Hi Multibilly, thanks for the update. That's great that all your numbers moved in the right direction this time. Keep that trend going, whether it's caused by the fenofibrate or not!
Mike
Forums
-
mikeb - Name: mikeb
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009 (MGUS at that time)
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Fenofibrate (Tricor) and multiple myeloma
After 6 months of fenofibrate, no improvement in my lipid panel. Saw a cardiologist for advice and he ordered a calcium heart CT scan to evaluate my risk of heart attack and stroke. It was determined my heart calcium level was 0, which is better than 100% of women my age or older. As a result, I was told statins and other cholesterol lowering drugs are not necessary at this time.
multiple myeloma labs remain excellent and unchanged during the 6 months of fenofibrate.
multiple myeloma labs remain excellent and unchanged during the 6 months of fenofibrate.
-
torimooney - Name: tori
- Who do you know with myeloma?: myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: apr 2012
- Age at diagnosis: 64
Re: Fenofibrate (Tricor) and multiple myeloma
Hi Tori,
That's incredibly impressive that you have a zero cardiac calcium score. Way to go!
As I recall, you are currently on some sort of maintenance regimen for multiple myeloma. I'm wondering if fenofibrate may not have any effect on multiple myeloma markers if one is currently on a multiple myeloma drug regimen? Note that the clinical trial requires that a patient be at least two weeks past any treatment before they can enroll in the trial.
I'll get my next set of lab results in mid November and will report back then.
That's incredibly impressive that you have a zero cardiac calcium score. Way to go!
As I recall, you are currently on some sort of maintenance regimen for multiple myeloma. I'm wondering if fenofibrate may not have any effect on multiple myeloma markers if one is currently on a multiple myeloma drug regimen? Note that the clinical trial requires that a patient be at least two weeks past any treatment before they can enroll in the trial.
I'll get my next set of lab results in mid November and will report back then.
-
Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Fenofibrate (Tricor) and multiple myeloma
Nice to hear the promising anecdotes.. The Fenofibrate for Myeloma study continues to actively accrue at Miami. Hopefully, there will continue to be pursuits of 'out of the box' therapies for this disease.
-
Dr. James Hoffman - Name: James E. Hoffman, M.D.
Beacon Medical Advisor
Re: Fenofibrate (Tricor) and multiple myeloma
Got my latest test results last Thursday as I continued my fenofibrate experiment.
With the exception of my IgG (which hit an all-time high), all my other markers made just slight improvements or held steady. For completeness, this time around I am also including my free light chain ratio.
It’s curious that my IgG popped up like this, while my M-spike dropped a bit. My doc and I had no idea what to make of that at the time. I later got to thinking about what had recently changed in my life, and then I remembered that I got a flu shot just 12 days earlier (which I have never had since my multiple myeloma diagnosis) .. .and I was thinking that maybe the vaccine could have raised my IgG level. Then I found this article.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211283913000026
Note the strong correlation between getting a flu shot and increased IgG and/or IgM levels in physically active people after (which I am). So, don't necessarily start to worry if you see your quantitative immunoglobulin levels start to pop up after receiving a vaccine.
In any case, I will continue to use the fenofibrate in combo with Lipitor since my cholesterol numbers are doing so well on this combo ... and I still saw slight improvements in my M-spike and lambda FLC.
With the exception of my IgG (which hit an all-time high), all my other markers made just slight improvements or held steady. For completeness, this time around I am also including my free light chain ratio.
It’s curious that my IgG popped up like this, while my M-spike dropped a bit. My doc and I had no idea what to make of that at the time. I later got to thinking about what had recently changed in my life, and then I remembered that I got a flu shot just 12 days earlier (which I have never had since my multiple myeloma diagnosis) .. .and I was thinking that maybe the vaccine could have raised my IgG level. Then I found this article.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211283913000026
Note the strong correlation between getting a flu shot and increased IgG and/or IgM levels in physically active people after (which I am). So, don't necessarily start to worry if you see your quantitative immunoglobulin levels start to pop up after receiving a vaccine.
In any case, I will continue to use the fenofibrate in combo with Lipitor since my cholesterol numbers are doing so well on this combo ... and I still saw slight improvements in my M-spike and lambda FLC.
- IgG.jpg (30.43 KiB) Viewed 1483 times
- LambdaFLCs.jpg (39.63 KiB) Viewed 1483 times
- MSpike.jpg (21.66 KiB) Viewed 1483 times
- FLCRatio.jpg (40.19 KiB) Viewed 1483 times
-
Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Fenofibrate (Tricor) and multiple myeloma
Below are my latest numbers as I continue my fenofibrate experiment. Nothing has really changed since my last tests, which is fine by me. After all, my goal in life is to smolder until I die of something else 
Even if my numbers had substantially improved, there is still not enough evidence here to say if fenofibrate was the cause or not. But my cholesterol numbers continue to be fantastic, I’m not getting any worse, and fenofibrate is a cheap date - so I will continue to use the fenofibrate.
I’m overdue for some routine imaging, so my doc and I decided that I will get a PET/CT in a couple of weeks. The new IMWG diagnostic guidelines for myeloma were helpful in getting my doc on board with a PET/CT versus ordering a skeletal survey.
Even if my numbers had substantially improved, there is still not enough evidence here to say if fenofibrate was the cause or not. But my cholesterol numbers continue to be fantastic, I’m not getting any worse, and fenofibrate is a cheap date - so I will continue to use the fenofibrate.
I’m overdue for some routine imaging, so my doc and I decided that I will get a PET/CT in a couple of weeks. The new IMWG diagnostic guidelines for myeloma were helpful in getting my doc on board with a PET/CT versus ordering a skeletal survey.
- IgG.jpg (28.31 KiB) Viewed 1386 times
- LambdaFLCs.jpg (28.13 KiB) Viewed 1386 times
- MSpike.jpg (28.93 KiB) Viewed 1386 times
- FLCRatio.jpg (33.02 KiB) Viewed 1386 times
-
Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Fenofibrate (Tricor) and multiple myeloma
Hi Multibilly,
I'm glad to hear that your latest lab numbers are essentially unchanged from last time. Good luck with the imaging!
Mike
I'm glad to hear that your latest lab numbers are essentially unchanged from last time. Good luck with the imaging!
Mike
-
mikeb - Name: mikeb
- Who do you know with myeloma?: self
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2009 (MGUS at that time)
- Age at diagnosis: 55
Re: Fenofibrate (Tricor) and multiple myeloma
Multibilly,
The updates you've been providing are really great. Thanks for taking the time to do them.
I have a quick question. Do you have any idea what may have caused the elevation in your IgG level the past few tests? It's interesting -- and good to see! -- that the higher IgG isn't being reflected in your M-spike or lambda free light chain level, but it also leaves me curious as to what the cause might be.
The updates you've been providing are really great. Thanks for taking the time to do them.
I have a quick question. Do you have any idea what may have caused the elevation in your IgG level the past few tests? It's interesting -- and good to see! -- that the higher IgG isn't being reflected in your M-spike or lambda free light chain level, but it also leaves me curious as to what the cause might be.
-
Jonah
Re: Fenofibrate (Tricor) and multiple myeloma
Jonah,
My doc or I don't really have a good answer for why my IgG popped up like this on the second-to-last test, yet my M-spike dropped at the same time (and now my M-spike is playing catch-up on the last test). I did get a flu vaccine shortly before my second-to-last test and then I got my first pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13) just after my second-to-last test. So, maybe the two vaccines caused my IgG to rise on both of my last tests? After all, these two vaccines do impact IgG levels:
ST Sigurdardottir et al, "Decreased immune response to pneumococcal conjugate vaccine after 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in children," Vaccine, January 2014 (abstract).
Z Moldoveanu et al, "Human immune responses to influenza virus vaccines administered by systemic or mucosal routes," Vaccine, 1995 (abstract).
Anyway, I'm learned not to fret about these levels of changes in my numbers. I just write off these kinds of small changes to normal fluctuations and lab measurement inaccuracies.
My doc or I don't really have a good answer for why my IgG popped up like this on the second-to-last test, yet my M-spike dropped at the same time (and now my M-spike is playing catch-up on the last test). I did get a flu vaccine shortly before my second-to-last test and then I got my first pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13) just after my second-to-last test. So, maybe the two vaccines caused my IgG to rise on both of my last tests? After all, these two vaccines do impact IgG levels:
ST Sigurdardottir et al, "Decreased immune response to pneumococcal conjugate vaccine after 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in children," Vaccine, January 2014 (abstract).
Z Moldoveanu et al, "Human immune responses to influenza virus vaccines administered by systemic or mucosal routes," Vaccine, 1995 (abstract).
Anyway, I'm learned not to fret about these levels of changes in my numbers. I just write off these kinds of small changes to normal fluctuations and lab measurement inaccuracies.
-
Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Fenofibrate (Tricor) and multiple myeloma
Thanks for the follow up, Multibilly. I could see how the vaccinations might play a role in the increase in your IgG level. That makes a lot of sense.
-
Jonah
Return to Treatments & Side Effects