Diagnosis
Doctors sometimes find multiple myeloma after a
routine blood test. More often, doctors suspect multiple
myeloma after an x-ray for a broken bone. Usually
though, patients go to the doctor because they are
having other symptoms.
To find out whether such problems are from
multiple myeloma or some other condition, your doctor
may ask about your personal and family medical
history and do a physical exam. Your doctor also may
order some of the following tests:
You may want to ask your doctor these questions before having a bone marrow aspiration or biopsy:
- Will you remove the sample of bone marrow
from the hip or from another bone?
- Where will I go for this procedure?
- Will I have to do anything to prepare for it?
- How long will it take? Will I be awake?
- Will it hurt? What will you do to prevent or
control the pain?
- Are there any risks? What are the chances of
infection or bleeding after the procedure?
- How long will it take me to recover?
- How soon will I know the results? Who will
explain them to me?
- If I do have multiple myeloma, who will talk
to me about next steps? When?
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