I would agree with Multibilly. In order to screen for myeloma, one has to only perform 3 tests: SPEP, serum IFE and serum free light chains. However, if concomitant amyloidosis (which can be associated with carpal tunnel syndrome) is also suspected, a 24-hour UPEP will also be required for screening.
I would however caution the reader that myeloma is a rare disorder and amyloidosis is even rarer. The presenting symptoms for these diseases can be quite non specific.
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Re: Myeloma diagnosis possible with negative x-rays, MRI?
On behalf of my wife and myself, I want to thank all of you for your very helpful and sincere posts.
My wife went to see her primary care doctor on Tuesday and the doctor referred my wife to a neurologist because of the feeling of pins and needles in her fingers and toes. Unfortunately, the earliest available appointment is at the end of April, so now we have to wait for any kind of resolution.
My wife went to see her primary care doctor on Tuesday and the doctor referred my wife to a neurologist because of the feeling of pins and needles in her fingers and toes. Unfortunately, the earliest available appointment is at the end of April, so now we have to wait for any kind of resolution.
Re: Myeloma diagnosis possible with negative x-rays, MRI?
Hello, your post is getting me to post for the first time 
. I thought sharing my hubby's situation with multiple myeloma thus far may be of some benefit and to encourage your wife to be persistent in getting to the bottom of her pain.
Hubby was mildly anemic for years, and no doctor looked into it further. He began having pain in his upper back in the spring of 2013. When his fingers went tingly in June 2013, he was sent for an MRI suspecting a pinched nerve. Long scary story made short, he had an "obliterated" T1 bone. Nothing was left except shards that were pressing into his spinal column.
In the hospital his work up still only revealed mild anemia but at least they finally looked further and did full work up and found M protein. It was still only 0.45 g/dL - very low but the cytoplasm was big enough to obliterate the bone and start into another (T2). He was still riding his motorcycle and working 2 jobs with a broken neck!!
Surgery and radiation put his M protein to zero and no anemia for 12 months. Regular follow CBC and other blood work for multiple myeloma showed a slight, really really slight, reduced red blood cells and M protein of 0.10 g/dL. The M protein has gone up to only 0.37 g/dL in 4 months and his anemia is barely there if at all.
However, he was having pain in mid-January and his hip and lower back that wouldn't go away. Bone scan normal. MRI normal. Even biopsy normal! The fact that hubby couldn't walk without limping and the pain was not dissipating made the doc do a PET scan. Thank goodness because he has TWO tumors, one very large at the base of his spine and another on top of his hip bone.
We just had a 2nd opinion at Dana Farber today. He starts RVD in a week and SCT in September.
Do not ignore pain that won't go away and pursue underlying causes of even mild anemia. CBC is a start as mentioned above while you work at finding the other answers regarding a different doctor and other tests.
. I thought sharing my hubby's situation with multiple myeloma thus far may be of some benefit and to encourage your wife to be persistent in getting to the bottom of her pain. Hubby was mildly anemic for years, and no doctor looked into it further. He began having pain in his upper back in the spring of 2013. When his fingers went tingly in June 2013, he was sent for an MRI suspecting a pinched nerve. Long scary story made short, he had an "obliterated" T1 bone. Nothing was left except shards that were pressing into his spinal column.
In the hospital his work up still only revealed mild anemia but at least they finally looked further and did full work up and found M protein. It was still only 0.45 g/dL - very low but the cytoplasm was big enough to obliterate the bone and start into another (T2). He was still riding his motorcycle and working 2 jobs with a broken neck!!
Surgery and radiation put his M protein to zero and no anemia for 12 months. Regular follow CBC and other blood work for multiple myeloma showed a slight, really really slight, reduced red blood cells and M protein of 0.10 g/dL. The M protein has gone up to only 0.37 g/dL in 4 months and his anemia is barely there if at all.
However, he was having pain in mid-January and his hip and lower back that wouldn't go away. Bone scan normal. MRI normal. Even biopsy normal! The fact that hubby couldn't walk without limping and the pain was not dissipating made the doc do a PET scan. Thank goodness because he has TWO tumors, one very large at the base of his spine and another on top of his hip bone.
We just had a 2nd opinion at Dana Farber today. He starts RVD in a week and SCT in September.
Do not ignore pain that won't go away and pursue underlying causes of even mild anemia. CBC is a start as mentioned above while you work at finding the other answers regarding a different doctor and other tests.
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