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Living with MDS (Myelodyplastic Syndromes)
Blood Cancers & Disorders | Last Active: 1 hour ago | Replies (254)Comment receiving replies
My husband of 80 was just diagnosed with MDA. He would not know that he had it if it were not for the low WBC and RBC numbers and low iron. He has symptoms of being tired and some nose bleeds. His oncologist is giving him a "wait a see treatment". He rarely gets sick and has never had COVID. I'm wondering if this is the best option for him, reading that others are on medications.
He will have blood tests done once a month to monitor changes. I just want to make sure we are doing what we can and not being passive. He also has chronic kidney disease.
Thanks
Barbara
Replies to "My husband of 80 was just diagnosed with MDA. He would not know that he had..."
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Hi Barbara @barbeeh51 Each of us has a unique chemistry so ‘one size does not fit all’ when it comes to treatments for blood cancers.
Your husband has been diagnosed with Myelodyplastic syndromes (MDS). This is a group of disorders caused by blood cells that are poorly formed or don't work properly. There are different subtypes of MDS allowing for some people to be in active surveillance as opposed to having to begin treatment immediately. We have members with all types and stages of MDS so what you read in Connect will vary with each member.
Symptoms of being tired and having nose bleeds can go hand in hand with conditions like MDS. But if your husband is in a low risk group and his MDS isn’t aggressive, then his doctor may elect to do nothing for now. Treatments can also come with side effects so it’s a risk vs reward scenario sometimes.
As long as your husband is having regular monthly blood work, his doctors will be able to look for trends in his labs. If they see indications that there is a need for medications then they can always start treatment. But for now, it sounds like your husband is pretty healthy and avoiding illnesses. So that’s very positive. With his RBCs low, causing the anemia that can certainly account for some of his fatigue. If his nosebleeds become more pronounced he should mention those to his doctor. Just to make sure his platelet level is in the normal range.