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Anemic?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Anemic?

  • Post
    • July 27, 2013 at 8:08 pm
    Everymoment
    Participant
      I appreciate your support. We are ruling things out which is making me more nervous. My recent blood work came back as being anemic which is the first time in 35 years! Now my oncologist is starting to think that we do need a PET scan. She said that although rare I could have a tumor somewhere that could possibly be bleeding which could have caused my stroke. The infectious disease people ruled out viral and bacterial infections. We have ruled out everything. I feel like melanoma is the elephant in the room. What a challenging two months mentally.

      I appreciate your support. We are ruling things out which is making me more nervous. My recent blood work came back as being anemic which is the first time in 35 years! Now my oncologist is starting to think that we do need a PET scan. She said that although rare I could have a tumor somewhere that could possibly be bleeding which could have caused my stroke. The infectious disease people ruled out viral and bacterial infections. We have ruled out everything. I feel like melanoma is the elephant in the room. What a challenging two months mentally.

    Viewing 7 reply threads
    • Replies
        • July 27, 2013 at 11:33 pm
        BrianP
        Participant

          Isabell,

          It sounds like you've had just about every test done on you so I'm sure you've probably had this as well but I'd thought I would ask.  Have you been tested for blood in your stool?  Your anemic symptom leads me to ask this.  That was how I first presented after my melanoma spread.  As I found outthrough my experience it can be pretty tough to find melanoma in the GI tract even with Pet and CT Scans.  I eventually found mine by endoscopy.  Not sure how a GI tract melanoma metastasis could lead to a stroke but if you haven't had the test it may be worth considering.

          Brian

          • July 27, 2013 at 11:33 pm
          BrianP
          Participant

            Isabell,

            It sounds like you've had just about every test done on you so I'm sure you've probably had this as well but I'd thought I would ask.  Have you been tested for blood in your stool?  Your anemic symptom leads me to ask this.  That was how I first presented after my melanoma spread.  As I found outthrough my experience it can be pretty tough to find melanoma in the GI tract even with Pet and CT Scans.  I eventually found mine by endoscopy.  Not sure how a GI tract melanoma metastasis could lead to a stroke but if you haven't had the test it may be worth considering.

            Brian

            • July 27, 2013 at 11:33 pm
            BrianP
            Participant

              Isabell,

              It sounds like you've had just about every test done on you so I'm sure you've probably had this as well but I'd thought I would ask.  Have you been tested for blood in your stool?  Your anemic symptom leads me to ask this.  That was how I first presented after my melanoma spread.  As I found outthrough my experience it can be pretty tough to find melanoma in the GI tract even with Pet and CT Scans.  I eventually found mine by endoscopy.  Not sure how a GI tract melanoma metastasis could lead to a stroke but if you haven't had the test it may be worth considering.

              Brian

              • July 28, 2013 at 1:57 am
              Everymoment
              Participant

                Hi Brian,

                I have not been tested for blood in my stool. This is a new one. My CT/MRI have only been of my head/chest because the syptoms and issues were issolated to my head, or so we all thought. Having a stroke you look for things around the stroke but it appears that something far away could have caused it. When I meet with everyone this week I'm going to ask that we approach this in multiple ways. I want a PET/CT and I will talk to them about this too. 

                I feel so niave. I should have been more agressive getting scans and demanding more over the past several years. I think it's about to catch up with me which really sucks!

                Thanks for your thoughts.

                Isabell

                • July 28, 2013 at 4:05 am
                JerryfromFauq
                Participant

                  In response to your question is chat.

                  http://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/news-releases/2005/07-11-05-potent-spice-works-to-block-growth-of-melanoma-in-lab-test-news-release.html

                  I take 500-1000 units a day.

                  I do recommend that anyone taking any form of treatments and supplements be sure how they will interact.  Some forms of treatment use oxidents to get into the tumor cells.  Huge doses of anti-oxidents can interfere with delivery of those meds.  Things that help cut inflamation are generaly pretty useful.

                  • July 28, 2013 at 4:05 am
                  JerryfromFauq
                  Participant

                    In response to your question is chat.

                    http://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/news-releases/2005/07-11-05-potent-spice-works-to-block-growth-of-melanoma-in-lab-test-news-release.html

                    I take 500-1000 units a day.

                    I do recommend that anyone taking any form of treatments and supplements be sure how they will interact.  Some forms of treatment use oxidents to get into the tumor cells.  Huge doses of anti-oxidents can interfere with delivery of those meds.  Things that help cut inflamation are generaly pretty useful.

                    • July 28, 2013 at 4:05 am
                    JerryfromFauq
                    Participant

                      In response to your question is chat.

                      http://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/news-releases/2005/07-11-05-potent-spice-works-to-block-growth-of-melanoma-in-lab-test-news-release.html

                      I take 500-1000 units a day.

                      I do recommend that anyone taking any form of treatments and supplements be sure how they will interact.  Some forms of treatment use oxidents to get into the tumor cells.  Huge doses of anti-oxidents can interfere with delivery of those meds.  Things that help cut inflamation are generaly pretty useful.

                      • July 28, 2013 at 7:11 pm
                      Everymoment
                      Participant
                        Hi,
                        Thank you for this information. I will follow-up on it:)
                        Isabell
                        • July 28, 2013 at 1:57 am
                        Everymoment
                        Participant

                          Hi Brian,

                          I have not been tested for blood in my stool. This is a new one. My CT/MRI have only been of my head/chest because the syptoms and issues were issolated to my head, or so we all thought. Having a stroke you look for things around the stroke but it appears that something far away could have caused it. When I meet with everyone this week I'm going to ask that we approach this in multiple ways. I want a PET/CT and I will talk to them about this too. 

                          I feel so niave. I should have been more agressive getting scans and demanding more over the past several years. I think it's about to catch up with me which really sucks!

                          Thanks for your thoughts.

                          Isabell

                          • July 28, 2013 at 1:57 am
                          Everymoment
                          Participant

                            Hi Brian,

                            I have not been tested for blood in my stool. This is a new one. My CT/MRI have only been of my head/chest because the syptoms and issues were issolated to my head, or so we all thought. Having a stroke you look for things around the stroke but it appears that something far away could have caused it. When I meet with everyone this week I'm going to ask that we approach this in multiple ways. I want a PET/CT and I will talk to them about this too. 

                            I feel so niave. I should have been more agressive getting scans and demanding more over the past several years. I think it's about to catch up with me which really sucks!

                            Thanks for your thoughts.

                            Isabell

                            • July 28, 2013 at 7:11 pm
                            Everymoment
                            Participant
                              Hi,
                              Thank you for this information. I will follow-up on it:)
                              Isabell
                              • July 28, 2013 at 7:11 pm
                              Everymoment
                              Participant
                                Hi,
                                Thank you for this information. I will follow-up on it:)
                                Isabell
                            Viewing 7 reply threads
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