Venesection

[Diane11270]

Does anyone who suffers from bronchiectisis and mild pulmonary hypertension have to have regular venesections due to secondary polycythemia?

Initially when first diagnosed with secondary polycythemia I had to have weekly then fortnightly venesections but then got less and less until I didn't need one for near enough 12 months but last couple of months my blood tests have come back high resulting in having to have 2 venesections a month apart, is this quiet normal or not?

Would love to hear different people's experiences on this.

Thanks 😁 xx

[O2Trees]

Probably quite unusual Diane - I was told by my old consultant and current one that venesection isn't done for secondary polycethemia. Coincidentally I have haemochromotasis - an iron overload condition with too much ferritin - it's a random genetic condition when you inherit the mutant gene from both parents and Im recently diagnosed. And I do have venesection for that.

I don't remember the normal range for haemoglobin, nor do I know if polycethemia is something where there is no fixed treatment protocol and consultants have different ways and means of treating it.