My PDW is 13.7 fl. What is the normal range? What could this indicate?

Hi @rave777 Looks you received some new blood test numbers. Your doctor will be the best person to interpret your results, putting them in context with other information in order to make a diagnosis.

I’m posting some links below for a little reading material to help you understand the abbreviations for your blood tests:

PDW = Platelet Distribution Width… which, yours at 13.7 fl, looks to be in the perfectly normal range as the parameters generally read between 9-16.0 fl. A normal PDW indicates platelets that are mostly the same size. So

MCH = Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) refers to the amount of hemoglobin in a red blood cell.
https://www.healthline.com/health/mch
MCHC = Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration which is a blood test that calculates the average concentration of hemoglobin in red blood cells in relation to their volume.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/mean-cell-hemoglobin-concentration-4584155
So from my experience these particular numbers look to be pretty normal. Are you having particular symptoms that your doctor is investigating?

Lori,

I have not looked those up because they are not low on me. Thank you for posting. The red cell and I forget the other are still a bit low of normal.

Good morning, Kat. Your numbers may fluctuate for a long time to come and you’re still a newbie in the world of transplant. Your immune system isn’t mature yet so it can take time for blood numbers to balance out.
Even people with no transplant will have fluctuations in the different blood products on any given day and will never be aware of it. It’s the body/immune system simply going on about its business behind the scenes. It’s when there’s a glitch in the system, such as MDS or any of the other blood cancers or conditions that disrupts the normal activities, where we run into big problems. 😉

Thank you, Lori. I have asked a number of times, and my team always says it is good. That they will fluctuate like you said. Your other statistics are what is most important they say, and those remain above the minimum. I think it is because i feel great and my head will think I am back to normal.

I have slowly come off drugs, so now i am only on Ursodiol, Magnesium, Prevymis, Femara (breast cancer), Acyclovir and Bactrim. Not getting vaccines for a year, I take 3 of these for the year. I do not think what might go wrong. I just take each day as it comes. I have pills for nausea, heartburn and more. But i do not take them. It is odd to think i have a 26-year-old males' cells my body has so far accepted. How much of what i feel is in my head and my memories as to how i have felt. You have mentioned Lori that you feel more energized that you likely would feel at your age. What brings that about? "Transplant" is crazy to think about. So many of us with different body parts transplanted, yet all having blood in their veins that needs monitoring and a mind that and body that need nurturing.
I hope all of us enjoy the rest of the summer before we welcome in Fall.

Hi @katgob, Not to worry about taking those few meds you’re on post transplant. You’ll be able to stop the acyclovir and Bactrim when you’ve had your vaccinations. They’re still protecting you from shingles (acyclovir) and lung infections. I had a few gvhd issues delayed my stopping the tacro and was on a low dose for 2.5 years. Consequently, i was also taking valacyclovir, bactrim, penicillin, pozaconazole, ursodial, protonix, and magnesium. Not an issue at all. Now I’m back to an empty medicine cabinet. ☺️

I really do feel energized, like I’m in my 20s, considering I recently turned 70. Having the immune system of a 20 year old seemed to have given me the fountain of youth! LOL. He was 20 at the time of transplant. Now we’ve both matured another 5 years. Of course, it was one heckuva medical odyssey to get to this point.

Thank you, Lori,
My doctor and RN told me the acyclovir is also for the herpes virus. Seems a host of ugly things. Because the bone marrow transplant, Prevymis is to stop the CMV that could happen. Seems i could have carried it or my donor had it and many people carry it but have no symptoms. Those of us with transplants could get it. That pill smells dreadful, so I try to get it in my mouth and down with water quick!!!
I may have said i got Bactrim because Mepron was awful tasting. I have learned from reading here and elsewhere that often there is another pill that does the same. I told the DR it was awful, and he switched me. It does require i drink even more water!!
it is amazing about your immune system. I am 137 days past transplant. Amazing. When I arrived at the doors of COH I was given an arm band that had my name and medical number and said was 60-year-old women. 61, 62, 63 and tomorrow I turn 64. I know that being a transplant patient the COH will be part of my life forever. I pray my body remain free of new things. I will look at my 64th year as one to remember. One year done April 9th. Whatever time after that I will get the vaccines. The Dr. had June as my back to work in person time. I shall not worry. Then VACATION!!!!! Leaving on a jet plane!!!
For today, I removed the newspaper and boxes and vacuumed the D earth. I shall where a new flea might still be. I have a lot more D earth and a bit more to vacuum up. That stuff turned things around.