The Myeloma Beacon

Independent, up-to-date news and information for the multiple myeloma community.
Home page Deutsche Artikel Artículos Españoles

Forums

General questions and discussion about multiple myeloma (i.e., symptoms, lab results, news, etc.) If unsure where to post, use this discussion area.

Just plain terrified

by jbl on Sat Oct 31, 2015 4:49 am

I'm 36 years old and female. I have health anxiety, so I can't tell whether I should be fighting harder to be believed.

So, I've had a ten-year history of easy bruising, and have had microhematuria with no known cause for 6 years. In the past couple of years, they've found small amounts of protein on urine dipstick tests, though the one time they took the same urine in for a spot, they couldn't find any protein. My vitamin D has been really low, as well. I noticed that my protein was on the high side (hovering around 8), as well.

This past year, I became afraid that I have myeloma, and I asked my doctor about that, so she performed an ESR, which was normal. I know that's not the most accurate test. She also performed a calcium test, and my calcium had jumped to 10.4! She told me it was probably nothing, and that she had no concern that I had a hematological malignancy.

I let it go for a few months, but now, all of a sudden, my blood pressure has been consistently measured as being high, which is really unusual in someone who is a long-distance runner at 36. I was always prehypertensive, but readings in the low 150's are unusual for me. Could my kidneys be shutting down? My last bloodwork on my kidney was in February. :(

I went in yesterday and insisted on a SPEP and a few other tests. My GP still seems unconcerned, and since I am an admitted hypochondriac, my husband and all of my friends and family just think that this is another irrational worry of mine. Since I have health anxiety, I literally have no way of gauging if they're right.

I guess I want to know how worried I should be. It's really hard waiting for test results, and it's keeping me up nights. I'm really sorry if this note is disjointed, and more than a bit annoying (I know you're not doctors) - it's taking all the courage I have to write these things down.

Thank you so much in advance.

jbl

Re: Just plain terrified

by jbl on Sat Oct 31, 2015 6:52 am

Oh, and I forgot to mention that my CBC and kidney function were normal as of my last bloodwork in February.

jbl

Re: Just plain terrified

by Little Monkey on Sat Oct 31, 2015 8:30 am

Have you had the SPEP yet and if so, what were the results.

Little Monkey
Name: Little Monkey
Who do you know with myeloma?: Father-stage 1 multiple myeloma
When were you/they diagnosed?: March/April of 2015

Re: Just plain terrified

by jbl on Sat Oct 31, 2015 8:55 am

No, the results haven't come back yet. I'm going out of my mind waiting.

jbl

Re: Just plain terrified

by jbl on Sat Oct 31, 2015 9:17 am

And thank you for responding. I know how I must sound.

jbl

Re: Just plain terrified

by Mildred on Sat Oct 31, 2015 10:37 am

Hi ,
My husband has smoldering myeloma , diagnosed in November of last year and he is doing great. My concern is for you, I suffer from General aAnxiety Disorder, so I have experienced what you are going through, I believe what is more important for you now is to get treatment for your anxiety, when this is controlled life and bad health is much easier to handle . Wishing you good health

Mildred

Re: Just plain terrified

by jbl on Sat Oct 31, 2015 11:26 am

Thank you so much. I've been in treatment for the anxiety for years - I just have horrible flare-ups whenever I have bloodwork done. I know I need to work on this (it'll be a continuing problem whether or not this particular test comes back okay), and just hearing that from you is helping me to put this into perspective.

jbl

Re: Just plain terrified

by Cedb on Sat Oct 31, 2015 12:06 pm

If you want to be 100% sure to put your mind at peace ask for an immunofixation test and a serum free light chain. Both of these will cover 90% of the possible cases of myeloma.

Cedb

Re: Just plain terrified

by jbl on Sat Nov 07, 2015 3:54 am

For the record, my SPEP and immunofixation tests (I did the blood and urine thing) were fine, except for a slightly elevated IgA, which was consistent with the terrible, crap-ass cold I've had all week. My calcium magically went down.

Thank you so much for taking time out to listen to me. I know that most people on this board either struggle with or care for someone struggling with a really serious long-term illness, and I am touched that anyone even read this thread, under such circumstances.

xo

jbl

Re: Just plain terrified

by Little Monkey on Sat Nov 07, 2015 9:38 am

Well, I am happy to hear you don't have myeloma.

Little Monkey
Name: Little Monkey
Who do you know with myeloma?: Father-stage 1 multiple myeloma
When were you/they diagnosed?: March/April of 2015


Return to Multiple Myeloma