[bad blood]

Why these abnormal labs if MGUS stable?

by bad blood on Fri Aug 08, 2014 1:14 pm

My CBC all good, metabolic panel good. FISH test all normal, normal chromosome test.

Bone marrow ... only 0.3 plasma cells now? (POSITIVE NOW CD56, was not before) positive cd38, cd138 lambda light chain.

Abnormal Plt Function norm 80-184 mine 300 High
Plt Function ADP norm 56-112 mine 290 High
Factor VIII norm 56-191 mine 12 Low
Factor VIII Antigen norm 52-214 mine 17 Low
VWF, Activity norm 51-215 mine <10 LOW

Kappa Light Chains norm 629-1350 mine 434 Low
Lambda Light Chains norm 313-723 mine 834 High
Kappa Free Light Chains norm 0.33-1.94 mine 0.33
Lambda Free Light Chains norm 0.57-2.63 mine 1.53
K/L FLC Ratio norm 0.26-1.65 mine 0.22 Low

$13,000 worth of tests and the doctor didn't even read my test results before my appointment. Forgot who I was since he had only seen me once before.

[dnalex]

Re: Why these abnormal labs if MGUS stable?

by dnalex on Fri Aug 08, 2014 2:00 pm

At least from the myeloma perspective, your numbers seem to be in a very good range. It's the clotting/platelet functions that are off.

Did your doctor offer any suggestions as to why this might be?

I'm sorry he/she didn't do their homework before hand, but I do have the impression that with a lot of doctors, unless you alert them to the results prior to the appointment day, they are not going to have much of a look at them before seeing you.

[bad blood]

Re: Why these abnormal labs if MGUS stable?

by bad blood on Fri Aug 08, 2014 2:15 pm

Hello,

I agree with you on that level. Have a huge amount of unexplanable symptoms that do not match up to my labs. Doctor seems to think no treatment is best. Not to hurt myself and report internal bleeding, muscle bleeds, etc. I have some groin / thigh pain & under arm swelling. He did suggest PET/CT.

Thanks

[Dano]

Re: Why these abnormal labs if MGUS stable?

by Dano on Fri Aug 08, 2014 2:37 pm

Bad Blood - one of the best things you can do for yourself going forward is to assemble a medical team and let them help you through understanding your test results and developing a game plan for treatment if necessary. Always remember you need to be the leader of the team.

Your physicians see a lot of patients throughout the day and can hardly remember everyone and everything after spending only 10 minutes with you. I go prepared with written questions and I record all my doctor visits on a small pocket recorder. I follow up with emails and phone calls if I have questions or need something explained further. Developing a good rapport with the RN's in the office is a good strategy.

Remember you are in charge of your own health care. No one cares more about you than yourself. Good luck.