Hi, I am really worried that after having 6 ct scans in the last 18 months I have developed Leukemia from the radiation I have had.
Current my blood results don’t look to bad but I had a high ferritin result which had remained high since February, does anyone have any such blood result? The other two things that are lower than the norm are lymphocytes and eosinophils both of which I think are linked to white blood cells.
Finally whilst I am seemingly well I have quite a bit of pain in both my hips which seems to be getting worse and pain in my back feels like a rib on my right hand side, I have seen one the Leukemia symptoms is bone pain which is what these pains feel like. Does anyone else have this symptom? Of bone pain, in some respects it feels like my legs/thighs are cold but not to the touch.
I am a very anxious person so I am desperate to speak with others.
I am speaking with my gp about my concerns on Monday.
Alan, it is great that you are talking to your GP on Monday. As you mentioned bone pain is certainly one of the symptoms of blood cancer but it is also fair to say that if you took say 100 people with bone pain a MUCH higher number of them would NOT have blood cancer than would. The symptoms of blood cancer are vague and can be caused by lots of other things. So usually when we go to a doctor with symptoms it is to have blood cancer ruled out rather than because it is likely we have it. A high ferritin needs to be discussed with your doctor in its own right and as always with blood tests a lot depends on just how high it is. Sometimes that can be up due to inflamation or infection or it can be up for a specific health reason. Your GP is definitley the right person to go to with thee quite of questions. And he will also be able to eplain about the blood result changes you mention. If the doctor or hospital had been worried about your blood test they woud have called you straight away. We have people on this forum who were told to go straight to hospital same day. Clearly that didnt happen to you so whatever these changes are they cannot have been that worried by them. So as hard as it is not to worry, my advice would be to get a pen and paper or electronic note book and write down all teh things you are worried about and what you plan to do about each of them… in the case of what you have mentioned here it is talk to the GP tomorrow. There is nothing else to be done before then. So today then becomes aobut closing that notenbook and trying to put the issue out of your mind by some form of distraction. I do understand as just tonight I had to ring the hospital and think aobut whether I needed to go to A and E as I woke up with severe asthma symptoms despite being on high dose steroid. When I spoke to the nurse and worked out that I had done everything that I needed to do right now and had a plan (to talk to an out of hours GP in a few mins) she advised me to put some calming music on to listen to or some other way of getting back to the mometn. NOrmally I do that but I didnt think of it this time so it was nice that the nurse mentioned it and I sure found that my own anxiety which was high during the attack of asthma eased as I listened… so maybe you might find a similar thing. Welcome to the forum and I really hope that you will be able to leave us after you speak to your GP and he or she rules out blood cancer in your case! https://bloodcancer.org.uk/understanding-blood-cancer/blood-cancer-signs-symptoms/
I hope you are well and keeping safe during this time.
I am really sorry to hear of your situation, and I can hear how worried you are. It’s understandable to be concerned about experiencing changes to your health and for the reasons to be unclear. But you have done the right thing by reaching out for support.
Some of the symptoms you describe can be signs of blood cancer, but they can also be signs of other medical conditions too. This is why we would really encourage you to talk this through with your doctor, and it’s so encouraging to hear you’ll be doing this on Monday.
What might be helpful, Alan, is this link here: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/understanding-blood-cancer/blood-cancer-signs-symptoms/ to our website, I know this has been very helpfully mentioned already been in this topic. It discusses the signs and symptoms in a bit more detail. Some people find it useful to make notes of their symptoms and how long they’ve been going on for before an appointment with their doctor. This may help you feel a bit more prepared and give your doctor a more complete picture of what you’re experiencing.
I hope this helps so far, Alan? Please do feel free to get back in touch with us if you’d like to talk through anything that’s on your mind.
You can call us for emotional support via our free and confidential Support Line on 0808 2080 888 or get back to us via email on [support@bloodcancer.org.uk
Take care of yourself and warmest wishes, and do let us know how you get on, on Monday.
Hi @Red, a great big welcome, well you have already had 2 very comprehensive replies and details of the Blood Cancer UK support line. I am a great one for getting things checked out with my medical team. I need to write down all my questions, symptoms and fears before my appointment as I get anxious and say ‘I’m fine’. I also need to write the replies down and to ask those follow up questions. My mind takes over and goes off in all directions when I am anxious. Yes, as @Adrian says music and breathing techniques help me too, when I remember to take time out to do them. We are all here to support you and please let us know how you get on with your GP on Monday. You cannot do any more now so I would say do something nice today, I love a warm bubbly bath and a mug of hot chocolate, whatever takes your fancy. Take care
Hi @Adrian, sorry to hear about your continuing severe asthma problems. Your nurse sounds a brilliant, reassuring and caring person, aren’t we lucky to have them. perhaps it is a looking after and doing something you enjoy day today for you, if you can in your present situation. Aaaahhhh just a music day perhaps. Take care
Thanks for your comments, today I am feeling very unwell and feel my mind us not very clear at all. Seeming confused.
My father died of Acute myloid Leukemia and he was confused a lot, had to have regular blood transfusions,
This latest twist had added to my anxiety.
I also seem to have lost my appetite and even drinking tea I get an odd taste in my mouth.
Fir completeness my ferritin measurements have been done 4 times since Xmas, twice on nhs and were 607 and 648 an two privately and were 1002 and 997, my Gp said that was more likely a difference in how different labs calculate it. Whilst that seems far fetched the 997 one was followed by the 648 so unlikely it was so high then went down so may have something to do with calcs.
Sorry to hear that you are feeling very unwell and confused today and have had another twist to your anxiety Hang in there and perhaps as long as you take in liquids just try anything and the same with food. A nurse once said to me if we take enough blood tests we will find something amis and they only use one lab so there is continuity of test results. I have really found it helped me to tell my medical team my fears and anxieties, it gave them the whole picture. Can anyone else help @Red1?
@Red1 Alan, I’m so sorry to hear you have been feeling so unwell. I can only imagine what happened to your father is likely to add to your concerns- which is only natural.
Do you have any support around you, people you can talk to? Does anything help at all with your loss of appetite?
I hope tomorrow goes okay for you, we will be thinking of you
Hi, Sorry for delay in replying I speak with my GP on Monday and she agreed to carry out a full blood test.
My white cell count came back normal but three other white cell related measurements didn’t. The Basophils and monocytes count came back above the reference, and eosinophil count came back below limit.
Not sure what this means exactly hoping to speak to her again on Monday, but my reading on internet would suggest these results are not good
@Red1. I am sorry that your latest blood test results have added to your confusion and having to wait over the weekend to speak with your GP must be very stressful. I do not have the knowledge to be able to help, but just wanted you to know that I will be thinking of you
Hi @Red1, I cannot help with your blood test results and anyway your GP will also be looking at your medical history and symptoms as well. What it doesn’t stop is you having an anxious weekend, the internet is sometimes not a good idea, but we all do it, that’s life now. Take care and treat yourself this weekend and let us know how you get on speaking to your GP on Monday. For support you can contact the wonderful Blood Cancer UK Support Services Team on 0808 2080 888 10am-7pm Monday-Friday and 10am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday or via email at support@bloodcancer.org.uk. You can contact the wonderful Blood Cancer UK Support Services Team on 0808 2080 888 10am-7pm Monday-Friday and 10am to 1pm Saturday and Sunday or via email at support@bloodcancer.org.uk