[mystery]

M level spiked and have to do 24-hour urine test

by mystery on Thu Jun 02, 2016 12:32 pm

Hi,

I wanted to introduce myself.

I was doing routine blood work because I am doing weight loss surgery. My doctor said my M-level was spiked and she was sending me to a hematologist and I have to do a 24 hour urine test. I read the report and it says protein 7.8 (6-1 8,1). I know that's really high. I am so scared. I am new to all of this, I can't stop crying. My doctor said it doesn't mean I have cancer. She just wants to rule it out and it's other things that can cause an M-spike.

I googled it and everything points to cancer or MGUS. I don't see the specialist until June 20th, I cant wait. I don't know anyone with this so I'm lost.

A little bit about me:

Female, 43, African American, obese, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, acid reflux, and some anxiety.

I have no symptoms but sometimes my legs hurt when I walk too much. My doctor think it's my weight.

I just want to talk to people and get some insight. All I wanted to do was have my weight loss surgery and lose weight. Now I might have a bigger problem

[Multibilly]

Re: M level spiked and have to do 24-hour urine test

by Multibilly on Thu Jun 02, 2016 4:20 pm

Hi Mystery,

Welcome to the forum. I can understand your concern.

It's important that we are talking the same language here.

You note that your "M-level" was spiked, but then you you reference your total protein count. There is a difference between having an elevated total protein level and what we call an "M-spike".

What was the name of the test that listed the total protein level of 7.8 g/dL (which is not really that high and it looks like it is still within normal range)? Did that same report also include a result titled M-spike, monoclonal protein, abnormal protein, paraprotein, M-protein or something similar? If so, what was that number (including the units of measure)?

[mystery]

Re: M level spiked and have to do 24-hour urine test

by mystery on Sat Jun 11, 2016 3:18 pm

Sorry late reply. I am new to all of this. Seen a hematologist yesterday. He think it might be MGUS. I have to take a full body xray and a bone marrow biopsy.

I asked about the M level spike and he said it was in percentage and maybe 1.5. He did his own blood work my blood counts white and red was good and I'm no anemia.

Now just waiting. This has me so depressed.

[Multibilly]

Re: M level spiked and have to do 24-hour urine test

by Multibilly on Sun Jun 12, 2016 9:30 am

Mystery,

If your total protein level from your serum protein electrophoresis tests is 7.8 g/dL and your M-spike % is only 1.5%, that means that your absolute M-spike value is only about 0.1 g/dL (1 g/L). For most patients, that number is tiny and would most likely suggest very early stage MGUS or simply getting re-tested in a few months to see if it is even still there.

You are also going to want to look through your test results and try and find your serum (blood, not urine) "kappa and lambda free light chain" values. Knowing these numbers will also be important to help better understand your current situation.

If you end up having a diagnosis of MGUS, keep in mind that the risk of MGUS progressing to multiple myeloma is only about 1.5% per year and most people go through life none the worse for it and never require treatment.

Lastly, note that about 6% of the black population has MGUS (see below), but the vast majority of those folks don't even know they have it since it rarely evolves into multiple myeloma and therefore most people with MGUS exhibit no symptoms. So, try not to fret too much about this situation and let us know how your next tests turn out.

"Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is defined as a serum M protein level of less than 3 g/dL, less than 10% clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow, and the absence of end-organ damage. The prevalence of MGUS is 3.2% in the white population but is approximately twice that high in the black population ..."

Source:

Kyle, R.A., et al., "Management of Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS) and Smoldering Multiple Myeloma (SMM)," Oncology, June 2011 (full text at Pubmed Central)