Connect
← Return to Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS): how to increase red blood cells?
Discussion
Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS): how to increase red blood cells?
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: Sep 1 6:47pm | Replies (101)Comment receiving replies
Hi Lori:
I just got out of the hospital. I came down with COVID and it wasn’t so bad but around day 8 I started getting pain in my chest and back. Not a stabbing pain but like muscle pain. As you know I have CMML and tske hydroxy. After several tests done (blood test an ultrasound a chest X-ray COVID test on an iv and heart monitor and later that night a scan. It came back I have pericardial effusion ( water around the heart and inflammation). My red count were 108 white count 20 and platelets 78 they didn’t give me a blood transfusion he said I have been 108 before. So they are putting me in naproxen and colchicine. They told me to check with my pharmacist to make sure it doesn’t interact with
My other meds i. e. hydroxy. The COVID messed up all my counts.
Replies to "Hi Lori: I just got out of the hospital. I came down with COVID and it..."
I thought my husband just had the flu. He had a fever and some chest congestion so we went to our local hospital and they did an EKG because he said he had some chest pain when he would breath (didn’t tell me this though) and it said he was having a heart attack. Well this hospital doesn’t do heart cath on the weekend so ambulance ride to a bigger hosp. I did request they take him to our cancer hospital but they said with this you go to the closest hosp. Well no heart attack thank goodness it also was pericarditis . Since he is a MDS history he was in the hospital for several and released with Motrin and colchicine and had to come off eliquis. He tested neg for Covid though. But then a month later he got human metapneumovirus and then a month after that just a normal pneumonia. But each time you get a fever with your history they might hospitalize you like my husband for at least 3 days until cultures come back neg. I count my blessing he hasn’t been back in hosp since June and is 18 months post transplant.
Connect
Hi Jacklyn!
Well, you’re sure having some unexpected medical drama with Covid and the pericarditis. I’m sorry to hear that because I know you’ve been having a pretty good summer up to this point. It’s a good thing you followed your instinct of having the chest and back pain investigated. That had to be a little scary! My niece had a similar experience a few years ago after having the flu. Her clinic thought it was a blood clot at first and then discovered the pericarditis. The meds worked really well to reduce the inflammation and it didn’t take long for her to bounce back to full speed. Hopefully you’ll feel much better and return to normal soon!
Covid or really any illness/infection can mess up our blood counts. It’s all part of the immune system response to bacteria, viruses, fungi… For most people, whose blood isn’t checked as frequently as those of us who have a blood condition, don’t even realize how much their blood numbers fluctuate during and after an illness. Once the event is over, within days or weeks the numbers generally return to normal. So hang in there! Just give yourself some time to rest and heal.
What were your worst symptoms of covid? Did you have the high fever and lingering cough?