Hello again. I have my first consultation with a hematologist coming up on Wed and I'm excited ... and nervous that I'll be brushed off again. For over a decade, I've had numbness in my septum, roof of my mouth and tongue. It's a curious case when 100% numbness may come in any of these areas for a short period of time, but a loss of sensation is present all of the time in my tongue. I saw a neurologist about this back then and he couldn't determine the cause (because it's symmetrical, smack dab in the center). I even had a spinal tap done to rule out MS. What's interesting is the spinal showed high IGG in my blood (>2000 mg/dL) and low albumin in my CSF (7.0 mg/dL). I wish I had been sent to a hematologist then. Instead, I was diagnosed with migraines (which I'm beginning to think is the neurological catch-all) and sent on my way.

Last year, an observant PCP noticed my slightly low HGb, which is how I landed here today. But the more I read, the more I think that my neurological issues (which are getting worse by the way) are tied to MGUS. Unfortunately, everything I read is focused on hands, feet, gait and not really any other areas. I want to discuss this with the hematologist on Wed, but I fear I will be dismissed, much like my PCP who stated "sometimes we just don't know".

Am I off my rocker? I plan to bring up the results from 10 years ago combined with today and hope that he'll also see a connection. But if he doesn't, do I let it go? Hard to let go when I think it sometimes impacts my swallowing. Did I mention that the numbness is extending to my throat? It's hard not to think that the function of my throat isn't impacted, that it won't cause more significant issues down the road, like eating, drinking and breathing. You know, minor things that keep you alive.

Uh ... not panicking,
mikxtr