Usually what would cause a person to collapse from AML is being very anemic. I needed 3 bags of blood and a bag of platelets when I was finally diagnosed. The symptoms come on quick (within weeks). I have a feeling he was feeling pretty tired, but just chalked it up daily stress. I wrote off all my symptoms as that. I had just started a 3 AM shift, so I thought I was super tired from working terrible hours. My breathlessness - I thought the smoking finally caught up with me! (no I don’t smoke any longer - the first month in the hospital put an end to that!). Gums - time to see the dentist. It was my first time having low back pain that sent me to the doctor who did an MRI and the MRI showed my entire marrow was saturated with hemetolgical changes. That started the ball rolling with blood tests, etc.
But, yea, I think that your ex-coworker just wrote off the symptoms as everyday stuff, which most of us do - until it shuts us down. Not good at that point - our organs need blood. Without any aggressive mutations, one normally does just chemo and an allo BMT is not recommended. Good for him! Life would have been so much easier without a BMT. I could have moved on to a somewhat normal life by now. I could have gone back to my old job, had a vacation laying in the sun right now. It wasn’t the chemo, but the allo BMT that changed my life.
I’m glad you have a positive outlook, as you should! Especially if you trust your medical team. Mine - they are short of walking on water : ) On another note that just popped in my head - while getting treatment, I was looking at some of the nurses that had some extra weight. How I envied them as I knew I’d be losing a ton and realized just how important it was to have a reserve. I’ll no longer complain if I have an extra 10 on me again! So, eat up! lol
Doctors say AML is usually environmental, ie, benzenes, being around heavy duty radiation. Or it can be caused by strong chemo used for other cancers.
I didn’t have a genetic marker that caused the AML, however, the AML caused the FLT3 gene to take on a huge life form of its own. That is the aggressive gene that would usher in a relapse, hense my continual chemo which doubles as a flt3 inhibitor.
Keep that great spirit of yours. You’re feeling good it sounds like. You’re in a good place. Looking forward to getting there in more than spurts.
My Oncologist saw my latest Blood Work and called me at home on a Thursday night and told me to get to the Hospital the next day to start Blood Transfusions.
Even though I had been dealing with my Disease all these years, I probably just got complacent since I always responded well to my Treatments. I just forgot that I was also getting older and your Body can't do what it used to do.
I received Blood and Platelet Transfusions for an entire Month to get my numbers up, then I was back in Chemo. I think I received 14 Units of Blood and 4 Units of Platelets.
To top it off, six Months later I get a call telling me the person who Donated the very last Unit of Blood I received came back to Donate and tested positive for Hepatitis C.
Had to get checked out to be sure I didn't have it, but it sure scared a few people including me. Such is Life, it's always something.
Have to get going. Have a great day.