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Polycythemia vera (pol-e-sy-THEE-me-uh VEER-uh) is a type of blood cancer. It causes your bone marrow to make too many red blood cells. These excess cells thicken your blood, slowing its flow, which may cause serious problems, such as blood clots.
The most common treatment for polycythemia vera is having frequent blood withdrawals, using a needle in a vein (phlebotomy). It's the same procedure used for donating blood. This decreases your blood volume and reduces the number of excess blood cells.
What you can expect. The blood sample is generally drawn with a needle from a vein in your arm. You may feel some tenderness at the site, but you'll be able to resume normal activities afterward. Results. Results from your hematocrit test are reported as the percentage of blood cells that are red blood cells.
Platelets stop bleeding by clumping and forming plugs in blood vessel injuries. Thrombocytopenia might occur as a result of a bone marrow disorder such as leukemia or an immune system problem. Or it can be a side effect of taking certain medications. It affects both children and adults.
Anemia occurs when the blood doesn't have enough hemoglobin or red blood cells. This can happen if: The body doesn't make enough hemoglobin or red blood cells. Bleeding causes loss of red blood cells and hemoglobin faster than they can be replaced. The body destroys red blood cells and the hemoglobin that's in them.
What you can expect. For a complete blood count, a member of the health care team takes a sample of blood by putting a needle into a vein in your arm, usually at the bend in your elbow. The blood sample is sent to a lab. After the test, you can return to your usual activities right away.
Chronic myelogenous leukemia, also called CML, is an uncommon type of cancer of the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are made. CML causes an increased number of white blood cells in the blood.
Myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of disorders caused by blood cells that are poorly formed or don't work properly. Myelodysplastic syndromes result from something amiss in the spongy material inside your bones where blood cells are made (bone marrow).
Common causes of macrocytosis include: Vitamin B-12 deficiency. Folate deficiency. Liver disease. Alcoholism. Hypothyroidism. A side effect of certain medications, such as those used to treat cancer, seizures and autoimmune disorders.
What to expect from your doctor. Your care team is likely to ask you questions, such as: Do you always have symptoms or do they come and go? Does anything seem to make your symptoms better or worse? Do you know what your blood pressure typically is? Has your kidney function been measured?