I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. Of course the reason I think it may be bad is I'm wondering if this is the beginning of myelofibrosis. The rest of my blood work was completely normal. My platelets were 424,000. I'm not on meds for my ET.
On the other hand the only change I have made in my life that could explain a sudden drop in platelets is I started Cymbalta. The Cymbalta greatly reduced my pain and I used to have fevers four times a week and now I don't have fevers anymore. So I wonder could Cymbalta be putting my ET in remission?
Anybody with post ET/PV myelofibrosis can you tell me the first changes you noticed in your bloodwork. Were the changes fast or slow?
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clubdino
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I’ve never heard that before but maybe you’re on to something. I would probably do some research and talk to your doctor about it. If the fevers have stopped, that seems to me to be a very good sign, indeed.
It's an antidepressant that can be used for pain. It has nothing to do with blood counts.. but that doesn't mean it can't have an effect on your blood count.
Cymbalta is not an anti-inflammatory and only has an effect on the perception of pain. At what level have your platelets been since you were diagnosed? What tests were done at diagnosis or since to confirm the diagnosis - BMB, genetic tests (JAK2 etc)?
I am CALR positive. I had a BM biopsy over a decade ago that didn't really show anything. My platelets never have gone over 550k the entire 15 years but they have also never been in the normal range either.
With a normal BMB and a platelet count that was never very high, it may be that, despite your CALR+ status, ET was not a correct diagnosis. However, now that your platelets are at normal levels, you need not worry too much about a cardiac episode or a stroke. Great news.
So you think I may have had a false positive test?
Not for me to say. Just trying to make sense of your situation. If Cymbalta had been an anti-inflammatory, then your typically small reduction in platelets would make more sense from what we know at this time. Perhaps you have inadvertently stumbled on something not recognised before
So are you still at an elevated risk of stroke if the platelettes are in the normal range? Mine are, as you know, and the Haem is telling me to continue aspirin.... maybe as a precaution? I am just wondering if there's something that keeps us at a continued greater risk of stroke because we have the condition, even if platelette count is in normal ranges.
I have read in the past that our platelets are still more likely to function abnormally even if they manage to dip in normal range. But I have to admit I am not very good about taking my aspirin on a regular basis. Also, not sure if you are Jak2 pos or CALR positive but I have also read that aspirin may not be necessary for CALR patients because we are at less risk. Not medical advice of course just something I remember reading.
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ET since 2001, now anxious about changes in blood counts
Myelofibrosis worsened so going to start ruxolitinib
Pre Fibrotic Myelodibrosis
pre fibrotic myelofibrosis 
