[bachgalupe]

I am a 41 year old male. I recently moved across the country to Arizona from NY. I was in relatively good health until I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes in April of 2013. I listened to everything my doctor told me and I was controlling my Diabetes and began to lose weight and control everything through diet. Forward to September of 2013, when my wife, daughter, and I moved to Arizona. Everything went well until I had to move my washer and dryer out of my garage to another house. I felt like I was "winded" as if I ran a mile sprinting. I knew this was not normal, because with the Diabetes diagnosis I was hitting the gym fairly regularly. I called my on call Dr. as I thought there was something seriously wrong. I feared a heart attack or something else very serious. I noticed at complete rest, I was relatively fine. The on call Dr. had me make an appointment for my primary Dr. in the morning and I drove to see him the next day. There he checked me out and did some routine blood work. His initial diagnosis was, "You could be that out of shape, Ken." Here's a prescription for an inhaler. I'll get back to you on your blood work. Through the evening I still could not do anything without losing my breath and my heart beating like crazy. The next morning I got ready for work and as I was walking out the door the Dr. called me. He told me to have someone drive me to the closest Hospital and tell me where you are going so I can alert them. He told me my hemoglobin level was a 5.1. My wife drove me to the Hospital and was immediately admitted. I was given two units of blood and sent up to a room and then they began several tests. I met a Hematologist while there and he blew my mind with all kinds of Dr. mumbo jumbo. After three days of test being poked countless times. He ordered a Bone Marrow Biopsy Aspiration and put me on Prednisone. He was thinking I had Hemochromatosis as my Iron levels were through the roof. after another 2 units of blood and not much else they could do for me, they discharged me under the care of this Hematologist. After the results came back I went to his office and he said the Bone Marrow Biopsy gave him a lot of answers to questions. Ruling out Cancer and other things, but he had to wait an extended amount of time to find out about Hemochromatosis. He said that I also could have Myelodysplastic Syndrome. Meanwhile, I was going two times a week for blood tests. My hemoglobin dropped again to a 6.3 and we scheduled another transfusion. The morning of my transfusion I passed out three times in my kitchen and living room and got to ride in an ambulance to get those 2 units of blood. After being discharged the second time, I was still getting tested 2 times a week and it seemed like every friday I was getting a 2 unit transfusion. Went to the Dr.'s office several times and he wanted to order a second Bone Marrow Biopsy. This is when I became wary. A second one? What are we looking for now? Now I decided to get a second opinion. Because it was now December and I had no answers. I reached out to the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ. They reviewed everything and they decided I could be seen by them. Meanwhile, it took so long to get an appointment at Mayo I got the second Bone Marrow Biopsy. This is where he came back with MDS and wanted to treat me with the drug ATG. He couldn't administer this drug and referred me to another hematologist. I set an appointment for that doctor, but knew on just after Christmas I was going to The Mayo Clinic and I would let them handle my care from there. So I did get the appointment with Mayo and got all the clinic notes and results from the two BMB's. The doctors at Mayo immediately said they were glad I sought out the second opinion. But reviewing my information they didn't think my diagnosis was correct. So they did a ton of blood tests and they also wanted to do another BMB, because there were some key tests that were not done. I had the third BMB and the Dr.'s at Mayo came back with the diagnosis of Pure Red Cell Aplasia. I have recently begun my treatment with 150mg of Cyclosporine. My iron levels are still through the roof and I'm sure there are many details I have missed. But I am very scared and nervous, because from what I understand it is extremely rare in someone my age. I feel like Mayo has got me pointed in the right direction. Fingers crossed. Any feedback or advice would be appreciated.