Low red blood cell count after liver surgery

Please feel free to read, share your thoughts, your stories and connect with others!
mpbser
Posts: 953
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 11:52 am

Low red blood cell count after liver surgery

Postby mpbser » Tue Feb 20, 2018 5:01 pm

It's been three weeks after my husband's hepactecomy (small excision from segment 4). Today, he had blood tests that show a low RBC and hemaglobin. Could he have bleeding from the surgery at this stage?

On another note, his glucose was very elevated. No big surprise there. He's diabetic again thanks to his ice-cream-daily diet. No chemo to blame now.
Wife 4/17 Dx age 45
5/17 LAR
Adenocarcinoma
low grade
1st primary T3 N2b M1a
Stage IVA
8/17 Sub-total colectomy
2nd primary 5.5 cm T1 N0
9 of 96 nodes
CEA: < 2.9
MSS
Lynch no; KRAS wild
Immunohistochemsistry Normal
Fall 2017 FOLFOX shrank the 1 met in liver
1/18 Liver left hepatectomy seg 4
5/18 CT clear
12/18 MRI 1 liver met
3/7/19 Resection & HAI
4/1/19 Folfiri & FUDR
5/13/19 HAI pump catheter dislodge, nearly bled to death
6-7 '19 5FU 4 cycles
NED

lovelife789
Posts: 161
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2017 5:28 am

Re: Low red blood cell count after liver surgery

Postby lovelife789 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 10:27 pm

I had low RBC and haemaglobin right after my second liver resection. It was so low I had to have a blood transfusion, but it went back to normal right after.
My doctor told me liver usually heals itself/ grow very quickly (my liver grew quickly enough for me to have 2 liver resection with just 2.5 weeks apart).

Yes there's a chance of unhealed wounds in the liver 3 weeks post surgery but not a common thing.
However, for me, the chemo side effect affected RBC and haemaglobin more than the surgeries. But that's just me...
F/38 - Dx 8 Mar 17, CEA 189.5
Stage IV Sig. Colon, Liver mets, T3N0M1a, KRAS NRAS Wild
3/17- 6/17 - 6 x FOLFOX + Erbitux
7/17 - 1st & 2nd Liver resec
9-12/17' - 13 x FOLFOX
1-6/18 - NED
6/18 - PET SCAN showed a 0.8mm lung nodule, VATs
8/18 - 4/19 - NED
5/19 - recurrence 1 x PALN, 1x common iliac
FOLFIRI + Avastin x 12 - complete response, SBRT
12/19-5/20 - NED
5/20 - recurrence in LNs, tiny liver spots x 2, W n W due to COVID
8/20 - LNs very slightly increased, liver stable, one new liver spot

mpbser
Posts: 953
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 11:52 am

Re: Low red blood cell count after liver surgery

Postby mpbser » Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:54 am

Yes, since the liver rejuvenates so quickly, I found this unusual. I will definitely ask about it at the appointment we have with oncologist and surgeon tomorrow.
Wife 4/17 Dx age 45
5/17 LAR
Adenocarcinoma
low grade
1st primary T3 N2b M1a
Stage IVA
8/17 Sub-total colectomy
2nd primary 5.5 cm T1 N0
9 of 96 nodes
CEA: < 2.9
MSS
Lynch no; KRAS wild
Immunohistochemsistry Normal
Fall 2017 FOLFOX shrank the 1 met in liver
1/18 Liver left hepatectomy seg 4
5/18 CT clear
12/18 MRI 1 liver met
3/7/19 Resection & HAI
4/1/19 Folfiri & FUDR
5/13/19 HAI pump catheter dislodge, nearly bled to death
6-7 '19 5FU 4 cycles
NED

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Low red blood cell count after liver surgery

Postby Lee » Thu Feb 22, 2018 10:46 am

mpbser wrote:On another note, his glucose was very elevated. No big surprise there. He's diabetic again thanks to his ice-cream-daily diet. No chemo to blame now.


Count your blessings . . .

A dear friend of my mine, her husband is battling cancer, he it going through chemo and radiation right now when it was determined that surgery was not an option at this time. While I understand your DH has gain weight in recent months, this dear man has lost 25 pounds in the past 2 months.

What she would not give to have her husband eating ice cream again, literally, you see it has been a nightly ritual for them for the past 30+ years of there marriage. Now nothing taste good, not even ice cream.

It would seem your dear M... has probably beat his cancer (count your blessings), my dear friend is scared, her husband is scared, their kids are scared and I am scared right along with them. He is a good man, and I pray for the day when ice creams sound good to him again.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

mpbser
Posts: 953
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 11:52 am

Re: Low red blood cell count after liver surgery

Postby mpbser » Fri Feb 23, 2018 9:34 am

Thanks, Lee. It helps to have another's perspective.

It's been really rough to have perspective these days. My brother's killer was arrested a couple days ago and there is a detention hearing being held for him as I type this.

I'm in Boston right now with husband who has his appointment this afternoon. We hope the pathology shows clear margins. Counting my blessings...
Wife 4/17 Dx age 45
5/17 LAR
Adenocarcinoma
low grade
1st primary T3 N2b M1a
Stage IVA
8/17 Sub-total colectomy
2nd primary 5.5 cm T1 N0
9 of 96 nodes
CEA: < 2.9
MSS
Lynch no; KRAS wild
Immunohistochemsistry Normal
Fall 2017 FOLFOX shrank the 1 met in liver
1/18 Liver left hepatectomy seg 4
5/18 CT clear
12/18 MRI 1 liver met
3/7/19 Resection & HAI
4/1/19 Folfiri & FUDR
5/13/19 HAI pump catheter dislodge, nearly bled to death
6-7 '19 5FU 4 cycles
NED

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: Low red blood cell count after liver surgery

Postby Lee » Fri Feb 23, 2018 11:11 pm

mpbser wrote:
. . . My brother's killer was arrested a couple days ago and there is a detention hearing being held for him as I type this.
...


My thoughts and prayers to you and your brother. That is a tough one what happen to your brother. Glad they caught him!!!

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

mpbser
Posts: 953
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2017 11:52 am

Re: Low red blood cell count after liver surgery

Postby mpbser » Sat Feb 24, 2018 7:17 am

They not only caught him but his twin brother and, as of last night, their father for stashing the car in his garage. The good news about husband yesterday was about the only good thing in my life right now.
Wife 4/17 Dx age 45
5/17 LAR
Adenocarcinoma
low grade
1st primary T3 N2b M1a
Stage IVA
8/17 Sub-total colectomy
2nd primary 5.5 cm T1 N0
9 of 96 nodes
CEA: < 2.9
MSS
Lynch no; KRAS wild
Immunohistochemsistry Normal
Fall 2017 FOLFOX shrank the 1 met in liver
1/18 Liver left hepatectomy seg 4
5/18 CT clear
12/18 MRI 1 liver met
3/7/19 Resection & HAI
4/1/19 Folfiri & FUDR
5/13/19 HAI pump catheter dislodge, nearly bled to death
6-7 '19 5FU 4 cycles
NED

DarknessEmbraced
Posts: 3815
Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2014 4:54 pm
Facebook Username: Riann Fletcher
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Low red blood cell count after liver surgery

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Sun Feb 25, 2018 11:36 am

I'm so sorry about your brother!*hugs* I'm glad that your husband's liver surgery had clear margins!*hugs*
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)


Return to “Colon Talk - Colon cancer (colorectal cancer) support forum”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 27 guests