linkPolycythemia vera is an abnormal increase in blood cells (primarily red blood cells) resulting from excess production by the bone marrow.
Polycythemia vera is an acquired disorder of the bone marrow that causes the overproduction of all three blood cell lines: white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
It is a rare disease that occurs more frequently in men than women, and rarely in patients under 40 years old. It is not known what causes polycythemia vera.
The disease usually develops slowly, and most patients do not experience any problems related to the disease after being diagnosed. However, the abnormal bone marrow cells may begin to grow uncontrollably in some patients leading to acute myelogenous leukemia.
Patients with polycythemia vera also have an increased tendency to form blood clots that can result in strokes or heart attacks. Some patients may experience abnormal bleeding because their platelets are abnormal.
fooligan said:link
I was diagnosed with this two years ago, while in the hospital for chest pains (turned out to be stress-related)... they had to drain two pints of blood from me, and kept me for another day, when they drained another pint. Basically my blood is too thick, and draining off a pint or two thins it for a while.
My question is: is there any way for me to siphon off my own blood occasionally? Self-phlebotomy? This isn't a joke... it needs to be done but I don't have medical insurance and the bills are killing me (NPI). Any doctors in the house?
black wolf said:I know acetylsalicylic acid will reduce the risk of clotting by about 60%, but other than that:shrug:
all the best to you
Korimyr the Rat said:Considering that he's suffering specifically from a blood disorder, do you think that the Red Cross will actually allow him to donate?
Korimyr the Rat said:Considering that he's suffering specifically from a blood disorder, do you think that the Red Cross will actually allow him to donate?
Naughty Nurse said:I would suggest that you don't bleed yourself. You still need to have your tests done, which presumably makes up the largst part of the costs? Also if you bleed yourself too much / too little you could be doing more harm than good.
No way to get this free? (I'm going to resist making any comments about nationalised health care).
bandaidwoman said:This is the free treatment for polycythemia vera. I would be culpible of medical malpractice and negligence if I told these folks to not to get bled on a regular basis.
bandaidwoman said:Polycythemia vera is an overproduction of normal cells, so there is no reason why they can't donate normal red blood cells. ... The red cross loves people with polycythemia vera because they become regular donors.
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