Scary prognosis

[yellowfin43]

I'm sure some of you know me as somewhat of a smartass and I hope you don't hold that against me too much. Mostly I am just having fun. I just came home from my family doctors office for a followup vist after an emergency room visit a couple of weeks ago which turned out to be nothing really. They did some blood work at the hospital which is protocol and today my doc handed me some news that made me alittle nervous. He said my platelet count was "through the roof" and by through the roof I think he meant through the roof. I'm making an appointment to see a hemotologist because numbers that high could be a sign of lukemia or so he said. Usually when I go to a doctor I'm a nervous wreck. I don't go very often but I always think the worst and it's usually no big deal but I'm somewhat of a hypochondriac when I have something going on with my body that I can't explain. Today I wasn't worried at all and BOOM. Kind of ironic I think.

[Sock Puppet]

I think you're more ass than smartass, but I don't wish leukemia on you. Hopefully it'll turn out to be an anomalous reading.

[Smilin]

Went throught the same thing with my daughter a couple of years back. It turned out to be nothing, other than an un-gogly high platelet count.

[Watser?]

That's pretty scary, hope it will be all right :crossed:

[chunksmediocrites]

I'm sure some of you know me as somewhat of a smartass .....

He said my platelet count was "through the roof" and by through the roof I think he meant through the roof. So. I will give you one point for not using the word 'literally' because that would have sent me "through the roof". And by through the roof I mean through the roof. Just for emphasis, through the roof. They might have to raise it up. The roof. Right there next to your platelet count.

Good luck with your visit with the hematologist, but while I claim no medical expertise a prognosis comes after actual diagnosis, does it not, and not just a doctor saying hey get this checked out it could be X?

[Tanda]

Hey, Smartass. Hope your hematology appointment goes well and it turns out to be nothing. :thumbup:

[nvexio]

I hope for you the best!

[Selmak]

Sending good thoughts out into the universe.

[Sauron]

I'm sure some of you know me as somewhat of a smartass and I hope you don't hold that against me too much. Mostly I am just having fun. I just came home from my family doctors office for a followup vist after an emergency room visit a couple of weeks ago which turned out to be nothing really. They did some blood work at the hospital which is protocol and today my doc handed me some news that made me alittle nervous. He said my platelet count was "through the roof" and by through the roof I think he meant through the roof. I'm making an appointment to see a hemotologist because numbers that high could be a sign of lukemia or so he said. Usually when I go to a doctor I'm a nervous wreck. I don't go very often but I always think the worst and it's usually no big deal but I'm somewhat of a hypochondriac when I have something going on with my body that I can't explain. Today I wasn't worried at all and BOOM. Kind of ironic I think.

Do yourself a favor and make sure you get tested twice and get a second opinion. If your doctor is worth his/her salt, they'll have already mentioned this to you.

Unless you've had to deal with doctors in a day-to-day struggle for survival --- yours or a loved one's --- then you probabaly don't realize how easy it is for a mistake to be made. Or for a doctor to be over-cautious.

I once went in for a chest x-ray about 6 years ago, and the doctor found a "dark spot" that he was worried could be lung cancer (me, a non-smoker). That was Monday. By Thursday of the same week -- the day he scheduled for a follow up exam -- I had talked myself into it being cancer. I was such a nervous wreck that I forgot how to drive to downtown Seattle. I had to have the nurse talk me through how to drive to the hospital over my cell phone. I couldn't find the exits or streets to take. Thank God she was patient enough to do it.

Was it cancer? No. It was a bunch of phlegm and congestion from a chest cold; by Thursday the x-ray showed almost zero trace of it since it had cleared up by that time. But because the doctor said "let's have this looked at; I want to rule out cancer" - that's all my hyperactive mind needed to create an entire drama.

Leukemia - I don't wish any harm like that on anyone. Please keep us informed of whatever you find out.

[JamesBannon]

It's not a prognosis, it's not even a diagnosis yet. Blood cell counts, sedimentation rates, etc. react to all sorts of things from simple inflammation to malignant disease. Don't cross bridges until you have to, but get it checked. Even if it does turn out to be malignant, chances are fair to good that it can be cured with modern chemotherapy.

[yellowfin43]

I think you're more ass than smartass, but I don't wish leukemia on you. Hopefully it'll turn out to be an anomalous reading.
nice to know who my friends are. Your the best cock sukket.....I mean sock puppet. My typing is horrible.

[chunksmediocrites]

ZOMG NAME BURN! SAVE YOUR STRENGTH FOR ROOF PLATELETS
and cut and pasting stories without attribution, and using big words to show off

[The Lone Ranger]

It's not a prognosis, it's not even a diagnosis yet. Blood cell counts, sedimentation rates, etc. react to all sorts of things from simple inflammation to malignant disease. Don't cross bridges until you have to, but get it checked. Even if it does turn out to be malignant, chances are fair to good that it can be cured with modern chemotherapy.

:yeahthat:


Best wishes,

Michael

[Dragar]

The point to remember here is that you are dealing with two separate probabilities here.

First, it's rare for you to have a high platelet count without having something wrong with you (such as lukemia). That's why the doctor is concerned.

But it's also very rare to have something wrong with you, such as lukemia! That's why you shouldn't worry too much.

So bear in mind these two aspects of the probabilities. Lukemia is a rare disease, so one symptom is by no means a sure diagnosis.

Hope it turns out well for you, and do let us know.

[Sock Puppet]

nice to know who my friends are. Your the best cock sukket.....I mean sock puppet. My typing is horrible.:aww:

[Dingfod]

I once went in for a chest x-ray about 6 years ago, and the doctor found a "dark spot" that he was worried could be lung cancer (me, a non-smoker).

Was it cancer? No. It was a bunch of phlegm and congestion from a chest cold . . . Whoa, that could've been a spruce tree.

[yellowfin43]

Hey thanks everybody for responding. It really is somewhat of a comfort to hear your responses. Even the lighthearted mean ones (Sock Puppet) but I won't mention names. I also have active Crohn's disease and Crohn's related arthritis. Both of which, I have recently discovered, can cause a high platelet count. So I think my family doc might just be being overly cautious due to his lack of expertise in both areas.........I hope. Thanks again, Tony

[Tanda]

Thanks for letting us know what you found out, Tony. Have you had your other appointment yet? I hope that they are related and that you won't have to worry about a new diagnosis.

Take care of you.
:panda:

[JamesBannon]

If your Crohn's was active, that would certainly screw up your blood results. I have gout & whenever I get an acute attack, my blood counts & liver tests get shot to hell. It's just the body's defence mechanism kicking in (in your case, with active Crohn's, to your detriment).

[yellowfin43]

Thanks for letting us know what you found out, Tony. Have you had your other appointment yet? I hope that they are related and that you won't have to worry about a new diagnosis.

Take care of you.
:panda:
i go next Thursday.

[seebs]

I really hope it turns out to be only the crippling suffering you're already aware of and not a new one. :)

[yellowfin43]

Great news! He said it's only anemia and nothing else. I have to take iron 3 times a day till I get back to normal and nothing else needs to be done. What a big relief. Thanks all, Tony

[Master Taran]

:2thumbsup:

[Chris Porter]

Good news!

[Doctor X]

Great news! He said it's only anemia and nothing else. I have to take iron 3 times a day till I get back to normal and nothing else needs to be done. What a big relief. Thanks all, Tony

Sooooo . . . you will still be needing your stereo?

:darn:

--J.D.

[Deadlokd]

It's leukemia! L-E-U-K-E-M-I-A! Arrgh! I'm going through the roof here! Literally!

Glad it isn't leukemia Yellowfin.

[Dingfod]

I recommend a daily dose of irony.

[Deadlokd]

:P

[SharonDee]

Arrgh! I'm going through the roof here! Literally!:whygod:

[yellowfin43]

Sooooo . . . you will still be needing your stereo?

:darn:

--J.D.
Unfortunately for you........yes. Hope your not too disappointed. Actually it's not that nice anyway.