Recent Content by gomezopotamia

Hello Gabi, Thank you so much for posting your reply and sharing your experiences with PV. I was one of the regular posters on this thread with my cat Gomez. It’s so difficult to find information on this incredibly rare disease without forums like this. My cat Gomez stayed on 100mg. daily of...

Ugh! I just saw your edit. Now I feel like a jerk, lol. But, yeah. Even so. $1200 seems so high.

A phlebotomy is when blood is drawn and often replaced with saline (to maintain the same volume). It's not a blood test/panel. Some cats need to be sedated or even anesthetized (totally depends on the cat). This might be bringing the cost of the procedure up for some.

Hi Hannah, I'm so sorry to hear about the difficult time you've been having with your kitty and your pending move. I know how awful that feels. I wish I had more information and help to give, but I'll offer what little I have. The cost of your phlebotomies is a bit high. I think we were paying...

Quick update on Gomez: Yesterday's hematocrit was at 35.1. So even with the reduced dosage of hydroxyurea we are still very well managed.

Update on Gomez: He's fantastic. He was previously on 100mg of hydroxyurea everyday and we now have reduced it by skipping Mondays and Fridays. He seems more like himself than he has since the PV started about a year and a half ago. He has his first checkup in three months scheduled tomorrow...

I'm just posting an update for my cat Gomez's journey with Polycythemia Vera and Hydroxyurea. It's been about a year since we started in the medication and he continues to be fantastic! He's super active (much to his sister's dismay!), he's happy, and he keeps a PCV in the 40s. He also has a pre...

7 years is fantastic! I really am glad to hear that. I'm really pleased with the hydroxyurea. Above the high blood count, Gomez had really odd behaviors even when his blood count was normal which seems to have resolved with the bone marrow suppression. Totally weird, but I can't complain...

Heidi, What is it that your vet dislikes about the Hydroxyurea? Is it side-effects? Effectiveness? Either way, it's good that Rupert handles the blood-lettings so well. He's awesome :)

Sherryla, thanks for posting. My cat Gomez is on a silmilar dose. Except we do 100mg everyday. He's been on this since June and has kept his count in the mid 40s as well. I have this constant fear that the meds will stop working, but your kitty has been on them successfully for several years...

Hi Heidi! Have you decided to try the hydroxyurea? Keep us all posted on how well Rupert is doing.

Thanks for sharing, Gwen. I'm glad to hear your kitty has been doing well for over a year now! Do you know how many miligrams are in the dosage of hydroxyurea you give your cat? I only ask since I'm hoping the dosage my cat is on can be reduced over time. Currently he's on 100mg everyday. It's...

Hi Kelly, My 7 year old cat, Gomez also has polycythemia vera. I won't lie, it hasn't been an easy ride, but it really is treatable. When we first discovered that he had PV his blood count was 73, this was back in April. Since then we have had about 5 blood lettings, and are now on the chemo...

I meant to say the medication was reasonably "affordable" :)

Hey Adelheid:) My cat was also diagnosed with this back in April. I haven't posted about him to the forum because his backstory is quite long a complicated. But when we first discovered it, his blood count was 73. Since the beginning of April we have had three phlebotomies total. He seems to...