Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) Support Group

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), also known as acute myeloid leukemia, is a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells. Patients with AML usually present with symptoms such as fatigue, bleeding, infection, prompting medical attention. An abnormal blood test reading will then result in further testing in a hospital with a hematologist to determine AML.

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/ Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) Support Group

High Hb levels

aliswell
aliswell
My friend finished his consolidation chemo in Oct 2011 and has been in remission since. Lately we have been noticing very high Hb levels, Dec 16.2, Jan 15.7. Feb 16.4 etc. Platelets also keeps fluctuating, rest everything is normal. Has anyone got any experience with this.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Alliswell,

Do you mean Hematocrit levels? Hemoglobin? CLiff would be better suited to answer and I am sure he will soon. Just FYI I was diagnosed in Nov 2011 and am in remission but my hematocrit levels are similar to those and not considered high. If Hb means something else I apologize.

Ed
aliswell
aliswell
I meant Hemoglobin levels. Hematocrit values are within normal range. The lab where we test considers Hemoglobin levels to be normal between 14-17 and my friend's levels have been above 16 almost for 3 months now.
xuelan
xuelan
Alliswell,

ALL IS WELL!! Those are normal hemoglobin values. They are not very high. Post-transplant, I once had 14, but my hemoglobin has been in the 13's,which is normal for a woman, but not a man. I used to have hemoglobins in the 15s before I got the AML. I am jealous of those numbers (you too, Eddie), but am satisfied with how my marrow is doing.

Eddie. Don't doubt your knowledge about this stuff. Sadly, AML has made us all semi-experts.

Cliff
aliswell
aliswell
Thank you Cliff and Ed for your replies. I read somewhere that a high Hemoglobin value is a sign of Polycythemia which can progress into AML. So worried.
xuelan
xuelan
Aliswell,

Do not worry and do not read so much. As Alexander Pope wrote (soooo true today):

A little learning is a dangerous thing;
drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:
there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,
and drinking largely sobers us again.

Unless you know the whole story, knowing just a little can just make you anxious. That's why I don't read about my disease too much, and when I do, I am usually sorry that I did.

Cliff