Elevated white cells and platelets for 5+ years....?!
Question:
Elevated white cells and platelets for 5+ years....?
I have had elevated white cells and platelets for at least 5 years which doctors say is some type of pre leukaemic condition. Since diagnosed, doctors just keep doing regular blood tests (to make sure it doesn't turn into leukaemia), which have all been elevated but stable. My problem is that I can't find any info on treatments to lower the levels, and doctors just keep saying they'll keep an eye on it. Surely it is better to try to fix it now, before it becomes something more sinister (which funnily enough is when they say they will begin treating it). Any advice would be appreciated.
Answers:
'Pre-leukemic' really means very little. There are a lot of things it could be. It sounds like your doctors are handling it conservatively, which is good. No point in jumping into a treatment that might be worse than the disease. Still, it might be worth it to have a bone marrow biopsy done, just to check if there is a definitive diagnosis.