Skip to main content

It's always something

I received the results of my latest blood work today, and what seemingly has become a trend lately, something never seen before has shown up.

This time it's Polychromasia, and the indication was I have a 'few'.

Now if you read the explanation of Polychromasia, I hope you're not as confused as I am, especially about the following statements.
A slight degree of polychromasia is normal.

So is a slight degree the same as 'few'?
Increases in polychromasia suggest an increased bone marrow response. [and] No polychromasia correlates with non-responsive, anemic patients.........

I don't know, but both those statements sound like polychromasia is a good thing.

I'm just not so sure that is an accurate interpretation. Hopefully my expert source in this area will respond to my concerns shortly, with a more enlightened explanation.

Anywaze, other than that, with the exception of a 20% jump in my lymphocyte count, and the fact I got dropped from the group this morning, sooner than I was hoping, my RBC, hemoglobin and platelets either showed a very slight uptrend, or at a minimum they remained stable.
Labels:

Comments

Becky said…
I don't know how you can read this stuff without going cross eyed. Erythrocyte? Cytoplasm?

And Romanowsky stains? Weren't those found at the Imperial family's murder scene?

All in all sounds like good news?
9:01 AM
Marc said…
I'm just not confident in that interpretation, and I'll hold judgement until I get an expert to educate me on the subject.
9:09 AM
Alan Posner said…
Marc,

I'm certainly no expert in hematology, but if memory serves me, polychromasia is simply the release of RBC's from the bone marrow before they are completly mature. If there are only a small number it's probably nothing to worry about. I suspect extreme excercise can do it, as can hypoxia from high altitudes.

Would just keep on eye on it.

Alan
11:17 PM
Marc said…
Well thanks for telling me that after I just finished punishing myself riding in the hills of Whittier this morning.

Anyways, my expert source has told me that you are basically correct. It's an indication of the bone marrow trying to increase the amount of red blood cells (RBC's) to correct an anemia. And as we all know I am anemic.

Also when a patient is being treated for anemia, if there is no polychromasia then that means it's either the wrong treatment or the bone marrow isn't functioning.

So it doesn't sound necessarily like a bad thing, at least in my case, except for the fact it may be an indication of a malfunctioning spleen.

Remember, it's always something.
3:55 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

History IS repeating itself

I didn't grow up during the rise and fall of Hitler and Nazi Germany, so for me to claim it feels like those are the times we are living in now, must be taken with a grain of salt. But I have seen enough movies, and read enough history to know, if the times we're living in now are not akin to the rise of a Nazism and Facism in Europe in the 1930's and 1940's, then we're not far off. If you can't see the parallels with Nazi Germany, then you must be living in a different country than me. Republicans and other right wing extremists will stop at nothing to subvert the will of the majority, forcing their beliefs, that they are the superior race and have been appointed by God, to impose their will on America, while they blame all our problems on immigrants, blacks and Jews. As I speak, Mitch McConnell, and his minions are raising roadblocks to all legislation designed to help average Americans under the guise of fiscal responsibility. They condone violent and verba...
Post a Comment
Read more

Open letter to all Democrats

Stop the nonsense! Continuing to go after Trump, without any hope of getting a conviction, does nothing more than provide Republicans with an obstructionist dialogue (now that they have come up with the unconstitutional talking point) in addition to giving Trump much needed publicity, when we should be ignoring him. It's the pure definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result! Instead Democrats need to be laser focused on what is important to all Americans, i.e. healthcare, Social Security and Medicare, infrastructure reform, the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, to name just a few. And when you do talk about Trump, simply steer the conversation as to how the Trump administration botched everything, how Trump is responsible for the deaths of 400,000+ Americans, due to his inaction and the down playing of the pandemic, plus the deaths of 2 Capitol policeman during the insurrection Trump provoked and incited on January 6, 2021. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stop the stupidity!

Rural medical center (in Georgia) suspended from vaccination program after inoculating school district staff. Give me a break! Trying to get kids back to school, while protecting teachers, bus drivers and other staff, is exactly what school districts should be doing. If they have vaccines, give them out. We should be giving out vaccines to all who want them, whenever available. Trying to adhere to rigid guidelines will only result in fewer people getting vaccines, resulting in the discarding of precious vaccines, and less protection for everyone. Of course we should be giving first priority to healthcare workers, and any other essential public service employees, such as policeman, fireman, etc. first, but when they're not around to receive shots, or refuse shots, then give them to anyone willing to take them. What I would have objected to is the medical center trying to capitalize on the pandemic to make a profit, from giving vaccines to people far down the list of recipients, but ...
Post a Comment
Read more