Long-Term Effects?

I had an appointment with Dr SC at OSU on March 31. His nurse K (sweet, blonde, tiny mother of twins) and I were going over the routine questions - how did I feel, what level of fatigue, what meds taken and when - when she mentioned, "I don't know but that you may be one of the longest-term patients ever on Nexavar. Certainly you're our longest-term patient; all our other folks have been off the drug within a year of starting it."

I started thinking then about the side effects that I've gone through, and how I feel now. What's due to Nexavar? What's due to RCC? What's due to advancing years and admittedly lethargic habits?

Unfortunately we think that the joint pain is probably permanent. It's eased somewhat since I went off Nexavar in February, but hands, hips, knees and lower back are still troubling me.

Fatigue is probably permanent too. This past week I started some classes in an adult education program; even cutting back on the number of classes I'd like to take and keeping it to two days a week only, I still found myself longing for the end of the week so I could return to my usual routine for a few days.

I want to review my current medications with Dr. G - is my high blood pressure permanent too? That came with Sutent and Nexavar, and it would be great if I could forego the 3 medications I take for that. Likewise, my hypothyroidism. Could I possibly return, even temporarily, to a state of taking nothing except pain relievers? I suspect that's a dream that won't come true, but it's entertaining to think about it.