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Husband diagnosed with Polycythemia, what does this mean?

Posted , 11 users are following.

shamisty
shamisty

Hi, I'm writing on behalf of my husband.  He's 41 and was recently diagnosed by his primary doctor of having Polycythemia and was told he has blood cancer.  Is this true?  We haven't seen an oncologist or hematologist yet, but he's very afraid.  I also read that polycythemia is secondary to something else he might have, such as liver or kidney cancer.  Is this also true?  He has been complaining a lot of lower back pains and also his left side of his abdomen has been hurting.  We are really afraid, we have 2 small children.  Any help is greatly appreciated!

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  • julia15874
    julia15874 shamisty

    Posted

    Hi, I hope your husbands okay, Fill me in with how he is and what tests etc he's had as I too are seeing a specialist this week for high blood count and symptoms of polycythaemia, so it's a scary time, one minute I feel anxious about the out come, then I think it's fine It will be fine and I won't have it and the last four blood tests were wrong and when my specialist does my new blood tests it will be normal. I've had the most horrendoes palpitations, itchy skin especially in the bath,headaches and other strange symptoms. It's been two years of back and forth to the doctors and I was thinking it was the start of the change been 46 and three years since having a hysterectomy, or I was going crazy!

  • suzanne39805
    suzanne39805 shamisty

    Posted

    Hi Shamisty ,Polycythemia is a type of blood cancer, but you can live a long life with it.  Polycythemia is not a secondary to another cancer usually. If he has pain on his on the left side of his abdomen it is because his spleen is trying to deal with all of the extra cells in his blood, once he starts treatment things will get much better.  If you have any other questions feel free to ask.
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