Anemia

[Cottager1989]

I finished V and O early April. I was told my blood results were great and I likely am in remission. I got my bloodwork results today for my appointment with my oncologist this Friday. My RBC, 3.86, hemoglobin 116, hematocrit .339, all low. Looking back over the past year, these results were occasionally low but rebounded. I’ve been really tired lately, been fighting vaginal issue my doc can’t seem to fix with three courses of antibiotics. My WBC and other numbers all good. I’m worried…anyone have thoughts? Thanks so much.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

All of those readings are low because you have a low red blood cell count. Your hematocrit or packed cell volume, (PCV) is a measure of the volume taken up by red blood cells in your blood and it's the haemoglobin in your red blood cells which carries oxygen needed by your cells to burn fuel (glucose), to give you energy. So you need to work with your oncologist and doctor to find out why your red blood cell count is low. Your general doctor (GP, PCP) is best at determining common causes of anaemia and they'll typically first start with a fasting blood test to check your iron, folate and B12 levels. Supplementing what ever is low of these is the first step, then if that doesn't work, your oncologist should get involved to see if your treatment has caused your anaemia. That might eventually require a bone marrow biopsy to see what's happening, or it could right itself over time.

Red blood cells last around 100 days, so if you find a way to improve your red blood cell count, bear in mind it can take a few months for those readings to lift as new red blood cells replace old ones.

Neil

[Cottager1989 in reply to AussieNeil]

Thank you so much. I feel better prepared for my oncology appointment Friday.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to Cottager1989]

Cottager, When I read your results, I felt from how you wrote, that the counts you shared had historically been considerably higher, even though I could see that they were barely on the low side. Hence I agree with what cajunjeff has written about why your doctor would consider those results as satisfactory. Also as Cajunjeff says, "It’s all relative though." - it's what you are used to that will influence how you are feeling. Hopefully you'll feel better as your body recovers after finishing treatment. If not, you know what avenues to pursue to boost your blood's oxygen carrying capacity.

Neil

[Cottager1989 in reply to AussieNeil]

Thanks so much 🩷

[cajunjeff]

Hello Cottager, I am no expert but my guess is that your doctor probably does think your numbers look great. It’s all relative though. Your numbers look great for a 76 yr old female with cll just finishing V plus O therapy. Even when compared to those without cll at your age, if I understand the ranges correctly, your numbers are at or near low normal, which is great if true .

When I think of anemia, my eyes are drawn to hemoglobin results. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to all of our organs and such. At 116, to my understanding, you are actually borderline normal for someone your age. Many people function quite well in that range:

Normal Hemoglobin Levels by Age and Gender Chart

Ages and Genders Normal Hemoglobin Levels (gm/dL)

Newborn 17 - 22

One (1) week 15 - 20

One (1) month 11 - 15

Children 11 - 13

Adult Males 14 - 18

Adult Women 12 - 16

Men After Middle Age 12.4 - 14.9

Women After Middle Age 11.7 - 13.8

medicinenet.com/hemoglobin/...

Good luck with your appt. I think your RBC and other numbers, while low, are also not bad for someone coming off treatment.

It’s all relative. When my hemoglobin rebounded to 10 from 7, I thought that was great. I think your doc was probably pleased with those results considering you are 76 and have cll. I am also guessing that your doctor still has memories of treating people before V plus O was an option, not so long ago, and that you probably are doing amazing compared to them.

[Cottager1989 in reply to cajunjeff]

Thanks so much! I am a worrier, and feeling tired makes me worry more. But thank you for reminding me many times I’m 76 lol! I look in the mirror and go WTF? I’ll post after Friday’s appointment and hope you’re right! I Will also heed AussieNeil’s advice regarding supplements, pay more attention to diet. This is such a helpful site!

[cajunjeff in reply to Cottager1989]

Oh, I’m sorry about the age deal. I did not mean to offend , just to observe that for all of us in our 70s (me too), that our normal ranges on many lab results are lower.

[Cottager1989 in reply to cajunjeff]

You didn’t offend me at all! I just am shocked when I realize how old I actually am…grateful I’ve lived this long! And my pickleball pals all think I’m not even 65 yet…I won’t tell if you don’t!

[craterlake in reply to cajunjeff]

thanks Jeff for posting the chart on the hg. i had never heard about the different measurements in age groups . especially lower for us old folks ... makes me feel even better about my recent results on O+V . 😊