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The shock is pretty normal, right? It may feel particularly worrisome when the diagnosis is something about which you know little or perhaps had never heard about before.
When the diagnosis comes about through normal blood work, rather than a search precipitated by concerning symptoms, it is good to remember that you might have gone the rest of your life without knowing the Monoclonal Gammopathy was even there. Most persons with this plasma cell condition will die with it but not from complications arising from it.
The related malignancies are rare.
It sounds like you are receiving all the first line diagnostic testing!
The bone marrow biopsy will give an accurate count of abnormal cell growth and a skeletal survey of
x-rays will reveal anything warranting concern or treatment.
Once these are done, it’s a simple matter of monitoring blood work at whatever interval of time your doctor recommends. This ensures any progression is spotted in a timely fashion.
It sounds like you have attentive and thorough care, which is excellent.
I wish you well through this time of waiting for results and digesting the facts of this new discovery.
As others have mentioned, the MGUS is not likely to affect you or your lifestyle in any way.
The same positive choices that increase overall wellbeing will be good for this condition as well.
If you, or others, are looking for movement plans or mindfulness and meditation practices to add to your healthy living routines, the Mayo Clinic has produced many resources to educate and encourage exercise, stress management, and healthful eating. Books, pamphlets, and video lessons are clear and based on research, of course.
The University of Minnesota’s Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality and Wellness has much to offer as well. One can visit the website and find access to many online programs and lots of reading. Anyone can sign up for free “Mindful Mondays” programs offered via zoom from 12pm-1 each week.
Recordings are available to stream anytime as well.
Sometimes a diagnosis motivates us to make little changes and develop new helpful habits that over time really improve our health.
This can bring about positive change, affecting us in great ways, arising from something very uncomfortable and scary in the beginning.
-wishing all of you well, today and always!
Take good care of yourselves!
I've had MGUS for 8 years so far. MGUS represents precancerous plasma cells, but only a 1%/year risk of them progressing to SMM or MM. No symptoms so there is no treatment other than monitoring bloodwork. I avoid stress, eat healthy, exercise, and take bioavailable curcumin (a supplement) just in case it helps with decreasing inflammation and TNF. It does hit one, being susceptible to MM or any other cancer, but it only morphs into MM for a small percentage of people. NIH and ResearchGate have a lot of peer-reviewed papers on MGUS (useful if you have insomnia, snooze worthy). A lot of us on this site have had MGUS for years. It can be scary, but also a chance to evaluate if one needs to make other changes or risks in life.