[Yellow Rose]

Re: Watch and wait ... really?

by Yellow Rose on Sat Aug 29, 2015 3:57 pm

Something sounds off here. Organ damage can occur in an instant. I'd drive five hours down
I-45 and visit M.D. Anderson. You have some of the best multiple myeloma minds in the world just a stone throw away.

Best Wishes,
Yellow Rose

[jeffpfohl]

Re: Watch and wait ... really?

by jeffpfohl on Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:36 am

Well the docs have decided we need to proceed with a different treatment plan. We will be adding Revlimid as well as increasing the Velcade to twice weekly. Will be getting a fresh PET scan this week and should start the new treatment next week.

[NYC-guy]

Re: Watch and wait ... really?

by NYC-guy on Mon Aug 31, 2015 6:46 pm

I agree with the others - something doesn't sound quite right. I'd also agree that you should consider a trip to Houston or to Little Rock. You want treatment to be with the best of the best, to the extent that's possible and reasonable. From Dallas, you have two great centers in close proximity.

[jeffpfohl]

Re: Watch and wait ... really?

by jeffpfohl on Tue Sep 01, 2015 10:40 am

Anyone have a read on these 24hr urine tests? Trying to understand what the results mean.

Protein/g creat level - 67 mg/g creat
Urine creatinine - 44.9 mg/dL
Immunofixation, urine interpretation - Results Below
UPE albumin - 38.3%
UPE alpha 1 globulin - 3.8%
UPE alpha 2 globulin - 8%
UPE beta globulin - 5.4%
UPE gamma globulin - 44.5%
UPE interpretation - Results Below
Immunofixation, 24 hr urine - Abnormal
Creatinine, timed, urine, mg/specimen - 988 mg/specimen
Urine Total volume, mL - 2200 mL
Protein, timed urine, mg/specimen - 66 mg/specimen
Protein, 24 hr urine, mg/dL - 3 mg/dL
Paraprotein band, urine - 0.3 mg/dL
Paraprotein band, 24 hr urine - 6.6 mg/specimen

Any input would be appreciated

Last edited by jeffpfohl on Wed Sep 02, 2015 9:58 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Jonah]

Re: Watch and wait ... really?

by Jonah on Tue Sep 01, 2015 11:55 am

Sorry, maybe it's too early for me still, but why are some of the test results in your posting in parentheses, for example, "(Creatinine, timed, urine, mg/specimen)"? Also, are things like "600.0 || 1800.0" supposed to be reference / normal ranges?

[jeffpfohl]

Re: Watch and wait ... really?

by jeffpfohl on Wed Sep 02, 2015 9:59 am

Jonah

I cleaned up the post a little to try to help. I have no idea what these results mean. This is how they posted.

[Jonah]

Re: Watch and wait ... really?

by Jonah on Wed Sep 02, 2015 10:16 pm

Hi Jeff,

I don't think these urine results are going to tell you much about how your wife has been responding to treatment. Because your wife has light chain myeloma, the paraprotein (M-protein, M-spike) levels in her urine aren't really that helpful for tracking her response to treatment, or whether the disease is progressing. I think you really need to rely on the serum (blood) free light chain testing for that.

The one thing that you can tell from these latest urine test results is whether your wife's kidneys are still healthy. The result that is relevant in that regard is the total creatinine in the 24-hour sample, which is 988 mg/specimen in your wife's case. Before you can make sense of this number, however, you have to divide it by your wife's weight in kilograms (which equals her weight in pounds divided by 2.2).

So, let's say your wife weighs 140 pounds. Then you would do this calculation:

988 / (140/2.2) = 988 / (63.64) = 15.52 mg creatinine / kg body weight

That would be almost exactly in the middle of the 11-20 range normal range for this measure, for women, given at this link:

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003610.htm

Hope this helps a bit. Good luck!