Just diagnosed December 2010

[Marais]

I am so grateful to find this site. It is comforting to know that I am not alone. I just finished my second round of Vidaza February 5th. My first round was the first week of January. I go Monday through Friday for about one hour each visit. I had one 2 unit red blood transfusion the day before I started my first chemo round. I am still able to work half days but I am extremely fatigued. No side affects and no nausea for which I am grateful. Guess I am still in a state of shock. MDS is so hard for me to deal with because I cannot "see or feel" the cancer like a tumor, etc. Once again, thanks to all of you for sharing.

[rose mcmillin]

Marais, My husband was diagnosed 1 year ago. He has been on vidaza since then with good results. I wanted you to know that things are better than any of the old charts show. The medicines are improved and so is the prognosis. I have received so much information from this site. This is my first post but I wanted you to know you are not alone and should feel free to ask anything you aren't sure of. Sincerely, Rose

[Neil Cuadra]

Originally Posted by Marais

MDS is so hard for me to deal with because I cannot "see or feel" the cancer like a tumor, etc.

Marais,

This is so true or so many patients. You don't feel MDS. Doctors tell you that you have MDS and you have to take their word for it as you start learning what it means. If patients do feel poorly it's from symptoms like anemia, not directly from having faulty bone marrow.

Many patients don't look like they are sick at all. Some may look a little pale or have excess bruises but still nothing that would cause other people to see signs of a serious illness. Fatigue from anemia doesn't show either. That's why so many patients hear friends say "But you don't look sick!"