Recent diagnosis, struggling with aspirin

Hi everyone, I hope this finds you well :slight_smile:

I was relieved to find this forum after hours (days!) of google research, I’m hoping there is someone else with similar issues.

I was diagnosed at the end of March and to be honest it was a bit of a relief having a reason for the chronic fatigue and other symptoms I’d experienced for months. I started taking 75mg aspirin on 27th March which was amazing for the first week. Simple things were ‘fixed’ and I felt great. From then though, it seems to have stopped working, which seems quick . I’m post menopause using HRT patches but having symptoms similar to starting a period which I haven’t had for many years and I wondered if anyone else had had a similar experience.

I’d appreciate any insight anyone can give, thanks in advance!

Deb

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Hi @DebScott, welcome to the forum and I’m glad you found us. That sense of relief at finally having an explanation for months of exhausting symptoms is something a lot of people here will recognise, myself included.

The questions you’re raising are ones I’d want our nurses to weigh in on. Those kinds of interactions are very much their territory and they’ll be able to give you much better guidance than I can. I’m tagging them here: @BloodCancerUK_Nurses

It would also be worth flagging the period-like symptoms to your haematology team or GP in the meantime as they’ll want to know about any unexpected bleeding, especially alongside your HRT.

As an aside, you might also find our MPN information pages helpful too.

Keep posting whenever you need to.

Ceri - Blood Cancer UK Support Services

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Dear @DebScott,

Welcome to the forum, so glad you found us! I am sure you will get some helpful and supportive replies from the community here.

I echo what @Ceri_BloodCancerUK has said, it would be worth getting in touch with your Haematology team to discuss your new symptoms. Were you given contact details for your team, or perhaps a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS)?

In order to give you the most relevant information do you mind me asking which Myeloproliferative neoplasms ('MPN') you have been diagnosed with?

You are very welcome to call us if you would like to talk in more detail, our number is 0808 2080 888.

Best Wishes,
Heidi J (Support Services Nurse)

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Hi Heidi and Cerie,

Thank you both so much for responding - and so quickly! Apologies for the delayed response, just a bit tired!

I did send an email to the Haematology unit and spoke to one of the secretaries but haven’t received a reply as yet, hence reaching out to you guys.

I have Thrombocytosis - Primary due to a. JAK2 mutation. I have a bone marrow biopsy on Thursday so I’m hoping that will provide some answers and then an abdominal scan later in the month.

I am assuming that all these things are my body adjusting - some changes have been really positive! - as I’m sure everyone does I’m just wondering if some things are usual or not.

Again, I really appreciate your support it meant a lot. Thank you :folded_hands:t3:

Deb xx

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Hello there @DebScott, welcome to the forum. I’m sorry to read you’ve had a recent diagnosis after months of symptoms, but like you say sometimes finding out can be a great sense of relief.

May I just check it’s Essential thrombocythemia ('ET') you were diagnosed with? There are so many blood disorders that many have similar sounding names, and some aren’t considered blood cancer like Essential thrombocythemia ('ET') and would likely have different treatments, if at all.

If it’s Essential thrombocythemia ('ET') you were diagnosed with then you will find many folks here on the forum living well with Myeloproliferative neoplasms ('MPN') like Essential thrombocythemia ('ET') and Polycythaemia vera ('PV'), just use the search box at the top to find us and the posts we’ve shared around the forum. If Essential thrombocythemia ('ET') is your diagnosis then I’m sure you’ll find this Blood Cancer UK research helpful: Essential thrombocythaemia | Blood Cancer UK

Like you I was diagnosed with a JAK2 gene mutation and had a bone marrow biopsy which, for me, led onto a diagnosis of Polycythaemia vera ('PV'). My treatment was also asprin to thin my blood, which I’d already been taking daily for many years, and hydroxyurea to slow down blood cell overproduction.

Like dear @Ceri_BloodCancerUK and Nurse @Heidi-J-BloodCancerUK suggest, I’d say at this early stage after diagnosis it’s wise to pass anything and everything past your haematologist or CNS. They’ll want to know about changes in any symptoms, how their treatments are working, and any changes of note.

Something that can help with Myeloproliferative neoplasms ('MPN') is to keep note of symptoms. With Myeloproliferative neoplasms ('MPN') we can exerience quite a range and keeping note can help our specialists know how we’re getting on. One way that we can keep note is with an app like this MPN Voice app or this MPN Tracker.

Do please let us know how you get on @DebScott and do have a further look around the forum to find other survivors of Myeloproliferative neoplasms ('MPN'), you are certainly not alone with your queries and concerns.

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