I have headache with rapid heartbeat. Is it due to thrombocytosis?

Question

Hi doctor,

I need medical assistance regarding my blood. My friend, who is an emergency doctor, suspects that I might have thrombocytosis. I am very worried because I keep experiencing tachycardia; it feels like my heart has hiccups and beats very fast. I often feel dizzy or have headaches.

I am scared, especially with the pandemic ongoing, and I do not want to die so soon. I am not sure if it is related, but some days I feel weak and tired. I have also been losing weight gradually, and on certain days, it is not easy to breathe. There are times when I feel pressure in my ears and experience some numbness.

Please guide.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand that you are worried about your blood test results. I have reviewed your investigation reports (attachments removed to protect the patient's identity). In addition to a slight increase in platelet count, there are other abnormal findings in the peripheral smear. The presence of rouleaux formation is typically associated with a condition called multiple myeloma, while smudge cells are commonly seen in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), although they can also appear in some normal individuals.

The likelihood of CLL in your case is low since your leukocyte counts are normal in the complete blood count. However, we need to conduct additional tests to check for multiple myeloma. I have recommended certain investigations, and I encourage you to return with the results. Please try not to be too anxious; there can be artifacts in many reports, and it is possible that everything could be normal. Until proven otherwise, you are considered a normal individual.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.