Re: How often do you check counts once in remission?

From: Marla
Date: 01 Nov 2004
Time: 19:07:06 -0500
Remote Name: 69.227.68.2

Comments

I agree with Marlene. Basically, know what the parameters are and pay attention to how you feel and any symptoms like excessive petechia or tiredness, etc. I had my CBC done twice a week--Tues and Thurs. My doctor set up standing orders for me to transfuse when reds were below 8 hgb and plts below 15K, the dosages for Tylenol and/or Benedryl if needed, single donor platelets, red cells to be filtered and irradiated. If my CBC showed that my counts were below that, then I'd get a copy of my CBC and make an appt. with the procedure center for a transfusion. I even let myself go down lower than what was recommended--i.e. hgb in the 6s (don't recommend doing that if you have heart problems or kidney problems) and plts below 8K before going in for transfusions. I rarely had to see my doctor, and basically when I did, it was just to follow up on how things were going, and at that point we'd discuss what else could be done like taking a chemistry panel, B12, homocysteine levels, or folate levels, or iron panel or should we continue desferal, etc. Very quick, short visits occasionally. A lot of this is a waiting game, so your brother should try to engage in other things to occupy his mind to keep from all the anxiety. Otherwise, all this waiting can get nerve racking and downright frustrating. Hopefully, he'll be a quick responder, but if not, even us slow responders responded. Take care. Marla Marlene, how did the Weston Price convention go? Anything worth sharing?