The mind-body connection is so important. Anxiety can really throw your whole body chemistry for a loop. When I was first diagnosed with MGUS my anxiety escalated, and my white counts actually soared. I felt weak, it impacted my sleep cycles and my appetite. In short, I just felt crummy. Once I talked to my oncologist, I settled down and sat with reality. I realized that I was making myself feel sick by letting my anxiety run willy-nilly
From talking to people I know who have multiple myeloma, and participating in this message board, I have come to believe that it’s all luck-of-the-draw, but I put my faith in the science. Even with a diagnosis of full blown multiple myeloma, the treatment strategies are much more effective than they were even five years ago. Now, trust me, I don’t want my MGUS to advance to multiple myeloma, but if it does, I am prepared to fight the good fight. Chances are, at age 71, I will succumb to something else eventually, but I have a lot of fun stuff to do between now and then.
I am grateful for good treatment strategies and the patients from whom researchers and clinicians learn. I am thankful that my fellow MGUS patients share their journey with me because we learn from one another. I hope your diagnostics are painless and will yield good news. Let us know.
Patty