B-Cell Reduction with Smoldering Myeloma

Posted by richardab @richardab, Feb 23 9:24am

Medicare will not approve IVIG infusions unless a patient has undergone some type of B-Cell reduction or show the appropriate antibody(ies) response to vaccinations. All of the oncologists I've worked with and much of the literature does not recommend any treatments for Smoldering Myeloma as the side affects are typically much worse than the effects one of having with the disease at this stage. Has anyone with Smoldering undergone any such treatments? Thank you.

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Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 29 3:18pm

@richardab, is your oncologist recommending intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for you?

richardab | @richardab | Mar 1 10:12am

In reply to @colleenyoung "@richardab, is your oncologist recommending intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) for you?" + (show)

She did but, as I mentioned, Medicare initially rejected the infusions because of lack of B Cell reductions, which aren't done for Smoldering. I am pleased to report, though, that an immunologist I was seeing for Cryptogenic Organizing Pneumonia back in 2021 had ordered antibody responses test after receiving a vaccination (Streptococcus Pneumoniae IGG Antibodies test) in 2021. I had one test a week or so after getting the vaccine and another 2 months later. Neither showed the increase in IgG expected after receiving this vaccine. My hematologist/oncologist sent the data to Medicare after reviewing it and they approved the IVIG infusions the same morning.