Hi cheri,
Good that the BMB was OK
!
Both Thalidomide and Revlimid work in many ways and most of them are probably still not known yet. Thalidomide is much older and cheeper.
Thalidomide can give neuropathy - damage the nerves often to the feet. Revlimid is much, much stronger. Both can give low counts initially and should be combined with Prednisone the first 3 months (I have asked my dr if I could continue with 5 mg/day). My WBCs decreased from Thalidomide - that is why I only take 4 caps รก 50 mg/week instead of 50 mg/day. Thalidomide can give constirpation and Revlimid diarrhea.
Here is info about the way they work.
They inhibit the cytokines
1. tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) (we have too much)
2. interleukins (IL) 1-beta, 6, 12, and
3. granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF)
They costimulate
4. primary human T, NKT and NK lymphocytes inducing their proliferation, cytokine production, and cytotoxic activity.
They are
5. anti-angiogenic (prevent new blood vessels to tumor cells)
6. anti-proliferative, and
7. pro-apoptotic (increase programmed cell death)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?t...armendia%2C%20
Kind regards
Birgitta-A