Hi
As you probably have realised from your research, Myeloma can be very difficult to diagnose by a GP and consultants because we all can present with different symptoms, which can change over a period of time. The majority of myeloma patients show paraprotein levels in their blood, but a specialist blood test is needed to measure the paraprotein levels. However other myeloma patients have completely OK blood test results and need a specialist urine test to measure any raised light chain levels. There are also a few patients who show no abnormal results in their blood or urine.
I know what you mean about being considered to be a possible hypochondriac. It took six months of investigations by different consultants before I was diagnosed with myeloma. My pain kept moving in my body from various odd pulled muscle pains in my arms, groin and neck, to acute kidney pain, stomach, rib and upper/lower back pain. I underwent investigations for kidney stones, stomach ulcers, gall bladders, breast cancer and back pain, undergoing X Ray’s, ct scans, stomach camera, but eventually a MRI scan identified lesions in my bones which was the cause of the strange feeling of pulled muscles in different sites and 3 collapsed vertebrae. The MRI radiologist identified possible myeloma. An initial urine test identified blood, calcium and protein in my urine, but a specialist urine test was required to identify light chain myeloma.
This myeloma website has some useful information sheets on myeloma which might be of interest to you. As Tony suggested the myeloma nurses on this site are very knowledgeable and a useful contact to discuss your concerns. Hopefully with ongoing discussions with your GP, you should continue to move forward in trying to find out what is causing the various pains in your body which you present. I hope you manage to find the reason(s) for your symptoms and relief from the pain. Getting the right pain relief is also important. You also need to watch the side effects from the pain killers and their reactions with any other drugs you are taking. Initially I was prescribed by the kidney consultant with a pain killer which aggravated and inflamed the lining in my stomach which caused the stomach ulcer investigations. My father’s combined co-codamal tablets, tramadol tablets reacted with his blood pressure and oedema tablets causing him serious kidney toxicity problems.
Regards
Jan
