Can myelofibrosis cause headaches?

The specific symptoms and progression of primary myelofibrosis vary from person to person. Some individuals may not exhibit symptoms for many years (asymptomatic). Eventually, individuals with anemia may experience tiredness, shortness of breath, weakness, lightheadedness, irritability, headaches, and pale skin color.

Can myelofibrosis affect the brain?

You may also feel confused because your liver isn’t clearing toxins from your body efficiently, and these toxins affect the brain. Your heart has to work harder to get oxygen to the brain and other organs when you have a low red blood count, so you feel fatigued and you may also have some chest pain or dizziness.

Does high platelet count cause headaches?

The signs and symptoms of a high platelet count are linked to blood clots and bleeding. They include weakness, bleeding, headache, dizziness, chest pain, and tingling in the hands and feet.

Can high platelets cause headache?

Essential thrombocythemia (throm-boe-sie-THEE-me-uh) is an uncommon disorder in which your body produces too many platelets. Platelets are the part of your blood that sticks together to form clots. This condition may cause you to feel fatigued and lightheaded and to experience headaches and vision changes.

How do I know if my myelofibrosis is getting worse?

Symptoms in Your Body As your disease gets worse, you spleen can become enlarged. This can make the area below your ribs on the left side feel painful, bloated, or full. Your left shoulder or back might also hurt. You may also have an enlarged liver or high blood pressure in the veins that enter it.

Is myelofibrosis a terminal illness?

Prognosis. Primary myelofibrosis is generally regarded as an incurable disease but with treatment many people can remain comfortable and symptom-free for some time.

What is the life expectancy with myelofibrosis?

Transcript:Srdan Verstovsek, MD, PhD: Myelofibrosis is one of the myeloproliferative neoplasms, a chronic disease of the bone marrow. It is, unfortunately, the aggressive type. It does affect the life expectancy of the patients. The average survival is about 5 to 7 years.

What causes death with myelofibrosis?

Seven causes of death were predefined, namely death from acute myeloid leukemia (n = 26), bone marrow failure (n = 21), congestive heart failure or pulmonary hypertension (n = 20), spleen or liver complications (n = 17), infection not related to cytopenias (n = 7), failure to thrive (n = 7), or any other COD (n = 15).