Welcome @momoffivetoo. As a mom of five, you’ve no doubt fine-tuned your mother’s intuition and diagnostic skills over the years. I see you’re using those skills on yourself! 😁

You’re not being ridiculous at all in asking questions and trying to learn as much as you can about your elevated hematocrit and hemoglobin. From my understanding of PV, you are ticking off all the boxes in the list of symptoms but confirmation can only be done with a visit to your hematologist.

I’d post some more informative links for you, but I think you’ve covered most of them in your research. 😁

Some questions you could ask:

~What tests do I need?
Dr may want more blood work to test for a genetic mutation that may be driving the elevated red blood production. They may also request a bone marrow biopsy.

~What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?

~I have other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?

~Will I need follow-up visits? If so, how often?

You’re really being proactive with your health to lose 50 pounds and adding some impressive exercise routines. Good for you! That’s not easy, but certainly is important in overall health!

I expect other members who have PV will be popping into the conversation to offer support. Don’t hesitate to ask questions here! When is your appointment?