just have to pace yourself, don't let yourself get worn down, either physically or mentally, as both can have a devastating effect on you.
Take care,
Riding Hood.