Hi,

Can someone tell me the difference between Hodgkins and Non-Hodgkins lymphoma? I read somewhere that it one is more cureable than the other.
I just had a CBC done and my eosinophils came back elevated, so I put that into a search engine on the internet and the first thing I see is lymphoma. :confused: I've had some other unexplainable health issues including: dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue, and extreme hair loss. I've had so many tests done over the past few years, and this is the first thing that has come back abnormal. My doctor told me not to worry at all and we will repeat it again in a month. Of course Im going to worry though. Any thougts anyone?? Thank you for your time.

schao

HI! My CBC also came back with too high eosinophil count about a month ago, and about a week ago had another test done and it had doubled! I also have a too high platelet count that has been steadily rising for some four years now. My doctors are quite puzzled, I have had lung X-ray, allergy tests for food, mold, animals, pollen..., and also a bone marrow aspiration two weeks ago to rule out bone marrow disease. X-ray showed fibrous matter but a radiologist has not yet decided if further action is needed, allergy tests came back negative and the bone marrow test was normal. One test also found H Pylori bacteria in my stomach so now am having three kinds of antibiotics to get rid of it. Now am heading for an MRI of my brain to rule out brain tumour...What kind of tests have you had done? Is the rest of your CBC normal?

Hi PM:

I have had loads of tests done. My CBC is actually normal now, but im having a lot of other issues. So far, I have had loads of blood work--for probably just about everything--it showed I had Epstein Barr at one time, I had a chest xray and ct scan with contrast--normal. Brain mri, and spinal tap--normal. MRI of my c-spine-normal. abdominal and pelvic ct scan without contrast--normal. Pelvic ultrasound--normal. MRI of my lumbar spine--normal. Next week I am getting a thyroid scan and a scan on my gallbladder--i've been having a lot of stabbing back pains in various spots.
The very last bloodwork I had done showed my thyroid a little overactive, and my calcium level was a bit high--I just had those repeated again last week and dont know the results yet. Not feeling very well at all. Im only 27 so I dont think its old age...ha ha! What other tests are you going to have done?

schao

Also, I do have allergies. What kind of symptoms do you have? Do you have any enlarged lymph nodes?

schao

Thank you for your answer! I don't believe my doctor has even mentioned pelvic scans or any of the other stuff you have had done...so right now I am thinking if he should have done them by now??? But I had a brain MRI a few years back and they did find something there but a board of neurologists said that they wouldn't do anything then so I guess they might want to rethink it now if the MRI shows something new. Mainly it's just been more and more blood tests, asthma tests ( because apparently the rise in eosinophil count is usually due to allergies,asthma or parasites, the only problem being that I don't have any of these, and if not, then it could be something more sinister...), tests for parasites, tests to see if my dizziness is due to extreme changes in blood pressure but that is about it. The biggest problem symptoms wise are the dizziness and fatigue but also the shooting pains that I also have in my stomach and back. I don't have enlarged lymph nodes, I believe, but then my regular doctor was not too interested in checking them as he said the bone marrow aspiration would have shown lymphoma if there was one, but then a friend asked an oncologist who said that it does not necessary show there...I am pretty much puzzled and terrified, and can't help wondering if there is more that should be done.... :confused:

Hi there--

We are in the same boat. Even though I have had a lot of tests done--there is still something wrong that they arent finding b/c im not getting any better. What kind of dizziness do you have? Mine is a spacey/disconnected feeling 24/7--its like im disoriented all of the time--very hard to deal with everyday, I really dont know how I do it, but I do believe God is always with me--so I think that is part of it. If these other tests im having done come back fine--my next stop might be to get my heart thoroughly checked out. Im so puzzled just like you--it gets frustrating and I have many days where I just cry. I dont want it to be anything bad obviously, but what is it then ya know? Keep me updated on your progress--and good luck--ask my questions any time--im on the boards a lot.

schao

And a rocky boat it is.. :) That is precisely how it is, there is something wrong that they can't figure out and all the while we just keep getting worse and worse. I think you put it perfectly, my dizziness feels just like that as well, spacey and disconnected and yes, it is there ALL the time. Mine used to come and go, but now it is present like you said 24/7. Sometimes I also get these severe bouts when I do actually faint, but thank God those are not that frequent. The doctors keep asking me too how I deal with everyday life, but what can you do but to try and live your life as best you can! Not that it is easy, but I also find strength in my belief in God and trust that he does watch over us even though we might not always find it easy to understand the paths He gives us to walk on. I do cry a lot too, mainly from frustration as you said but also from sheer tiredness but I am happy to have people around me as well who give me a shoulder to lean on when I need one. We all need family and friends especially at times like these.

I used to think that maybe ignorance is bliss, maybe it would be better not to know but it isn't. I just wish they could come up with something, hopefully obviously not something really bad, and then I could just live with that. I am having some blood results back this week and they will tell me about the scheduling of other tests as well so I'll keep you posted, and please, do keep us posted about your story as well.

God bless you. :angel:

Hi there PM--

Well, here's an update on my story. I had a thyroid uptake scan yesterday to see if my thyroid is acting properly. And my next tests will be an abdominal and pelvic ct scan with contrast, an mri of my lumbar spine with contrast, and possibly an mri with contrast of my pituitary gland. My symptoms are so crazy--but I have a good doc now that is willing to do whatever it takes, so we'll see. I should be getting all of these tests done within the next week, so I'll let you know what happens. I had some more blood work done, and it all came back fine, so who knows what is going on. Let me know what happens with your blood work. I'll be praying for you :angel:

schao

Hi again! I have been gone for a while but I read elsewhere that you are having a lymph node biopsy done soon, good luck with that and let us know how it went.All this while I have been in and out of doctors offices and there still seems to be no definite date for the MRI, I don't know what is taking them that long. But meanwhile I have a pelvic and abdominal ultrasoud scheduled in two weeks time and have had more bloodwork done ( nothing new there, the thrombosytes as climbing up again but the eosinophils have come down just a little). Also am waiting for results on urin analyses for bacteria as well as for something called tumour markers or some kind of hormone that shows in your blood if you have tumours...I am afraid I don't remember the exact names for those tests. Yesterday I was admitted in an emergency room and supervision in a hospital for chest pains and they did an EKG and some kind of blood test on a machine called Triage that tests for myoglobin, triamin ( I am not sure of the spelling??) and some other substance in blood that shows possible heart injury. Luckily, they only found some kind of inflammation in my upper back and neck that has spread to my chest and was affecting the heart. I was given an injection of something and medication and am now back at home on week long sick-leave from work but due for a check-up on Monday at the doctors.

I must say that right now life isn't all that peachy but I guess we just have to belive that it will get better.

My Prayers will be with you and verybody else who is struggling with these things. :wave:

Hi PM--

Sorry to hear youre going through such a hard time....I will be praying for you :angel:
Last week I had a PET scan of my entire back (I have tons of back pain), and that came back fine. I also had a HIDA Scan on my gallbladder, and that came back that my gallbladder is not working at all--so I will be having that out very soon. Maybe that will solve some of my abdominal pain and back pain issues. I hope, I hope!!!!! Yea, then next Monday I am having a biopsy of the lymph node in my neck, which I am very nervous about--so we'll see how that goes. I havent had any blood work for tumor markers--let me know how that goes for you. I see my doctor tomorrow, and Im going to ask him to check all of my hormone levels. Keep my updated on your progress--rest up this week :wave:

schao