Multiple Myeloma
Video

The Multiple Myeloma Coaching Course

3 Modules 1 Chapter 24 Lessons

About this course

In this course, we cover the full-spectrum of Multiple Myeloma issues from conventional therapy options and side effects to nutritional support and managing your mental health, all with a back bone of evidence-based studies to guide our decision-making process.

Thank you for joining me!

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Course Outline

ONLY FOR COURSE REGISTRANTS
1 Chapter

Module 1: Welcome to the Multiple Myeloma Coaching Program!

Let's get started. 9 Lessons

Watch this video first.

Here is where you will get the tools of the course. All PDF guides are available for download here, in addition to an overview of the homework assignments.

You have Multiple Myeloma. Now what?

The "nuts and bolts" of Multiple Myeloma care.

Lesson 1: Multiple Myeloma Statistics and Treatment Debates

  • MM Statistics—what they are, what my philosophy is, and why you shouldn’t be scared
  • The cure v. control debate
  • Why you must go outside of oncology’s definition of evidence-based for your Multiple Myeloma management

Lesson 2: Mind-Body Therapies to Help You Manage “The New Normal”

  • What is “the new normal?”-- the importance of seeing this process as a permanent lifestyle change
  • The importance of mental stamina and a mind-body support plan—Dr. Gary Whitman on our board says that this is the defining factor for who beats this disease and who doesn’t. You must cultivate the mental fortitude to manage the current stress and to keep going.
  • My go-to mind-body therapy

Lesson 3: Caregiving

  • Whether you are a Multiple Myeloma patient with a caregiver, or a caregiver to a Multiple Myeloma patient, it is important to acknowledge the particular shifts that can take place when a caregiving relationship develops as both parties have unique needs
  • How to manage day-to-day responsibilities
  • Navigating burn-out
  • The importance of asking for help
  • How I navigate the caregiving relationship I have with my wife, my primary caregiver

Lesson 4: Financial Toxicity

  • The long-game for cancer-related financial planning
  • Bankruptcy
  • Disability—my experience with filing for disability
  • Medical insurance—in vs. out of network, deductibles, etc.
  • Viatical settlements

Lesson 5: Online Support

  • The value of experience-based information
  • Discussion of online support network options
  • An overview of how to evaluate the information you find online

Lesson 6: Managing Your Oncologist

  • How to manage your oncologist
  • The importance of a second opinion
  • The importance of a Multiple Myeloma Specialist or Multiple Myeloma Center of Excellence and how to find one

Module 1 Conclusion/Recap

ONLY FOR COURSE REGISTRANTS
5 Lessons

Module 2: A Crash Course In FDA-Approved Multiple Myeloma Therapies

Module 2 Introduction

The standard of care for Multiple Myeloma.

Lesson 1: Understanding Diagnostic Testing

An overview of the various diagnostic tests used to diagnose and monitor Multiple Myeloma and what they measure.

Lesson 2: Conventional Therapies

  • Chemotherapy, radiation, auto/allo SCT, R/R therapies for Multiple Myeloma
  • Overview of treatments—what they are, my experience
  • Question of when to do an ASCT if at all
  • Prehabilitation—what it is and why it is so important

Lesson 3: Side Effects

  • The difference between disease symptoms and treatment side effects
  • The concept of short term, long term, and late stage, and why a familiarity with long term and late stage side effects is critical for planning
  • How pain factors into this matrix of side effects— is it a disease or a treatment side effect?
  • Palliative care is not hospice care. Discussion of pain management during treatment.

Module 2 Conclusion

ONLY FOR COURSE REGISTRANTS
10 Lessons

Module 3: Evidence-Based, Non-Conventional Therapies

Module 3 Introduction

Remember the catch-22 of Multiple Myeloma treatment options:

It’s technically incurable according to conventional medicine, but you’re not supposed to look elsewhere for your information.

What’s an MMer to do?--- This is where non-conventional, evidence-based therapies come in to help.

Lesson 1: Evidence-Based Alternative Therapies

  • What are “alternative” therapies?
  • What is the “evidence” that we are basing these therapies on?
  • How can you use evidence-based therapies? (Overview)
  • Discussion of the top evidence-based alternative therapies for Multiple Myeloma

Lesson 2: Evidence-Based Nutrition and Supplementation Therapies

  • Why supplementation and nutrition are defined as "non-conventional therapies"
  • The top evidence-based supplementation protocols specific to Multiple Myeloma
  • What an anti-angiogenic diet is and why it is important ongoing

Lesson 3: Detoxification

  • What detoxification is and why it is important for Multiple Myeloma patients
  • An overview of detoxification strategies

Lesson 4: Integrative Therapies

  • What evidence-based integrative therapies are and what they do-- they "integrate" with conventional therapies to enhance outcomes and alleviate side effects
  • A reminder about the importance of "evidence-based" a tool for evaluating therapies.  There should always be a study to read for any therapy you are considering.
  • The challenge of evaluating the studies' results vs. your oncologist's advice

Lesson 5: Non-Conventional Therapies as Complementary Therapies

  • What are complementary therapies?
  • Discussion of complementary therapies for Multiple Myeloma
  • Discussion of how weight impacts inflammation

Lesson 6: Bone Health

  • Multiple Myeloma as a bone disease and a blood disease
  • How to manage bone health
  • The risks and benefits of conventional bone health therapies

BONUS: Cannabis/CBD

Cannabis for Multiple Myeloma and its attending issues of sleep trouble, loss of appetite, and treatment side effects.

Lesson 7: End-Stage Multiple Myeloma

  • What "the right to try" initiative is for end-stage cancer patients
  • In-home hospice care vs. hospital care
  • How making decisions for end-stage care can help you prepare just in case

Final Thoughts

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