Leukemia?

[fearfulchick]

I'm a 17 year old female an I've been experiencing some weird symptoms lately. Recently I've been having frequent bruising on my legs for unknown reasons. I've also been having a lot of bone and joint pain, especially in my hips and knees. Recently I have been having a lot of discomfort in my stomach as well as being tired all of the time. I know these are all symptoms of Leukemia and I can't help but freak myself out over this. Can anyone give me some advice on what the likelihood is that I actually do have it? By the way there is no family history of Leukemia in my family.

[suzzie61]

Hi:  You might not have Leukemia, but you should see a doctor to get a complete work-up with blood work to see what is causing all your symptoms.
    In most cases people do not even have symptoms of Leukemia, it is usually found with just routine blood work and it shows in the blood counts.  That is how they found mine.  I have had Leukemia now for 16 years this Christmas, and they found it very early.  I got onto the right treatment, and I am doing very well.
   Don't make yourself crazy with worry for something that can be just a very simple thing to treat, but if you do not get checked you will not know what is causing your discomfort.

[Mochadelicious]

Hello and welcome.  SEER statistics show that approximately 13 out of 100,000 people will develop Leukemia per year.  So, as you can probably see, the likelihood that you have it is pretty slim.

How long have you had these symptoms?  The problem with just looking at the symptoms is that they can mimic other diseases as well.  A good rule of thumb is if you've had these symptoms longer than a couple of weeks, it's probably best to go see your doctor.