Polly

Alice · Post by **Alice** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 7:39 am

Hi,

I'm concerned about Maggie and her tests. Have you heard from her?
PM me if you prefer. Thanks!

Love,
Alice

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:31 am

Hi Alice,

Maggie is still in the process of getting tests. She has been PMing me to discuss some of the results. So far it appears that her health problems can be treated successfully - in fact she has already started one new medication. I'm sure she'll update us when all of the results are in.

Love,

Polly

Alice · Post by **Alice** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 10:48 am

Thanks! She told me she was getting results on Monday. That's good news about treatments!

Alice

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 1:29 pm

Hi Ladies,

Alice, I had you on the list for a PM but just have not been able to get to it.

Not to keep everyone in the dark.

The results of all the blood tests has indicated that I have a condition called macrocytosis and it will be monitored on an ongoing basis. It is not a condition that makes any sense to me but it is one I have. It is not one that really seems to adversely affect your health it is just enlarged red blood cells.

The other condition is ridiculous readings on cholesterol and both Polly and my doctor have advised me not to go off the deep end. I have started to take Lipitor and it will be 2 weeks this Monday. My doctor is concerned that my cholesterol - total and bad boys - increased dramatically - her words - since 2003. I never had a problem with cholesterol so I was very surprised. I am having stress test next week to see that everything is OK.

Alice, thanks so much for being concerned and I do have to say I was quite scared since my sister who died at 41 has very serious blood problems so it really freaked me out. Cholesterol is the gene pool I was born into - every relative had horrible #s but me.

Polly thanks so much for all of the help you have been. You will never know how much of a calming effect you had on me.

The upside of all of this (and I always look for positives) is that I am being very cautious about stress and have told them at work that I really do not want to be over stressed and if I just don't have enough energy I will have to call it a day. This will be done very sparingly. One of my co-workers who is 41 just had a heart attack 3 weeks ago and he was a smoker but never really sick a day. I will not follow that road - I want to be aware if any other problems exist.

Thanks to both of you and sorry for keeping everyone in the dark.

Love, Maggie

Post by **tex** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 3:01 pm

Hi Maggie,

This may be irrelevant, but if your results showed any signs of anemia, the enlarged red blood cells are probably due to a deficiency of folic acid or vitamin B-12. Since your doctor should surely be aware of this, probably some other issue is the cause.

I hope the Lipitor works, and the stress test goes well.

Love,
Wayne

Alice · Post by **Alice** » Thu Feb 02, 2006 3:17 pm

Thanks fo the update, Maggie. I knew you were scared, and normally you are not one to panic - very strong and calm about things. Phew - am so glad it's all "fixable".

Did you know that Bruce has genetically bad cholesterol numbers? He's gotten better by maintaining a very strict diet, exersizing and taking red yeast rice. But the HDL is still not great. Not that you should copy him - take the Lipitor and follow the expert advise of your two docs.

Keep me posted on how you do on the Lipitor - okay?

Love,
Alice

Lucy · Post by **Lucy** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 4:11 am

Yep, Wayne, the B-12 is the first thing I thought of, and it's also involved in homocysteine metabolism, is it not?
That always the big concern when one is a vegetarian as Maggie is probably already well aware.

Maggie, did he say you had pernicious anemia by any chance?

Guess he'll suggest you take the folate with it, just to avoid the levels being masked while you're on B-12. Probably a good idea since gf folks don't get the folic acid fortification in the more commonly eaten grains.

Pernicious anemia is a serious thing if left untreated, so please don't delay getting on the appropriate amounts of absorbable B-12 if indeed this is the condition that you have.
I know that the injections of B-12 I gave my dad gradually brought the size of the RBCs to normal over time, just like clock work.

I'm glad you are being aggressive with the cholesterol. Sounds like you're being a very good patient!

Just saw this in passing, so of course, had to throw in my 2 cents worth.

Yours, Luce

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:59 am

Hi Everyone,

Wayne & Lucy - Anemia has been completely ruled out. B12 and folic readings are excellent so pernicious anemia has been ruled totally out. As usual, none of the factors that one would have associated with a condition. Always has seemed to be the way of the Mags. He has also ruled out a bone marrow biopsy at this point in time. He is an excellent hematologist and very well respected so I am going to go with his advice.

I am being a good patient and will be on Tuesday for the stress test but definitely am not looking forward to it.

Everyone, thanks so much for your concern and will do just as the doctor orders.

Maggie

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 7:04 am

I don't think Maggie would mind if I let you know that her B-12 and folate levels were normal. Also, she is not anemic.....in fact, her blood count (hematocrit and hemoglobin) are higher than normal!

But that was good thinking, Wayne and Luce, because pernicious anemia certainly can go along with MC.

Maggie, I am so happy to hear that you are exploring ways to reduce stress. Good for you! Have you been birding lately? It may be just what the doctor ordered!

Love,

Polly

P.S. OOPS, I see that Magggie posted just beofre I did!

Post by **tex** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 8:49 am

Has hypothyroidism been ruled out? That should be given very serious consideration, since undiagnosed and untreated hypothyroidism can cause both macrocytosis and high cholesterol levels.

Love,
Wayne

Mars · Post by **Mars** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 9:16 am

Maggie!

I've been through quite a few stress tests and they stress you out just waiting for the test and the results worse than the test itself! Go figure!

You feel better soon - OK???? I'll be thinking of you!

Love ya,
Mars

CAMary · Post by **CAMary** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 10:41 am

Maggie-

I'm so sorry to hear you are having some health concerns!! It sounds like you are in good hands, however, and I'm glad you like your doctor (very important, IMO!!). With no clear-cut explanation, it sounds like some of this may be the result of genetics...I know my dad's family has a history of heart disease, and my mom's has lots of cancer. You can do *everything* right in terms of taking good care of yourself, but you cannot lower your genetic risks, unfortunately.

I'm glad you are looking to relieve stress - maybe you can get an Rx for birding

Please take good care and keep us updated. We are all here for support when you need it!!

Love,
Mary

MaggieRedwings · Post by **MaggieRedwings** » Fri Feb 03, 2006 12:29 pm

Well the thyroid is just fine. The cholesterol issue is definitely the gene pool or so they say.

Something else that is new with me is that I have cut down to a maxium of one small cigar per day and it has been going pretty good. Sometimes on the weekend I have exceeded but nothing like I used to smoke. This was started on 1/5/06 - before I even went to the doctor's.

Polly - No birding lately. It seems each weekend there is something to do and to be honest, we are so happy where we live now that we just bird locally in the early mornings. Moving was the best thing we ever did.

Everyone have a great weekend and thanks again.

Love, Maggie