I had my usual round of blood tests last Friday. The salient result is IgM which was reported at 1608. That is approximately 14% higher than than three months earlier. The normal range is 45-281.

My doctors have often suggested watchful waiting as my symptoms deteriorate. The reasons are two; first, the fewer rounds of treatment that a patient undertakes in a lifetime means greater comfort, away from the intravenous needles and chemicals.

The second reason is that new drugs are being developed every year. Don’t start the second-best therapy today when a much better therapy may be available tomorrow.

In my case, there is a better therapy available and Dr. Hema5 has prescribed an oral medication, taken twice a day. That certainly is preferable to day after day of intravenous treatments that invariably, at least in my case, have very unpleasant side effects.

I start the new medication this Friday. I will continue to have quarterly blood tests and expect to see my IgM number decline.

Blood Test Thursday

Waldenstroms, also known as my little lymphoma, is characterized as ‘smoldering;’ that is, the disease progresses slowly, and, in some cases, it plateaus or doesn’t progress at all.

Because of this smoldering nature, Dr. Hema5 prescribes blood tests quarterly and in-person visits semi-annually. I reported for regularly scheduled blood tests a few days ago. I have reviewed the protein immunoglobulin M (IgM) reading and it has risen to 1199.

IgM is the primary indicator of battling cancer cells in the body affected by Waldenstroms.

For reference, here is a brief history; the reference range is 45.0 mg/dL - 281.0 mg/dL:

4/15/2020 After session 4 of chemo: 265 i.e. within normal limits

7/30/2020 384 up 11910/19/2020 426 up 42

1/19/2021 Prior to office visit 453 up 27

5/3/2021 489 up 36 

7/21/2021 635 up 146

1/17/2022 873 up 238

5/18/2022 1199 up 326

Some tests were postponed or omitted during Covid-19.

As the untrained eye can see, it is increasing at an increasing rate. The smoldering embers are starting to look like fire.

While I am a bit cautious, I am certainly not yet alarmed. When I last needed chemo, it had risen to about 2300 and I felt terrible.

Today, at 1199, I feel fine. My appetite and energy are fine and I have no complaints at all.

I next see Dr. Hema5 in August and I’ll be very interested to see the result.