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PMR and MGUS/SSM/MM multiple myeloma
Curious of how many of you have been diagnosed with PMR and MGUS, Smoldering Myeloma , or Multiple Myeloma? I have had one, possibly two, vertebral compression fractures which were picked up on MRI during work up for MGUS. Dexa did not show osteoporosis. I fear the effects of Prednisone on my bones.
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Hello:) Your question caught my attention. Since January O am being treated by NP for PMR due to sed rate of 90 and CRP elevated, high serum proteins and free light chains, and Morphea scleroderma with low dose prednisone. Rhuematologist feels is not PMR, instead it is RA, and I began methotrexate self injection. Lab work continues to have high serum protein, kappa and lambda free light chains, gamma globulin, ANA positive speckled pattern, IgA, IgE, etc. Albumin. No M spike . So next stop this week is to a hematologist/ oncologist to rule out multiple myeloma, MGUS, and the other ones you listed.
If I may ask, what is your diagnosis -and how they treating your diseases?
In summer of 2023 I was dealing with a lot of upper back pain. Finally I was diagnosed with MGUS (+M spike, but normal light chain ratio). On MRI I was found to have a compression fracture of thoracic 6th vertebrae - cause unknown, I have osteopenia but not osteoporosis on DEXA. It has taken 10 months to heal the vertebral fracture, but now I fear I may have another in my lower spine, partially due to a recent incident where I was assisting an individual who had fallen and I felt sharp pain in my back. It is now presenting just the same way the thoracic fracture had in the past.
Back in January 2024 I awoke and couldn't walk across a room with pain primarily in my pelvis. It was diagnosed as PMR and responded to Prednisone 20 mg. I am tapering off the Prednisone and now at 12.5mg but it is complicated by the recent incident with my lower back. I will see a rheumatologist and an oncologist in early June to evaluate condition, along with new labs. Meanwhile I do my best to address nutrition (whole food, anti-inflammatory diet), stress (meditative and mind-body pain practice), exercise (walking 2-3 mi/day, moderate weight training), relationships (faith, family, love, and public health education on brain health), sleep (9p-5a). Sleep has been an issue with the back pain and PMR. I wake up in the middle of the night with pain and I am stiff and sore in the morning until I move around for about an hour.
Hope that helps! Best to you...
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1 ReactionI was diagnosed with MGUS 3 years ago, before my PMR diagnosis last year. My oncologist is upping my check ups and labs to every six months because I am on Kevzara since last October. I am not on prednisone now, but was last year. I don’t think they are related but will ask at my next oncology appointment.
It is hard to know but sometimes I wonder if PMR wasn’t an untoward complication of being on Hydroxychloroquine, which I was being prescribed for na-SpA. I wish there was a website where the public could record subsequent conditions while taking medication.