Hi everyone,
Not sure if this is the right place, or even if I have enough information for someone to help, but here goes...
My gran (69) recently was admitted to hospital with chest pains. She is a bit overweight so it was initially thought to be due to heart problems. However, her heart is fine and the pain was in fact caused by acute anaemia, causing, as the nurse put it to me, by the heart spasming due to lack of oxygen. They also thought she had a chest infection.
Blood tests shows decreased red blood cells (hence anaemia), white blood cell, platelets and haemoglobin (I think) and abnormal/deformed haemoglobin OR white blood cells. I'm honestly not sure which as think my gran was a little confused however someone here might be able to tell me which is more likely? She felt no classic anaemia symtoms but was told they were amazed at that as it was so acute.
She was given numerous pints of blood, and various scans. They discharged her after a few days and instructed her to return for a bone marrow biopsy and further blood tests. When she went back for her first bone marrow biopsy they also gave her two more pints of blood.
She went to get her results today and they still didn't know what was wrong and took another bone marrow sample. So we are now waiting on that.
I'm worried about what this could mean and thought that maybe someone with experience may have an idea? My gran sounded down on the phone, and she is one of the most strong, upbeat people I know. She insists the sites where they took samples are not sore though. She mentioned that it could be a form of leukemia, but when I stopped and asked if the doctor said that, she said again that they didn't know... but that she may need treatment in the new year....
How can the first biopsy not show anything? What would they have tested for in the first instance and what are they testing for now?
Really worried.
