February 27 2014 test results

This morning Stefano and I picked up my February 27 2014 blood test results and went to the doctor…even though I already knew…But hey, it’s always a good idea to get an expert’s opinion!

As you may recall, my November 2013 test results weren’t that great. I’d tried testing a lower dose of curcumin for a bunch of months. Didn’t work!

Well, I’m pleased/happy/ecstatic to announce that today’s results were an entirely different story…

In a nutshell, what should have gone up WENT UP; what should have gone down WENT DOWN. 

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One of my favorite photos, taken in Arizona in December 2013 (cacti with Santa hats…so happy-looking…so cute!).

My m-spike and monoclonal component, for example, have gone down. Not by a huge amount, but enough to impress my doctor. More good news: my hemoglobin and hematocrit are now back in the normal range…my light chains have also gone down…all very nice. My total protein is down, too (10.4, down from 10.7…yeah, not much, but I’ll take any decrease, especially after what I heard Dr. Gertz say…). My creatinine, which has always been in the normal range anyway, went down a wee bit more…which wasn’t necessary, but…eh, why not?

My other two immunoglobulins (A and M) are still the same number as last time, so they’re stable. B2M, also stable. Parathyroid is back in the normal range, dance of joy.

In sum, I couldn’t have wished for better results in such a short period of time…My doctor was relieved, too, and commented that evidently I respond very well to curcumin, but at the 8-gram/day dosage…

Let’s see. In addition to increasing my curcumin intake from 6 (back) to 8 grams/day, some with and some without bioperine, here’s a list of the other stuff I’ve been taking in this period (since November):

  1. 1.5 grams of quercetin with bromelain
  2. a spoonful of molasses/day
  3. a heaping teaspoonful of flax seed lignans mixed in yogurt, every day (thanks for this useful tip, Lisa!)

I think that’s about it…Oh well, of course I take vitamin D, and sometimes a (good) multivitamin.

The main lesson I’ve learned from this slightly harrowing experience: we have to be on our guard at all times. This doesn’t mean we need to be obsessive and compulsive about stuff (that would be very BAD, since by now we know that stress has an impact on this cancer) OR freak out if we have one bad test result. But if six or eight grams of curcumin–or whatever else for that matter–has been keeping our numbers stable, why fool around with it? Why rock the boat, as the saying goes?

Learn from my mistake…

But today, at least, I’m not thinking about past mistakes. I’m celebrating…not just with my family and friends, but with all of you, too! Thanks, everyone! 🙂

16 Comments

  1. Thanks for being such a great inspiration. I greatly appreciate your support. I, too, am stable with my MM and am following your protocol, along with a host of other supplements I experiment with.

  2. yay for stable, indeed, improvement! just wishing i could find my “curcumin” since my numbers have not responded so strongly in the trials i have done. We are all so different. My results this time are also pretty much in the right direction, and i am thinking that the increase i had in my lambda FLC (a few tests ago) may have been tied to the increased white blood cells i had on the same blood test. That if the body is fighting an infection of any kind, then the antibodies are increased, and this will result in a ‘higher score’ of all the antibodies. Anyone else have experiences similar?

  3. Margaret – thank you for being so open with your information. I’m very happy for you! I love your upbeat personality. Enjoy your day!

  4. Wonderful news!

    What brand of curcumin are you taking now?do you know I’d Nature’s Lab™ Turmeric Curcumin C3, 120 Vegetarian Capsules from Costco is good? My husband is now taking doctors best, but it is getting harder to get and much more expensive.
    Thank you and again so happy for your good results.

    1. Susie J
      Vitacost.com has the same for less than Costco. It is the Vitacost brand. Someplace on this blog, Margaret references it as having what it says it contains along with the DRs Best brand. Some brands don’t have the specified amount as they proclaim. Vitacost has sales from time to time and free shipping. Be sure to take it with some fat or oil for bioavailability. Coconut oil is good if you don’t mind the taste.

  5. Thank you so much for your wonderful blog and congrats on your latest set of numbers. I am an unstable MGUS and am starting curcumin supplements. Unfortunately I started to get bathroom troubles as I reached 4 gram a day so I had to cut back to 2 grams. Am slowly trying to increase. I am wondering if you would not mind updating us on your latest curcumin protocol. Are you still taking the curcumin-chocolate ganache? Thank you. You are truly an angel.

  6. I am so inspired by your blog. Will you please share what type of Curcumin and Quercetin you use? I’m still trying to figure out what to use and it’s all very confusing. CONGRATS on your great numbers and thanks for being such a source of encouragement for the rest of us! 🙂

  7. Congratulations Margaret. What a wonderful feeling! A relief for sure!
    You had mentioned a second brand of curcumin without bioperine (I can’t find the post) Which one did you say you use?

  8. Congratulations Margaret! I love reading your blog – have been since last fall. Was diagnosed with MM in March of last year and had a act in November. My numbers haven’t gone down to zero yet, but I’ve started the curcumin protocol as well as fish oils and have been on vitamin D. I agree with Beth Collingwood. What types of quercetin and curcumin that you use?

  9. Congratulations Margaret. Very good news indeed. I can understand the temptation to experiment, and also how easy it is to get concerned and stressed when the m-spike is going up. I am still following your original protocol but taking the 8 grammes all at once. Can’t stand for now anything else in addition. My mspike now has been stable for about half a year or so at 1.4 but before that it has been going up and down, my other markers are reasonable, but my neutrophils still pretty low, but it has been mostly like that for over 3 years, since the last chemo stopped.

    You have been the inspiration of it all, and how many have you inspired all that time.

    Enjoy!

    Dieneke from london

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