Could I have leukemia?

[Eventhesparrows]

So the spleen filters the blood and destroys abnormal blood cells or cells that shouldn't be there - it removes them from the blood stream.

I was on antibiotics for 4 days - last Saturday through Tuesday. I lost my appetite and had diarrhea (I always get diarrhea when on antibiotics, no matter which kind) - but the appetite loss was new.

On Thursday, two days after stopping the antibiotics, I had a doctors appointment and he felt my abdomen because I felt like the upper left side was swollen. He said he didn't feel an enlarged spleen. I was also feeling run down, so he ordered routine blood work - liver and kidney function and CBC blood tests. Everything came back normal.

I'm worried now, because I still have no appetite, or when I do, I get full very quickly. It also feels like I'm swollen or like a constant bloating feeling on my left side into my back. I know those are both symptoms of a swollen spleen. Maybe he didn't feel in the correct area? Also, because I was on antibiotics 2 days before having the blood work, what if the antibiotics lowered my white cell count to a "normal" level, when really they're high? I know antibiotics can lower your white blood cell count.

And if I do have a swollen spleen, that means the cells were removed from the blood stream, and are being harbored in the spleen....so they wouldn't show up on blood work?

I'm just scared I have leukemia and because of the factors listed above, it didn't show on a blood test or physical exam.

[melfish]

This is a very far-fetched, medically dubious theory. Do you have any actual symptoms of leukemia? Your doctor has already told you your spleen is not enlarged

[Eventhesparrows]

I'm more drowsy than usual and I'm not hungry/full very easily. No fevers or infections or anything else like that, but it's known as the cancer that just "sneaks up" on you. On week you're fine and the next you're not.

[melfish]

Presumably you've been ill recently, hence the antibiotics. Why don't you wait a little while and see whether you feel better? Loss of appetite is a very non-specific symptom; perhaps it was initially caused by the antibiotics and now anxiety has kicked in, prolonging it. I can't eat when I'm stressed and have no interest in food at all. You are probably tired from not eating properly. Antibiotics play havoc with your digestive system; take some probiotics and give it a little while for everything to return to normal

[MyNameIsTerry]

As Mel says, antibiotics can give you the runs. Many a time I've had the runs and no appetite from stomach bugs. The same with colds & flu, your body sometimes gives you a hint to go easy on the meals and this is where the old "little & often" rule came from.

Whenever I was ill with sickness bugs I would start light with a few plain biscuits throughout the day. The next day it would be soup, the next toast and after a period of introducing light meals I would end up back to normal again. If I did that outside of when I'm ill I would have been ravenous.