Panick Mode has set in

Squirrel28
Squirrel28 Member Posts: 1
in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1

I went to my doctor for a regular check up and blood work and was surprised with more tests and they are setting up an appointment with a hematologist

I know what each word on the CBC means and does, but I don't understand it as a whole:

WBC 3.7 (which at minimum should be 4)

RBC 3.24 (which at minimum should be 3.8)

Hemoglobin 11.1 (which at min. should be 11.5)

Hematocrit 31.9 (which at min should be 34)

Neutrophils 7.0 (which at min should be 40)

Lymphocytes 64.1 (which at max should be 48)

Blasts 18.4 (which should be 0)

Nucleated RBCs 1 (which should be 0)

says atypical/immature mononuclear cells.  Differential diganosis includes circulating blasts versus lymphoma cells.My doctor started off with works like lymphoma, leukemia, lymphocytosis, and Leukopenia.  I am 47 with kids, work 40-60 hours a week and scared to death and unfortunately having pitty parties.

Comments

  • Sandy Ray
    Sandy Ray Member Posts: 144 Member
    #2
    Hang in there

    it is natural to always think the worst. Just hang in there. Let them get the firm diagnosis and then go from there.

    All through my diagnosis there were ups and downs. Partial diagnosis does not give you enough to know where you really are. At the beginning it looked like I might have 12-18 months. At final diagnosis the Dr gave me a little better than 50% chance. 2 days ago the PET scan came back all clear complete remission and Dr thinks things went so well he expects no reoccurrence. 

    I am not telling you I know your outcome. I am not telling you to build false hope. I am saying take one day at a time. Enjoy every day you feel good with your family. No one knows the outcome. However there are a lot of people on here who have had some scary stuff and are now doing just fine. Just push the Dr to get answers and then research and get second opinions I went to 3 Dr. To verify course of treatment.

    Come to this forum and ask questions or just to vent. Everyone is different but many of us have and do have the same emotions and have and or going through very similar issues. We all have different personalities and handle these type things differently. 

    Please keep us updated !

    Sandy Ray

  • lrclum
    lrclum Member Posts: 5
    edited June 2017 #3
    CBC Results

    1.  I would recommend you let your doc interpret those CBC results for you. I was diagnosed, received chemo and I am in complete remission, and most of my blood values are still either low normal or below normal and my onc is not concerned and neither am I (most of the time).  2.  When you have a diagnosis you will have plenty of information to worry about and you will. All of those words your doc used are terrifying, I'm sorry your doc used them all and didn't wait until he could use only the ones that apply and then interpreted what he could for you. You don't need to be frightened any more than you already are. 3. Re: "pity parties" -I would be compassionate with yourself ; you are allowed self-pity and terror and anger and all sorts of so-called negative emotions. Any cancer diagnosis is terrible and terrifying.  You are allowed!!! Sandy Ray sounds like a great guy and very informed, listen to the people who are helpful to you.  If you get a second or third opinion and decide to stay with your onc and he/she doesn't have great social skills, find someone on the medical team who does: nurse, social worker, counsellor, patient adovocate etc.  You need and deserve compassionate care. If anything I have said helps, I am glad; if not, ignore it and find someone whose support helps. You are worth it and you need it. Peace.

  • po18guy
    po18guy Member Posts: 1,509 Member
    edited June 2017 #4
    Too early

    You do not have cancer until a pathology report says you have cancer. Lymphoma does not show up in blood tests until it is very late stage, with widespread disease. It would be completely obvious. Your numbers are not that far off, really. If you must entertain a cancer, let it be an indolent leukemia. That might account for the blast cells being where they do not belong. An aggressive leukemia would likely have you in the hospital at this point. Stil, it could be an autoimmune disease or other condition. Wait for pathology and act on it. How is panic going to help?

  • Sandy Ray
    Sandy Ray Member Posts: 144 Member
    #5
    CBC before diagnosis

    Squirrel28,

    Thought I might show you my CBC results before diagnosis

    WBC     2.2

    RBC.     4.73

    Hemoglobin.  11.6

    Hematocrit.  41

    My numbers have been low before diagnosis and all during treatments. They are all just part of the puzzle.

    No matter what anyone tells you. Lymphoma requires a biopsy with a pathology report for definite diagnosis. While my Dr was pretty sure that was what I had there are too many types of Lymphoma to give serious outcomes without knowing what kind. I ended up with 2 types at the same time. One was an indolent Hodgkins type very rare about 1% of Lymphoma patients diagnosed with this type. The other was Non Hodgkins very aggressive and rare as well. 

    As far as panic hey you have children and you are concerned about them. Fully understandable. I pulled out life insurance policies,called my financial advisor,talked to boss at work. I wanted to make sure worst case my family was taken care of. Of course I preferred to stick around to take care of them myself.

    Just remember you can only control certain things. Focus on those things now and try to not get to far ahead of your diagnosis. Much easier said than done but will help you stay focused on things you can really control. When you get the diagnosis decide what course of treatment you want to pursue. Talk to Dr do research find a Dr you trust is listening and pays attention to what you tell them.  

    I am praying for good news and look forward to keeping up with your progress. While it is a tough road at times lots of people on this forum have been around for a while. Lots of success stories! 

    Sandy Ray

  • lindary
    lindary Member Posts: 711 Member
    #6
    blood counts

    I am a spreadsheet person so I have all of my CBC results in a spreadsheet. It includes blood test result from my primary Dr like 2 years before I was diagnosed. I odn't use this data to feel bad about where I am. The early test results are to remind me what my "normal" was. Looking at the last 6 months is what my new "normal" is. In between those 2 points are glimpses that my system can reach a normal point even though it ends up going backwards again. One of these days it won't go backwards. 

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