I'll know more on Tuesday (September 4, 2018), when I see my specialist, but it seems I have the "R"(renal / kidney failure) in the "CRAB" criteria. In reading the criteria for MGUS to smoldering to multiple myeloma, everything else falls within MGUS.
My question is when something like that changes, does the watch and wait change? Are there treatments or medications for the individual symptoms?
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Joanna-H - Name: Joanna
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me - MGUS
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 12-2017
- Age at diagnosis: 44
Re: MGUS, but now with the R (in CRAB): what's it mean?
Hi Joanna,
What specific lab results make you say that you now may have renal failure?
And secondly, what is the history of those specific lab results that make you think you now have renal failure? If renal failure is truly due to myeloma or a related disease, it tends to be because of elevated free light chains, elevated heavy chains (i.e. a significantly high m-spike) or high amyloid levels (i.e. amyloidosis).
Usually, one does not jump to a conclusion of meeting one of the CRAB criteria unless it is confirmed by repeating a few tests over time. Also, several simple things such as dehydration, a diet very high in red meat, etc. can throw off your creatinine level, eGFR, BUN level, etc. So your doctor needs to first eliminate those sorts of items as a reason for any of your renal lab numbers being out of kilter.
Dehydration repeatedly has been shown to throw off many of my renal lab numbers. But if I just make a conscious effort to hydrate for a couple of days before a lab test, my renal numbers tend to come out great. I hope it is just that simple in your case.
But if the cause of renal failure is truly due to myeloma or a related disease such as amyloidosis, then you generally need to treat the disease itself.
What specific lab results make you say that you now may have renal failure?
And secondly, what is the history of those specific lab results that make you think you now have renal failure? If renal failure is truly due to myeloma or a related disease, it tends to be because of elevated free light chains, elevated heavy chains (i.e. a significantly high m-spike) or high amyloid levels (i.e. amyloidosis).
Usually, one does not jump to a conclusion of meeting one of the CRAB criteria unless it is confirmed by repeating a few tests over time. Also, several simple things such as dehydration, a diet very high in red meat, etc. can throw off your creatinine level, eGFR, BUN level, etc. So your doctor needs to first eliminate those sorts of items as a reason for any of your renal lab numbers being out of kilter.
Dehydration repeatedly has been shown to throw off many of my renal lab numbers. But if I just make a conscious effort to hydrate for a couple of days before a lab test, my renal numbers tend to come out great. I hope it is just that simple in your case.
But if the cause of renal failure is truly due to myeloma or a related disease such as amyloidosis, then you generally need to treat the disease itself.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
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