M-Spike was 1.0 g/dL this morning, where it probably should have been last month when it dropped to 0.9 for the first time in almost four years. IgG was almost unchanged, up less than 2%, from 1110 mg/dL to 1130, probably well within the measurement error for that test. In any case I trust the IgG result a little more than M-Spike, and I think the change from last month is negligible.
Lambda light chains are still above the reference range, barely, but Kappa light chains have dropped by almost half. I don't know what to think of that - it could be an ominous sign, I suppose, but I won't worry about it. Light chains have been acting strangely lately anyway. Maybe it's a testing anomaly, or maybe it's a result of changes in my supplements.
Supplements:
About five weeks ago I added magnesium taurate 250 mg per day and zinc picolinate 50 mg. The magnesium was added to help with my frequent and painful muscle cramps, and I have not had a single cramp since starting the magnesium. It made an incredible difference overnight, after years of waking up in agony from calf cramps. A friend had advised me to try "magnesium oil" years ago, but I was skeptical because he was selling it. I wish I had at least tried it, maybe it would have worked too.The zinc is reputed to bolster the immune system, and I have no idea whether it helps that, but it does seem to help me with a guy thing, so I'll continue to take it.
Did one or the other of those supplements influence the Kappa light chains? Maybe, but I doubt it. Mayo knew that I had added these supplements though, so at this visit they checked serum levels of magnesium, bicarbonate, potassium, and TSH. All were normal.
Most-Recent Test Results:
| Test | Jun 27 | Jul 25 | Aug 22 | Sep 19 | Remarks | |||||
| M-spike g/dL | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 1.0 | \ Tumor marker | |||||
| IgG mg/dL | 1300 | 1290 | 1110 | 1130 | / Tumor marker | |||||
| Lambda mg/dL | 2.61 | 3.10 | 2.93 | 2.92 | L free light chains High | |||||
| Kappa mg/dL | 1.95 | 1.67 | 2.00 | 1.07 | K free light chains OK | |||||
| Ratio 0.26-1.65 | 0.75 | 0.54 | 0.68 | 0.37 | Kappa / Lambda | |||||
| Calcium mg/dL | 9.5 | 9.7 | 10.1 | 10.1 | OK | |||||
| Creatinine mg/dL | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 1.5 | Kidney, OK | |||||
| HGB g/dL | 15.1 | 14.5 | 15.6 | 15.7 | Hemoglobin, fine | |||||
| RBC M/uL | 4.38 | 4.23 | 4.44 | 4.41 | Red cells, OK | |||||
| WBC K/uL | 5.1 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 4.3 | White cells, OK | |||||
| ANC K/uL | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.0 | 1.8 | Neutrophils, OK |
Related Links:
| My Myeloma | A discussion of my myeloma, not very technical. | |
| My Treatment History | Not technical. | |
| My Test Charts | Graphic displays of several key test results over time. | |
| My Test Result Table | Somewhat technical. Best with a wide browser window. | |
| My Supplement Regimen | With links to where I buy them. |
Stability is a beautiful thing! I am light chain only, so my doctors pay particular attention to my light chains as I don't have an M-Spike....same damned disease, different way to track. Dr. Landgren at the NIH told me that many things other than myeloma can cause frequent fluctuations in lights chains like inflammation, colds, infections, etc. They can be like a roller coaster. The photo of your meal looked great...what was it? Best, Terry L.
ReplyDeleteHi Terry,
DeleteThanks. The meal is organic chicken thighs, asparagus, organic sweet potato, organic broccoli with a bit of white cheese, organic mustard, a little hot sauce, and an organic date.
Don
Hi Don. I still was experiencing muscle cramps even with 400mg magnesium. Other electrolyte minerals were okay, I supplement those too. A friend on a support group told me he take triple that but to be careful because once you get up there in dose you can have loose stools. Going up in dose really helped but on days when I ate spicy food and had to take omezprazole for acid refux it (mag) would not absorb fully and I would get cramps next day especially if I weight trained on "back" or "leg" day. Solution? Magnesium oil my friend. If I feel I am going to have problem with cramps in my legs I spray the back of my thigh area and let it soak for about 20-30 minutes before I take a shower. Epsom salt baths also help. The magnesium oil spray I bought on Amazon for around 10 bucks. The epsom salt I got at costco, 12 pounds for 7.99. I hope this helps. You've been in inspiration to me since my diagnosis in 2007. Thank you. Keep it up and thank you for writing creating and maintaining this site.
ReplyDeleteRespectfully,
Al R.
Thanks Al,
DeleteEven with 250 mg magnesium daily, I still am apt to have calf cramps toward the end of a marathon. Salt helps a lot, but maybe the magnesium oil would too. Great idea.
Don