Spleen surgery—need some advice!
in Health ·
I figured I’d share my experience with you all; even though this post is getting a bit old, maybe it’ll help someone out...
I've been dealing with hemolytic anemia—specifically hemoglobinopathy type F—since the day I was born. It comes with low platelet and red blood cell counts and really high bilirubin levels.
Every single time I went in for a checkup, my spleen was enlarged by about 2 or 3 cm, and that's been the case for years. But nothing too alarming, right? Back in 2008, after an exam showed some pretty terrible blood work, my hematologist (who is honestly a wonderful man) suggested I undergo a splenectomy. Of course, I completely panicked. I just went home, pretended he hadn't said a word, and tried to go on living my life as if everything were "perfectly normal." Naturally, I was constantly exhausted and drained—just like anyone else dealing with spleen issues—but since that’s been my entire life, I assumed I could just keep going like this forever.
But then, toward the end of 2010, the fatigue started hitting harder. I was becoming increasingly exhausted, irritable, and just lacked any motivation whatsoever. No matter which doctor I saw, they all just sent me right back to my hematologist. Finally, when I actually worked up the nerve to see him, he told me my spleen was twice its normal size and that I needed surgery immediately...
Ten days later, I was in surgery; both the spleen and gallbladder were gone. I was discharged seven days after the procedure. When I showed up for my follow-up ten days later, my blood work was absolutely shocking! My platelet count was 1510!!! The surgeon was baffled, and I had no idea what was happening because I've spent my whole life struggling with a deficiency, not a massive surplus. He immediately sent me for an abdominal ultrasound and back to my hematologist. The ultrasound revealed that I had portal vein thrombosis with several clots that nobody had caught until then. They moved me to the hematology ward immediately, where I stayed for 14 days. My platelets were still incredibly high at 1010, but since the clots had significantly decreased, they let me come home on the condition that I administer Lovenox injections myself twice a day. Now I'm just focused on my regular checkups and, of course, praying to God that my platelet counts drop soon!
Even though it’s been a month since the surgery, I still feel some slight soreness where they made the incisions, but honestly, it’s nothing compared to those first few days after the operation.
I've been dealing with hemolytic anemia—specifically hemoglobinopathy type F—since the day I was born. It comes with low platelet and red blood cell counts and really high bilirubin levels.
Every single time I went in for a checkup, my spleen was enlarged by about 2 or 3 cm, and that's been the case for years. But nothing too alarming, right? Back in 2008, after an exam showed some pretty terrible blood work, my hematologist (who is honestly a wonderful man) suggested I undergo a splenectomy. Of course, I completely panicked. I just went home, pretended he hadn't said a word, and tried to go on living my life as if everything were "perfectly normal." Naturally, I was constantly exhausted and drained—just like anyone else dealing with spleen issues—but since that’s been my entire life, I assumed I could just keep going like this forever.
But then, toward the end of 2010, the fatigue started hitting harder. I was becoming increasingly exhausted, irritable, and just lacked any motivation whatsoever. No matter which doctor I saw, they all just sent me right back to my hematologist. Finally, when I actually worked up the nerve to see him, he told me my spleen was twice its normal size and that I needed surgery immediately...
Ten days later, I was in surgery; both the spleen and gallbladder were gone. I was discharged seven days after the procedure. When I showed up for my follow-up ten days later, my blood work was absolutely shocking! My platelet count was 1510!!! The surgeon was baffled, and I had no idea what was happening because I've spent my whole life struggling with a deficiency, not a massive surplus. He immediately sent me for an abdominal ultrasound and back to my hematologist. The ultrasound revealed that I had portal vein thrombosis with several clots that nobody had caught until then. They moved me to the hematology ward immediately, where I stayed for 14 days. My platelets were still incredibly high at 1010, but since the clots had significantly decreased, they let me come home on the condition that I administer Lovenox injections myself twice a day. Now I'm just focused on my regular checkups and, of course, praying to God that my platelet counts drop soon!
Even though it’s been a month since the surgery, I still feel some slight soreness where they made the incisions, but honestly, it’s nothing compared to those first few days after the operation.