Alan's Multiple Myeloma Journey: Facing a New Diagnosis

Alan Plisskin's multiple myeloma diagnosis began with persistent severe back and hip pain that lasted for months without relief from conventional treatments. After his wife insisted that he see his internal medicine physician, Plisskin experienced a seizure and was rushed to MarinHealth Medical Center, where he was intubated and started on Revlimid plus Velcade plus dexamethasone therapy in the intensive care unit. His condition was complicated by extremely high calcium levels due to numerous lytic lesions throughout his body.

The diagnosis process was further complicated by life-threatening complications, including near-death experiences and respiratory failure that required multiple hospitalizations. Plisskin developed frozen vocal cords as a rare adverse effect of Velcade therapy, affecting only one-eighth of 1% of patients taking this medication. This unusual complication required a tracheotomy to maintain his airway, highlighting the unpredictable nature of treatment responses in patients with multiple myeloma.

Plisskin’s initial presentation demonstrates the complexity of multiple myeloma diagnosis and treatment, where patients may face multiple medical emergencies while health care teams work to stabilize their condition. His experience underscores the importance of having strong medical support systems and the need for rapid intervention when symptoms appear. The severity of his initial presentation, including record-high calcium levels at MarinHealth Medical Center, illustrates how advanced multiple myeloma can be at diagnosis and the critical nature of immediate treatment initiation.