Quote:
Originally Posted by Hopeful
Hi marmab,
If I were you, I wouldn't fool around with the EPO shots at this point for two reasons:
1. While effective for some bone marrow failure patients (usually with EPO's under 100), it can cause death in people with tumors. You probably don't have a tumor, but it's a risk.
2. It is my understanding that EPO shots don't work forever, and if you do have MDS or AA, you might want to have this in your bag of tricks for when you really need it.
That said, I am also an avid runner, cyclist, x-c skiier and former mountaineer  So I understand your need to keep moving! It was the only thing that kept me sane through my illness. However, anemia is hard on the heart. So you should always wear a heart rate monitor and stay out of your max zone! You will be surprised by how easily you are in it, if your HGB trends down. Also, as you probably already know, biking outside is forbidden becauses you may not survive a crash with low platelets. What worked for me while my counts were down was slow jogging or walking and stationary biking. It is much less taxing on your heart and you can stop and not be miles from home
Take care! |
Yikes! I hadn't thought about the danger of an accident while bike riding. I thought that I was safe with a Plt count of 29. (BTW, it's nice to hear from you about your previous level of activity -- it sounds like you enjoyed many of the same things that I did). I thought that the real danger lay in a Plt count of under 20, or even 10. If true, this is something to think about for me, because I live on an island. Although there is a hospital here, they don't do Plt transfusions. The closest place is a mainland hospital which is over an hour (ferry+car ride) away.
Thanks for the suggestion of stationary biking. It ain't the real thing, but any port in a storm.... Luckily we have a new YMCA here, just up the road from me, where I can use the equipment.
One other thing, exactly how is anemia hard on the heart? What, medically speaking, does a lack of oxygen do to the heart?
Thanks. All of you are an inspiration!
marmab