Does this sound like leukemia to anyone? - Leukemia Message Board

ZacTheHypochondriac · 12-27-2002, 05:01 PM

I'm a 21 year old male who's had iron deficiency anemia throughout childhood. Lately I think I've been developing small brown marks on my skin, though it's hard to tell, because I have moles and freckles of all sizes all over my body. However, I could really swear that some of them weren't there before. I've had headaches, sore throat and fatigue on and off, too, and I feel hot a lot of the time, though my thermometer is registering temperatures of around 96-98. My face and hands are consistently red in color, and there are some blood vessels visible through the skin on my hands. Also, I'm recalling a massive nosebleed I had several months ago that lasted at least a half hour. I'm wondering if this could be leukemia, but there are some inconsistencies with what I've read about it. I don't really feel sick (strange, but not sick), my sleep pattern is consistent with the way it's always been, and I haven't lost any weight. I don't have any massive bruising despite having fallen down the stairs and bumping my knee at least twice recently. My lymph glands also don't appear to be swollen, though it feels a little tight in my armpits when I think about it. Does any of this sound familiar to anyone here? Did any leukemia patients here go through anything like this?

Jay Tor · 12-28-2002, 10:31 PM

Hi Zac:

I'm a parent of a child who was diagnosed with AML, one of the acute leukemias.

Since there are many different types of leukemias, some acute and some chronic, the best way to obtain an accurate diagnosis is from a qualified specialist, a Hematologist or Hematologist/Oncologist. Whether or not you have leukemia, you do need to consult a physician if you notice odd symptoms, partly because of your medical history and partly because of your obvious worry.

If you want to read more technical information about different leukemias, I strongly recommend the NCI [National Cancer Institute] database. However, I would also urge you to read up on other hematological diseases as well as on any medications that you may have been taking long term - just in case some of what you're experiencing is a side-effect, or perhaps, your dosage requires adjustment.
[url="http://www.nci.nih.gov/"]http://www.nci.nih.gov/[/url]

BTW - brown marks on the body can occur due to skin damage, thyroid dysfunction, decreased levels of sex hormones as well as other possibilities. Get yourself an inexpensive disposable camera and take some photos of the skin areas you are most concerned about. Or, just count, measure and write descriptions every week or so. After about a month, you should have a better idea of whether your skin is actually changing in terms of spots, colour, etc.

Have you had your blood pressure and blood sugar checked? Some people with orthostatic blood pressure problems experience some of the symptoms you described. Also, check your current/previous meds' side effects for any mention of increased tissue fragility. [This is a common side-effect of most steroids, including the glucocorticosteroids used to treat asthma.]

Here's a link to MedLinePlus, part of the NIH database, where you can look up articles on health topics/diseases as well as on meds.
[url="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthtopics.html"]http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/healthtopics.html[/url]

Good luck and keep us posted,
Jay

scaredduck02 · 01-06-2003, 07:17 AM

Zach i would seriously consider getting checked out i was having severe headaches and my skin was doing strange things to then i went to the doctor and was told that i had lukemia please get checked out

blackcatinthesky · 02-17-2003, 01:16 PM

I am 20/female. I don't know much about lukemia, but I've had a few people now tell me I should get checked out due to the symptoms Ive been experiencing. Last year I had temperature problems, and went to the dr, got a blood test which was normal (I think it was checking my thyroid). Now my temp seems to be normal again, but I have started taking 100mg Zoloft daily for anxiety. Well, I noticed some months ago that my arms particularly, would quiver and spasm. Some days it is much worse, sometimes to the point that I cant walk without feeling like passing out. Also sometimes I just lie on the ground feeling gross because I can feel the blood pumping through my veins! It seems like its either pumping very hard, or very slow, if I can feel it. And my heart sometimes palpitates. These things started before taking Zoloft, when I was first introduced to anxiety meds and I was on a low dosage of paxil. I stopped taking paxil because I thought it was causing these problems, but they have continued since then. Also I bruise incredibly easily and fast. I am always discovering large, pulpy bruises on my side, my arms, my hands, and my legs, and I dont remember banging into anything! I told my dr about these things and he ordered a blood test, but the results were fine. I also have been frequently urinating... this was a problem so I got a urine sample and an x-ray of my bladder and kidneys but they were fine and normal. My doctor said to tell him if I get anymore strange bleeding, or abdominal pain. Also my nose has been constantly DRY. I have only lost about 5 lbs lately, but I have been tired and have little energy for at least the past year. I am just curious if these symptoms could be lukemia? or am I just paranoid?
Thanks!

[This message has been edited by blackcatinthesky (edited 02-17-2003).]

[This message has been edited by blackcatinthesky (edited 02-17-2003).]