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Changes to MCV results

Posted , 2 users are following.

Paula2212
Paula2212

Hello everyone.

My 83 year old mothers methotrexate has just been increased to 20mg from 15mg as Consultant said we have not got the balance right yet as the pain comes back when we try to reduce prednisolone below 5mg daily. Looking at the last blood results just before hits most recent increase at yesterday's appointment, for the first time, one blood marker was out of the normal range. The MCV reads 32.1 when previously it has been 94.6. Been on methotrexate now since October 20 2015 so we are worried about what this MCV change might be showing. Obviously it didn't concern the Consultant which I guess is positive. Has this happened to anyone else or can anyone suggest what it might mean?

Thanks so much and hoping everyone is keeping well.

 

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • goggi
    goggi Paula2212

    Posted

    Hi Paula, I think if I was you I would double check with the consultant about the significant drop in the MCV. I say this because it is better be 'safe than sorry'

    If you don't want to appear to be questioning him/her you can always say you're worried that increasing the dose would drop the MCV even further. Is your mother on analgesia as well as the MTX and Prednisolone?

    • Paula2212
      Paula2212 goggi

      Posted

      Hello Goggi and thanks for your kind reply.

      mum sometimes takes analgesic though not often. She is much improved happily but this is the first time her MCV has changed. I wasn't aware until I got home and the consultant had made up her methotrexate book so I was worried when I saw it. She has been a bit more breathless recently too.

      The specialist nurse isn't back until next week but I'll call her then, thanks again.

      Paula

  • goggi
    goggi Paula2212

    Posted

    You're welcome Paula.  Let us know how you get on. Don't know where you are but it's good that you get copies of test results. Hope your mother is in good form, take care.
    • Paula2212
      Paula2212 goggi

      Posted

      I'm in Kent Goggi. Mums much relieved bless her. She's such a lovely lady and I've seen her getting frailer this past couple of years anyway and this RA has come out of the blue, or rather it did of course. Because of her age, I worry more about the drugs etc and consultant said at first had her bloods and tests not been as good as they were, she would not normally have been recommending methotrexate so no idea what the options would have been then as I know mum couldn't have gone on as she was when this all first started. Thanks so much for your replies, all the best to you too.

      paula.

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