Question:
Hi to all. I have a very strange thing going on. For the past 7
months, about 2-3 times a month, I have very bad muscle pain. My
whole body feels as though I have the flu. I ache so bad and it takes
over my whole body. For example, my legs and arms will ache. Not only
when I move or walk but also when I am just laying down. My joints in
my hands feet and legs ache when I bend them. Sounds silly but this is
so bad that when I just touch the end of my nose it hurts. This is
even in the bottoms of my feet and hurts when I walk. This will
usually last for 24 hours and there is a spot on my leg that is the
size of a pencil eraser that looks like a red bruise. This will start
to fade the day after the pain and ONLY shows when this happens. I am
a military wife and I hate to see the doctor's on post and have been
avoiding this visit. Does this sound at all familiar to anyone???
Please help.

Answer:
Hey Tamara, how are you doing? The only definite way to diagnose
either form of leukemia is through examination of the bone marrow.
Acute leukemia in children usually appears suddenly, with symptoms
similar to those of a cold, and progress rapidly. Fatigue and
malaise (a feeling of general body discompfort) are primary symptoms.
The lymph nodes, spleen and liver may become enlarged, painful and
tender. The crowding out of the red blood cells produces anemia
and conciderable pallor. Platelet interference causes gineral bleeding
-- nose, gums, into the skin in the form of pin spots -- and easy
bruising. (The child often looks as if he has been beaten.) Weight
loss is common. Often the first symptom is discovered during dental
work when prolonged bleeding is noted. The may be a sore throat
and night sweats. Later signs include a rapid pulse, joint pain with
feverish periods, and weakness. Chronic leukemia in far more
common in adults and appears more gradually, but the symptoms are
approximately the same. Exposure to radiation is associated with an
increase incidence of leukemia. Best wishes,