Hi all
Can anyone enlighten me if Hct reading is within the normal range of 0.37-0.47 then venesection need not be done?
I am on a combined treatment of Hydrea & Venesection, but have had just one venesection this year.
I am already on warfarin treatemet for blood clot in leg, my blood was very thick the last day I had visit to haematology section on 4th July, the warfariin reading (INR) was only 1.9, haemotoligy section had a record of INR which was done the same morning on the blood result printout. Have to go back to Haematology section in 3 weeks time. I feel I could do with a venesectio to get rid of some blood! Nurse last year on one of my visits said my blood was very thick, advised me to drink plenty water which I am attempting to do. I will bring up this question at my next appointment. Am going for INR test every week, my reading was 2.3 but warfarin clinic want the reading to be 2.5.
Sorry I cannot help @PVMags but if you are anything like me I find it is worth writing down all my questions before an appointment otherwise I get there and my mind goes blank.
All questions are valid questions in my opinion.
Look after yourself and please let us know how you get on and oh, keep drinking the water.
Thank you so much Rammie 18. It is clear now to me why venesection hasn’t been done. I’ll put that on record.
Probably most ppl with Polycythaemia vera (PV) aren’t on blood thinners as well. In that case I will put the question to them next time re my warfarin test results as Haematology Clinic nurse usually obliges & does the INR. My warfarin clinic also falls every Tuesday, so no point in having two blood samples taken. I’ll just check out with them re low INR readings as have been getting palpations when INR is low.
Two different conditions I know, but both related to the blood flow throught the body!
Thank you once again Erica. In fact I always have pen & notebook with me & write down as much as possible. When staff see the notebook out, they know the patient means business!!
They are now giving me a printout of blood results! Was only when I got home I noticed the low INR reading. As that isn’t their area as such, then probably they don’t have to bother with it.
Yes hard to drink water! but if I transfer water from large bottle into a sports bottle it is easier to get it down the hatch!!
Oh @PVMags yes, after all these years I go to appointments with my pen and paper and definitely mean business.
I also get my blood tests print outs.
That is a really good handy hint transferring water from a large bottle to a sports bottle practicality and psychologically, thanks so much for your post.
Take care of yourself
I have heart failure too so includes in my chemist collection of pills that really double up as breakfast and dessert and kinda think they are all helping the same cause. What’s is useful is all your medical team knowing what meds you take.
My father is diabetic and his English isn’t the best so I made him a laminated credit card size medical card with all his meds he takes and so at any appointment he can just easily show the doctor. I would and should really do one for me but as it’s all available on the NHS app (well after persistent logins and security checks).
It’s also really good to be mindful of any sideeffects and not to think they only appear at the start of treatment but also can pop up a few weeks later
Hello @PVMags
I hope you are well.
Just to let you know that the normal HCT (Haematocrit) level for females is 0.37 - 0.47 (or 37%-47%) and for males 0.42 - 0.52. Venesection is considered not just on the HCT count, a patient’s haemoglobin (Hb) and other counts also need to be stable. It’s a balancing act of managing the HCT count and not causing the patient to be anaemic, by taking too much blood away.
If a patient is on blood thinners there is less ‘urgency’ to venesect if the count is slightly high, and as always a patient’s symptoms are taken into account (which is why everyone should be honest with their Haematologist if they are experiencing symptoms).
Do ask your specialist what your particular ‘normal’ count range is, they may want your counts to be slightly below or they may be happy for them to be slightly raised from the average for people without Polycythaemia vera (PV).
When to treat or not is very individual, your health history and medications are taken into account.
I hope this all makes sense, do call our support line if it would be helpful to talk this through.
Best wishes, Heidi.
Good evening Heidi
I was diagnosed with Polycythaemia vera (PV) awhile ago and had regularly venus sections until i went onto chemotherapy injections which are Interferon Alfa - thay have tripled my dose from 60mg to 180mg to try and regulate my blood but to no avail and its now .55 which is quite high so having to go for sections now as well.
Normally i go every 5 weeks to help maintain my levels,ir might be worth asking about the injections or you can take tablets called Hydroxycarbamide,it’s always worth asking as much as you can.Hope you get on ok and don’t worry as thay know there stuff.
Symon
I agree @Symon it is always worth asking as much as you can.
Please do keep updating us how you are.
We are all very special complex beings.
Look after yourself.
I have Polycythaemia vera (PV) too and I have been told, I only need venisection over .45 too. Like everyone has said though, it’s always good to ask but if you’re like me, you may forget something, so I’m starting to jot tings down, to take with me. So far I’ve not forgotten to take the paper.
