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Post by wallycat on Dec 11, 2021 10:26:50 GMT -5
This go'round they did not bother to run the immunofixation, assuming it is the same band but she said in a few years (should I be so lucky), they can check again. All my other numbers were perfect. Even the urinalysis came back perfect. I have to wonder how many people in a cross section would show irregularities doing SPEP vs just a routine cbc/metabolic panel.... I have to say, your news was unsettling. I am glad you are in a good place about it this time. I hope your new onco is as amazing as mine.
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Post by karenw on Dec 11, 2021 19:12:10 GMT -5
Thanks Wallycat. I'm sure you are right....if we don't look for things, we don't find them. Mine was found years ago when my doctor was running some tests for something else and apparently that is often how this entity is found. Believe me, this was upsetting to me, too. However, I do think I am in a better place this time because I know there is nothing I did to cause it nor can I do anything to control it so it's best to just roll with the punches. Have a good weekend.
Karren
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Post by karenw on Dec 22, 2021 19:33:17 GMT -5
Finally got my appointment to see an oncologist. Turns out the appt. scheduler was out with Covid and the substitutes didn't work very efficiently. Anyway, February 4th is the date to get back on the MGUS treadmill and have them stare at me and my numbers again!
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Post by wallycat on Dec 22, 2021 20:10:05 GMT -5
I've been thinking about you and I appreciate your updates, more than you know. Interestingly, I was reading that if the whole population 50 and older were scanned, 1% would show up MGUS. Of those, only 1% PER year, develop the ugly stuff. Here's hoping we are average and NOT in the 1% ugly stuff. In some ways, being monitored protects us in case it goes south. And science progresses!!
My new labs will be in May and she said I can skip the 24 hour pee since whatever showed up before is no longer there. Honestly, I still think my issues showed up right after my Shingrix shot (horrible reaction). DH just had his monthly onco visit; his hematocrit was low and she said.."wait at least 2 months before we decide anything; the covid booster is doing stuff to labs..." so who knows what is causing what. I had my booster last week Monday and I switched to Pfizer ...I was so hopeful I would not have a reaction. Nothing like the first two, but still...quite the reaction. Strong immune systems are highly over-rated, LOL.
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Post by beth on Dec 25, 2021 0:52:11 GMT -5
Wallycat and Karen, wishing you both a Merry Christmas and boring good health reports throughout 2022!
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Post by wallycat on May 6, 2022 18:38:43 GMT -5
Had my recheck this month (talk about anxiety!). I'm still waiting for one more result, I think...not sure if she ordered it and once you do any labs, myChart removes all the orders. So far, all is stable. The lab result (serum protein) that was elevated, which started this mess, was normal this time. Which means, if I had done my annual physical stuff, I'd never know I had this. MGUS is often diagnosed incidentally. So I sit here, stable and watching/waiting. I see my onco next week and she'll let me know if I am at the every year checking or whatever.
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Post by PattiA on May 7, 2022 13:21:57 GMT -5
Thinking of you. Fingers crossed for a complete set of good labs and a positive visit with the oncologist. This month marks 19 years since I got a malignant melanoma diagnosis and I totally get that watching/waiting anxiety. Getting to that 1 year between checks is a big milestone. I hope you achieve that.
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Post by wallycat on May 7, 2022 15:31:38 GMT -5
Thanks Patti. I just started 16 years from breast cancer dx. Congrats on your 19 years!
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Post by karenw on May 9, 2022 18:54:36 GMT -5
Yay Wallycat! That's good new so far and I'll pray for it to stay that way!!
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Post by beth on May 11, 2022 20:02:07 GMT -5
Glad to see things on an even keel here. I don't have anything to add other than my hopes good news continues for all.
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Post by wallycat on May 11, 2022 23:31:14 GMT -5
Thank you, ladies. I saw my onco today and I'm on the annual plan now, so hopefully, things stay quiet. She mentioned that some patients, over the years, end up with no abnormalities and no one knows why this happens (the beginning or sudden remission)...so I will happily take no news is good news.
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Post by beth on May 12, 2022 23:46:10 GMT -5
Great news, Wallycat! I'm expecting to have another annual check added to my list next week. Hope that's about the extent of it for me too.
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Post by wallycat on May 13, 2022 10:26:37 GMT -5
I swear this annual stuff seems to come sooner and sooner, LOL...dental, eye, gyn, blah, blah....body maintenance is a full time job, LOL. Hope your annual is also uneventful, Beth.
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Post by beth on Jul 21, 2022 22:21:59 GMT -5
Thanks, Wallycat. I hope you are continuing to do well. I am not certain if the concern I was having then was a spot on my arm that looked a lot like a melanoma but started fading before my appointment -- apparently as some bleeding under the skin, so I must have banged my arm when moving some furniture. We also were watching our senior dog for declining health. Her appetite changed and then we started having some other issues, which we had been told to expect. We said goodbye to her in June, just days before our older son came home. We lost our lab a year earlier. I'm still not used to not having them here. Until last month, I'd had 2-3 months out of the last 30+ years with no furry ones about. Our son and his GF will be staying with us for the coming 6 months to a year and I fully expect to be finding a new 4-paw or two after they get here and we get things settled. Those little paws will have some big shoes to fill, but some ready arms and laps waiting.
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Post by wallycat on Jul 22, 2022 11:35:44 GMT -5
Beth, glad to hear your labs are uneventful. That's always the wish, isn't it. I'm so very sorry on the loss of your doggies. Losing our animal companions is so hard. It is 4 years since we lost 2 of our cats, and there are days I still find myself missing them and crying. Our last one is 16 and hyperthyroid. The meds are a bandaid for the issue and at some point...waaaaaaah! I hope you are surviving that wretched heat. I cannot imagine some of those high temps. At least no brown-outs so you have a/c working.
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Post by beth on Jul 23, 2022 18:24:04 GMT -5
We are surviving the heat, but the lack of rain is about to get really ugly. We are hoping to save most of the trees but have lost one. The grass will be what the grass will be - or won't be. The landscape plants are hanging in there for the most part. We have one bed of salvias that we didn't get to thinning out this spring, and they are suffering the most. Perhaps they will thin themselves. As long as the grid holds, we don't have fires (more of them anyway) and we don't see a hurricane or flooding tropical storm, we will be okay. Is that too many maybes? I do miss the dogs -- and the loss of the second one has me missing the first one all over again. I doubt we will be without a pet for long. We have been fortunate that out last 2 dogs and 2 cats have had such long lives, but it means they are a bigger piece that is gone. Wouldn't change it though.
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emptynestmom
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Post by emptynestmom on Nov 2, 2022 7:15:19 GMT -5
I am months behind but I am glad to see good news Wallycat!!
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Post by wallycat on May 3, 2023 11:42:51 GMT -5
Quick update...still waiting for one more result but so far, I am stable with what's come in. As an aside, I may need an endoscopy (food stuck once)...not sure if something sinister or my esophagus was spasm-ing with all the stress I'm going through. DH is going to need new treatment and it will mean a schlep to Seattle, provided his labs show he can tolerate the treatment. It is the newest Radioligand therapy (Pluvicto) and hospital indicated that Novartis is eeking out more production of the drug. Crossing fingers he gets quality of life with this.
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Post by Catbatty on May 3, 2023 12:09:11 GMT -5
Sending you both well wishes!!! Endoscopy: Don't do like I did, instead, be knocked out. It was ok, but gag gag gag. The nurse agreed with me: she and I both did colonoscopy without being knocked out. Was fine. But for the throat, no. Next time I do both, I'm going to go under. Far more simple. Why be there?  I am glad you are sharing your updates, Wallycat. I hope everyone else does, as well. I am going to see rheumatologist on the 19th for this PMR that has come over me. (Thank GOODNESS for Prednisone...I am temp on it and it allows me to move w/o pain...but this new doctor should be able to help with offering something else, hoping.) We will be thinking about you ALL. Life isn't all fun, is it? Thank goodness for modern medicine at least.  Good we have this place still. Nice of the Pro Boards people to allow us here. WE NEED EACH OTHER's SUPPORT! (And fun stuff, too.)
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Post by wallycat on May 3, 2023 12:47:48 GMT -5
Good luck, Catbatty. Your "why be there" made me laugh out loud. I need that so much!!
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Post by PattiA on May 4, 2023 16:50:58 GMT -5
Wallycat, you and your DH are in my thoughts. And I agree with CatBatty, why be there for the endoscopy!
CatBatty, have you had Covid? I had it about two weeks ago, and this week had a severe arthritic episode. (I had JRA from age 5-30 when it went into remission). I am traveling and yesterday i had to call my doctor to get a Medrol pack. The pain was unbearable. The ibuprophen and tylenol I was taking were barely touching the pain. I had a similar episode after getting my first Shingrix vaccine but not with this level of pain. I did some googling and post Covid arthritis flare ups are a thing. One day on Medrol and I am a new woman. The pain is completely gone, the restriction in my shoulder joint is not gone, but it is not at all painful, just won't move above my shoulder. Hope you can get your flare up under control soon. It is no fun.
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