Possible MDS

[NESon]

My father has a recent history of lowering CBCs. Red, White and Platlets are all a little off and lowering steadily. I regret I don’t have the latest counts with me at the moment. I I certainly will post them later. The doctor’s concern is the lowering counts VS severity of current deficiency.

Dad was referred to a hemotologist. The hemotologist indicated that lowered CBCs could be the result of vitamin deficiencies etc. I was hoping for this as the resolution seems simple enough. But the Hemotologist dashed my hope indicating he didn’t think vitamin deficiency was the issue. Dad had an ultrasound yesterday and has a slightly enlarged spleen and polyps on upper urinary tract and near liver.

Dad was to have a BMB early next week. That is postponed due to results of ultrasound … we’re likely on to meet a liver specialist & urologist. Dad had first of four weekly B12 shots today. Hemotologist says dad will very likely have a BMB in a few weeks.

The question I wished I asked, but didn’t, was as follows. Is a BMB to proove/disprove the existence of MDS OR merely to determine the type / severity of MDS. Hemotologist and main doc have discussed no other explaination for low CBCs. I am hoping there may be another option.

I am used to medical stuff with dad over the past 20 years. Back, hip, other surgeries. Heart valve replacement, modest heart attack, upper aortic aneurysm. While not cavalier I’ve always had a sense things were going to be resolved. This MDS stuff leaves me most worried and I fear we’ve perhaps arrived at the start of a nasty series of events. I am struggling to find explanations / light / hope as I have never done before. I do not easily worry, but now I am.

Is there something other than MDS that would account for low CBCs? Any insight is appreciated.

Thanks

[Zoe]

NESon,

I am sorry you and your family are going through this. To answer your question, the BMB will reveal much. It is not used exclusively for MDS, but can help diagnose it or other issues. It will also show if there is any chromosome damage.

Have they done blood tests to rule out nutritional deficiencies? Many things can cause low CBC’s besides MDS, although the fact that all lines are dropping dose often point to bone marrow failure disases. Even if it is MDS, there are so many new treatments to help, so don’t despair.

Keep us posted,
Zoe

[NESon]

I’ve got the CBCs …
5/17 6/4
WBC 2.9 2.8
RBC 3.51 3.61
Platlets 91k 125k

Although rising between these data points, I think they are down from earlier in year.

From what I’ve read … these are low, but perhaps not so bad????

Thanks

[Zoe]

No, not too bad.

Zoe

[marlene]

I am a believer in ruling out the simple stuff and for the docs not to speculate based on a cbc.

The simple stuff is to check for B12, B6, folate, zinc, copper, MMA and homocystience. Sounds like he might be b12 deficient if they have started to give him shots. B12 is key to producing red cells, a healthy bone marrow and a lower homocysteine leve (usu elevated in those with cardiac issuess.

Also, look at what meds he’s on. Medications can effect all three lines. Statins, blood thinners. BTW, all statins deplete your body’s level of CoQ10. We have a friend who’s heart meds effected his blood counts.

A BMB is required in order to see what is really going on and until they have it, they should not speculate on diagnosis because like Zoe said, there are other reasons. My husband had Severe Aplastic Anemia which causes all three lines to fail but there are no abnormalities with cells. I remeber when we started this journey, they jumped to the conclusion of leukemia before getting the results and they were so wrong.

Those counts are not bad and appear to be stable for now. It’s important to monitor the trends vs just one cbc.

[jga_socal]

Here is another clue from the CBC. On the CBC is an item called “mean corpuscular volume” (MCV), normal range is 81 – 99. Basically this is the average size of the red blood cells. ( See Here ). If MDS is at work, the number will most likely be larger than 99. Mine got up to 110.
According to labreportsonline.org the number is:
“Increased with B12 and Folate deficiency; decreased with iron deficiency and thalassemia”
Jim

[NESon]

I sincerely appreciate everyone’s response. It is nice to be able to reflect on your collective analysis. Yep, dad is on coumadin so perhaps that is playing with his counts. Come to think of it is also on many other meds too … hmmm.

Dad is at the doctor as I post this message. I think it is just to set up more referrals, but perhaps some additional insight will be offered. Of course I realize that the docs are just as much in the dark as we are until a BMB is done … perhaps even then.

Thanks again

[Joan2438]

I just tried to access labreportsonline.org and got message that on 5-12-08 the name was returned to domain or something like that. Anyway, can’t get anything with that web address.

Joan

[Zoe]

Do you mean Lab Tests On-Line? http://www.labtestsonline.org/

They do have good basic info on different tests.

Zoe

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