Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough you can't control whether monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance will lead to something more serious, you can control many aspects of your health. The following suggestions may help:
- Learn what you can about monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Write down questions that come up and ask your doctor about them during your next appointment. Ask your health care team about resources for more information. The better you understand what's going on in your body, the more you may be able to take an active role in your health care.
- Control what you can about your health. Living a healthy lifestyle may not reduce your risk of complications in the future, but it can make you feel better and reduce your risk of other diseases and conditions. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Get regular exercise. Get enough sleep so that you wake feeling rested. Reduce the amount of stress in your life.
- Stick to your checkup schedule. Follow your checkup schedule and get the tests to monitor for more-serious diseases. Though you might be nervous about receiving your test results, diagnosing a serious condition, such as cancer, in the early stages may improve your chance for a cure.
References
- Blade J. Monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance. New England Journal of Medicine. 2006;355:2765.
- Rajkumar SV, et al. Advances in the diagnosis, classification, risk stratification, and management of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: Implications for recategorizing disease entities in the presence of evolving scientific evidence. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2010;85:945.
- Rajkumar SV. Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 19, 2010.
- Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec11/ch144/ch144d.html. Accessed Oct. 21, 2010.
- Wadhera RK, et al. Prevalence of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: A systematic review. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2010;85:933.
- Landgren O, et al. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance among black and white women. Blood. 2010;116:1056.
- Mikhael JR (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Ariz. Nov. 12, 2010.

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