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Slow-moving Pancytopenia
My situation may be similar to yours in that the drop in counts is very slow-moving -- however, mine is definitely trending downward. My first indication that something was wrong was with a routine CBC back in 2000. My platelets, RBC, and WBC were all low -- not dangerously low, but low enough to get the doctor's attention.
I was tested for all kinds of things (nothing found)... we have been in "watch and wait" mode since then... I get quarterly CBCs -- and have had 2-3 bone marrow biopsies through the years that all showed me as having hypocellular marrow with no evidence of MDS. Cellularity is something like 20% at last measure.
For some of us, pancytopenia progresses quite slowly. My doctors have hesitated to call this AA in my case, and they have run several tests that have shown no indication that it is "smoldering" MDS either -- though I suppose that cannot be ruled out.
My counts continued to drop slowly until 2009 -- and it seems I have reached some sort of "plateau." Things have been more or less stable since then, but we are keeping an eye on it. I have updated "My Story" a few times through the years, if you are interested in reading about what has happened with me and what others have said -- since your case may be similar in some ways.
God bless you in your journey! Feel free to contact me at any time!
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David M, reds/whites/plats slowly declining since 2000; hypo-cellular bone marrow; diagnosed Mild AA; low counts, but stable since 2009; watch and wait -- no treatments required to this point.
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