Symptoms of myeloma

In a small number of cases this can lead to spinal cord compression|. Other bones may be affected too, such as the ribs, skull or pelvis.

Other symptoms may include any of the following:

• tiredness and lethargy due to a lack of red blood cells (known as anaemia)
• kidney problems, which are caused by the paraproteins produced by the myeloma cells and which can cause tiredness and anaemia
• repeated infections, particularly chest infections, due to a shortage of normal antibodies
• loss of appetite, feeling sick, constipation, depression and drowsiness caused by too much calcium in the blood (hypercalcaemia) being released from damaged bones
• unexplained bruising and abnormal bleeding, for example, nosebleeds or bleeding gums, due to a reduced number of platelets in the blood
• weight loss.

If you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to see your doctor as soon as possible. But remember, many of these symptoms can occur in other conditions - most people with these symptoms won’t have myeloma. Occasionally, myeloma will be found following a blood test for another reason, when a person has no symptoms.