What are the signs and symptoms of multiple myeloma?

What are the signs and symptoms of myeloma? 

So the general signs and symptoms of multiple myeloma are not really specific for the disease. And they again can be unspecific. So for instance patients might develop anemia. But your body is not telling you I have anemia. You might feel just more fatigue. And very often patients try to downplay symptoms. They say oh I'm getting older or I'm not in shape, I didn't have enough sleep. And they deny those symptoms. So, anemia can be a sign of multiple myeloma. And it's important that you follow up with your doctor for regularly blood checks, especially when you are older. So I recommend that you have once a year blood check to see, for instance, signs of anemia. Another symptom is bone pain. So then the multiple myeloma attacks your bone. You can have bone pain. Again very unspecific. It can be pain in your spine who is over 50 and never had pain in the spine. So that's why try to read your body if you have constant bone pain in your spine and it's not really typical. That's independent from independent from any activity. Maybe ask your doctor and say, you know, let's do an x ray. I mentioned that the myeloma takes the bone and then the myeloma, eats the bone. It's not a nice word to say, but that's what happens. The bone releases calcium. So the calcium levels in your blood can be high. Again, symptoms are unspecific for high calcium. It can be nausea. It can be vomiting. And nobody would attribute nausea to high calcium. Again have a regular follow up. See your doctor when you have those symptoms. fatigue, bone pain, nausea. Then you should really see a doctor. Neuropathy can also be a symptom of multiple myeloma. Again very unspecific. You feel numbness in your hands, in your fingers or in your feet. Patients say, oh, I'm getting old, and maybe you have diabetes that is associated with this, but it's important that your doctor really follows up on those unspecific symptoms and that somebody tries to bring the symptoms together. So multiple myeloma again can have very unspecific symptoms. You can have fatigue from anemia. You can have neuropathy from the monoclonal  
Or you go to your doctor and you saw the doctor for many years and the doctor said, oh, you will be fine, you know, and don't worry. I think it is important, first of all, that the doctor listens to the patient. I had an old professor who said, right now I'm old, but I remember what he said. He said to me, your patient is always right. So your patient is always correct. And I think the doctors need to listen to the patient because you as a patient, you know your body, you know, if there's something completely different than it was a year before. And you know that the changes who you really notice are maybe more drastic than just related to age. So that's why you should insist that your doctor follows up on the symptoms. And the follow up can be pretty simple. A blood test can help to find. Do you have anemia? Do you have hypercalcemia? Do you have a high 
who can really help you to detect the myeloma very early. And if you still feel something is wrong please insist and talk to your doctor.