Slightly annoyed with my consultant. Reading my copy of the clinic letter sent to GP after the last consultation, not only are my paraproteins up to 6 but my free light chain ratio is also at 6. Normal range is 0.26 - 1.65. That's another strong indicator of myeloma activity starting up again in my plasma cells. She just told me about the PPs and said "Everything else is OK."
Well, sorry, but it isn't.
'Phone consultation with my haematologist today. Paraproteins up to 6, everything else normal. So the pattern over recent months has been ...0..0..0..0..2..3..6. That, she agrees, is a definite trend and can't be dismissed as a blip, wobble, testng error, or similar. The Beast Is Back after five years of remission, three of them off all treatment.
She doesn't want to start treatment yet as I have no new symptoms to offer and therefore she thinks too early for another scan as risk of x-ray exposure outweighs chance of finding any new lesions. Not sure I agree but PPs at 6 is still very low and I can see the case for waiting. I do, of course, have the selection of aches and pains that can be expected in the second half of my 70s but they can be explained by degenerative changes (right wrist/thumb), return of old problem (right Achilles tendon getting troublesome again) or doing something stupid leading to muscle strains. I think I know how to recognise "bone pain" now, and I don't have any.
So it's back to watch'n'wait for another few months but if the PPs continue to increase at same rate or above (virtually certain, I think) she will order a CT next time.
So there we are. Remission is over, even if relapse hasn't (arguably) quite started, and 2nd line is coming. Can't complain, I've had five years and general health is still good. Speaking of which, weight loss continues - now 11.7kg lighter than my worst, or 1st 8lbs if you prefer.
