Does anyone know anything about Aplastic Anemia?

[intense 620]

My 5 yr old cousin was diagnosed today and i'm scared to death and know nothing about it. Anybody?:eek:

[Moisabamf]

Aplastic anaemia is a condition where bone marrow does not produce sufficient new cells to replenish blood cells

that sucks, im sorry

[intense 620]

the doctor equated it to hiv and said that his sister would be the closest donor and she's only in the 6th grade! can they still use her?

[Moisabamf]

blah it will be a sticky situation but physically, yes they can

[intense 620]

are bone marrow transplants, stem cell transplants and immunosuppresant drugs the only treatments?

[Moisabamf]

Treating immune-mediated aplastic anemia involves suppression of the immune system, an effect achieved by daily medicine intake, or, in more severe cases, a bone marrow transplant, a potential cure. The transplanted bone marrow replaces the failing bone marrow cells with new ones from a matching donor. The multipotent stem cells in the bone marrow reconstitute all three blood cell lines, giving the patient a new immune system, red blood cells, and platelets. However, besides the risk of graft failure, there is also a risk that the newly created white blood cells may attack the rest of the body ("graft-versus-host disease").

 

Medical therapy of aplastic anaemia often includes a short course of anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) or anti-lymphocyte globulin (ALG) and several months of treatment with cyclosporin to modulate the immune system. Mild chemotherapy with agents such as cyclophosphamide and vincristine may also be effective. Antibodies therapy, such as ATG, targets T-cells, which are believed to attack the bone marrow. Steroids are generally ineffective, though are often used to combat serum sickness caused by ATG use.

 

One prospective study involving cyclophosphamide was terminated early due to a high incidence of mortality, due to severe infections as a result of prolonged neutropenia.

 

In the past, before the above treatments became available, patients with low leukocyte counts were often confined to a sterile room or bubble (to reduce risk of infections), as in the famed case of Ted DeVita

[datzenmike]

I found this:

 

 

"Treating immune-mediated aplastic anemia involves suppression of the immune system, an effect achieved by daily medicine intake, or, in more severe cases, a bone marrow transplant, a potential cure.[2] The transplanted bone marrow replaces the failing bone marrow cells with new ones from a matching donor. The multipotent stem cells in the bone marrow reconstitute all three blood cell lines, giving the patient a new immune system, red blood cells, and platelets. However, besides the risk of graft failure, there is also a risk that the newly created white blood cells may attack the rest of the body ("graft-versus-host disease")."

 

...and this:

 

 

"Well-matched bone marrow transplants from siblings have been successful in young, otherwise healthy people, with a long-term survival rate of 80%-90%. Most successful BMT recipients eventually reach a point where they consider themselves cured for all practical purposes, although they need to be compliant with follow-up care permanently."

[intense 620]

they already have him in a clean room and no one who has had any contact with any infectious disease in the last 5 years is allowed near him. but if his blood cell count was 0 when he was admitted and they got what they considered a dry biopsy how advanced is it? does it advance or was he born that way?

[intense 620]

I hate this!!!

[Moisabamf]

they already have him in a clean room and no one who has had any contact with any infectious disease in the last 5 years is allowed near him. but if his blood cell count was 0 when he was admitted and they got what they considered a dry biopsy how advanced is it? does it advance or was he born that way?

 

One known cause is an autoimmune disorder, where the white blood cells attack the bone marrow.

 

In many cases, the etiology is impossible to determine, but aplastic anemia is sometimes associated with exposure to toxins such as benzene, or with the use of certain drugs, including chloramphenicol, carbamazepine, felbamate, phenytoin, quinine, and phenylbutazone. Many drugs are associated with aplasia mainly in the base of case reports but at a very low probability, As an example, chloramphenicol treatment is followed by aplasia in less than 1 in 40,000 treatment courses, and carbamazepine aplasia is even more rare.

 

Unprotected exposure to radiation from radioactive materials without protective shielding is also associated with the development of aplastic anemia.

 

Aplastic anaemia is present in up to 2% of patients with acute viral hepatitis.

 

 

so he wasnt born with it

[intense 620]

and to think i cried when they said they were testing him for leukemia... thanks for all your help guys!:(

[Moisabamf]

on a related not to leukemia, some french scientists used modified HIV virusas a cure with very promising results!:eek:

[dat521kid]

damn that is some heavy stuff, i heard that thats one of the most painful transplants and i think for both the donor and the recipient

[intense 620]

thats what i heard too. tomorrow they test immediate family and then next week is extended family. i guess they need a back up donor because they need more than what they can take in one sitting or something. all i know is it scares me to death and i'm terrified of needles but i'm going in.

[mike]

My grandpa had a bone marrow transplant about 10 years ago and hes doing fine now considering. Hes got continuous medical appointments and he did have a mild case of graph versus host but was able to overcome it with medication. He lucked out and had a very good match with his youngest sister. He was joking around saying that he was going to grow boobs and stuff. The doctors only gave him a couple of months at best when he was first diagnosed but he pulled through. Hes the definition of stubborn and he kept his spirits up through it all.

 

Stay positive, even when it looks bad. Smile and visit often, pray alot (even if youre not religious) and hope for the best. Contact your local churches and see if they will set up a prayer group for him. There have been numerous scientific studies on the effects of prayer with some pretty surprising results, patients recover more frequently and faster. It sounds odd but the whole family actually believed he would get better and he did... its about the only thing everybody ever agreed on.

 

Chin up and trust the doctors, go spend some time with him if you can, read him a book or something, keep his mind occupied and let him know you love him. Good luck and Ill pray for all of you.

[fairlady66]

I see you are in Highland. I work at a local hopsital. Contact me off forum, pm pr email me, tell me where which hospital he is at. I will fill you in more when you contact me.

Edited September 19, 2009 by fairlady66

[az_rat210]

I wanted to post this link, as in the forum comments the originator notes that his son is doing very very well. It discusses alternative medicine for boosting Western Medicine practices.

 

http://forums.marrowforums.org/archive/index.php/t-78.html

 

Try a Google Search on the disease and "Alternative Remedies". Please do not disregard the alternative remedies and vitamin supplement options but research the subject thoroughly. I have cured my manic depression, improved my eyesight and minimized a Gastritis Issue by looking at alternative options. Some of its real, some of its hokey and some can make conditions worse depending on whats in them. The key is to cross reference lots of different research from around the world.

[intense 620]

well he's completely isolated the only way we can see him is through the glass window of his room. plus yesterday they forgot to put his iv back in after his biopsy and he went 6 hours without fluids and turned gray again:( but we wont get anymore test results until monday. thank you for all the prayers and well wishes and all the advise... it really does mean alot to me and my family!!

[intense 620]

Hunter is Home!! have no idea what was wrong with him but he's getting better by the day!! thanks for all the support guys!!:lol:

[slam_dat_sun]

So glad to hear of him getting better , now go buy him some candy lol

[stilltwisted]

its great to here hes home,, your family has been in our thoughts

[intense 620]

Hunter has been diagnosed with leukemia.:( they started him on chemo but he got a fungal infection on his liver his spleen and his lung so they had to stop. this totally sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[72 327]

wow man, so sorry to here that he will be in our thoughts here...