WHAT WORKS?

One year on I am not sure, but I will tell you what I noticed.

Last year, in the summer...I had the most amazing results. I started "Keto" and spent about 16 weeks eating, not only Keto, but more red meat. At the time I was really interested in Carnivore. Though, I know I don't love red meat that much.  At this time I also did fasting - 18:6.

And in my first post diagnosis labs, I had strong results. 

My spike went down from .3 and .2 (I am biclonal) to .2 and .1.  My doctor didn't bother to run any other test (jerk) and I was so hopeful that this would go away. 

My CBC was also very strong.  Every measure of my cells were strong and perfectly normal. My WBCs which have been low came back up to 6.0 (normal for me) and my red blood cells were perfection.  In fact almost every blood test that I had was looking very good. B-12 was normal and on the high side. Ferritin was perfection. My iron was perfectly normal.  And I got my own blood tests to continue to monitor on a monthly basis. Things were looking good. 

For the most part, however, that stopped when the fall came along. I ended up getting a colonoscopy and frankly I think it hurt me. I was forced to eat a lot of carb heavy foods (as they were required for the colonoscopy) and I think I lost a lot water. I pretty much stopped with the meat and I noticed some poor results on blood tests. Such as my GGT result being high. 

In addition, as we moved into the fall my diet slipped from fasting / keto back to a "normal diet". And I was dealing with a poor reaction to the cold.  Finally in October I took a risk and donated blood. Unfortunately, I think hat did hurt me. 

Come November things were not so rosy. First due to the incompetence of my doctors I got lab tests that I wasn't expecting. So yes, it was annoying to see labs result that I had not been aware of.  My spike was back up to .3 and .2 (where it was when I was diagnosed) In addition my IGM immunoglobulin was at 291. Nearly abnormal. Finally I had not had my light chains tested since diagnosis. So that came back with an abnormal ratio. It wasn't a horrible abnormal ratio but I was not at all happy.  

What happened?  Well, not sure, it could have been the blood donation (when I got these lab tests I was only 6 weeks out from donation and I was told that I should not be back to normal until 8 weeks out). And also for it to change so much in four months seems concerning. I also have a crazy theory that the cold weather can be a contributing factor.  Perhaps from the idea I just don't get sun or mentally I am not joyful... not sure.. but it does seem like my results are worse in the winter.  

Did the Keto / fasting and red meat help? I think so.  There is a doctor with MM who is doing carnivore diet and he praises it to high heaven. If red meat helps your immune system stay strong and also helps with ketosis... well.. maybe that is a key factor.