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Original poster

me again, im just trying to work out whats wrong with my FIL

12 replies

nailpolish · 06/04/2006 08:06

he went for an USS and they have discovered an enlarged spleen. that with his chronic anaemia, could have been a number of things?

but now they are talking of bone marrow biopsies. so this means Blood disorder? in worst case Leukaemia? he has other symptoms like nosebleeds, painful abdo, weak shaky hands, (i dont know much about haematology)

can anyone help? the doctors at the hospital sure cant

TIA

OP posts:
sassy · 06/04/2006 08:41

Hi NP, been watching for this since you posted about bowel cancer last week.

Glad its not C. No advice about other things, just wanted to bump this for you.

Sassy x

Original poster
nailpolish · 06/04/2006 09:19

hi sassy

thanks

OP posts:
Jennypog · 06/04/2006 09:25

Well, I have a blood disorder called Essential Thrombocythaemia which is when the body produces too many platelets. A bone marrow biopsy is when they take a small amount of bone marrow, together with a portion of bone. I had one, it wasn't nice and I hope not to have another for a while, but it wasn't agony.

He could have leukaemia, but with an enlarged spleen he could have Myelofibrosis. I hate writing all of this because a diagnosis of myelofibrosis is not good at all, but you asked . . . If he has myelofibrosis there are two support groups in the US that are really very helpful to me. I don't think I can post the addresses up here. He may not have either of these, but you need to know treatment options if he does and the US groups are brilliant for this. Are you in England?

oops · 06/04/2006 09:56

maybe he has an auto- immune problem, where his body is breaking down the platelets.
This is serious, but i believe can be controlled with drugs.
It could be leukaemia or some sort of other cancer too, though Sad
I think the only thing you can do is ask his doctors for advice, we can come up with all sorts on here, but may never get the right diagnosis..

i am sorry you are going through this, and hope you get an answer soon.

nailpolish · 06/04/2006 13:22

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Jennypog · 06/04/2006 16:40

NP

A worrying time for you all, I am sure. Let us know how he goes on at the hospital.

I hope they find that it is nothing too much to worry about, and remember that there are some leukaemias that are quite indolent in nature and don't mean an instant death sentence, if they find this is his problem, which of course it may not be. I hope that your family has good luck in this instance.

Original poster
nailpolish · 06/04/2006 16:42

thanks jenny

im hoping its one of these strange sounding anaemias or something non-sinister

OP posts:
nightcat · 09/04/2006 22:34

Hi there
The symptoms you describe are ALL typical of prolonged and untreated celiac (or coeliac - depending where you live).

I hope you don't have a battle getting tests for this.

The only effective "treatment" dealing with the real cause is gluten-free diet plus various supplements depending on what deficiencies have been discovered - there could be many.

But if this got serious, there could be other complications, ulcers, Crohn's, colitis... lots of other things, but diet can help tremendously, so don't overlook that on top of whatever else is suggested.
This is my first message, I have been looking into this for for my mum, so I hope it helps you too. All the best.

georginarf · 09/04/2006 22:55

hi NP, I posted on your last thread about your FIL.

Sorry, no idea what this could all be, but wanted to post something on here, hope he gets some answers soon

georginarf · 09/04/2006 22:56

bah posted too early, meant to say as I've been wondering how he's getting on. Sorry it's not going well.

Jennypog · 10/04/2006 13:28

Can Coeliac disease cause an enlarged spleen? I know that when I was first diagnosed with ET (too many platelets) they ran a check for coeliac disease because (I believe) they can run a blood test for this. I am neurotic about my spleen (sounds ridiculous), but I don't have an enlarged one, but if it starts to enlarge, the hospital has said that I will need to have another bone marrow biopsy (Oh No) which I seriously dread.

Nail polish - how is he?

Original poster
nailpolish · 11/04/2006 10:05

he got out on friday, just cos it was the weekend i suppose and they had no plans for him over the weekend. he went to stay with dh's brother who has a big house and therefore a spare bedroom

he was in his bed the whole time Sad

and didnt eat anything, his stomach is concave

he also had sickness and diarrhoea, but i think thats rife in the hospital (lots of wards are shut cos of an outbreak)

anyway he went back to the gp yesterday and his Hb is back down to 7 despite 2 units of rcc on friday

so hes back in hospital

im really writing this to get it straight in my head, so bear with me Smile

enlarged spleen
low RCC
low Hb
enlarged lymph node in his neck
losing weight
nosebleeds

and prob more FIL isnt telling us

he says the nurse told him his WCC and platelets are fine (but dh and i dont trust FIL 100% to tell us the whole truth)

he has had an ultrasound, there are plans for a bone marrow biopsy and a CT scan

i am not thinking leukaemia anymore (as WCC are ok) but maybe some wierdy anaemia? non-Hodgkins?

argh

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