Yes, hemoglobin levels can definitely drop when living with leukemia. This happens because leukemia cells multiply uncontrollably and crowd out the bone marrow, which is where healthy red blood cells are made. Fewer red blood cells means lower hemoglobin levels — this is called anemia.
Leukemia treatments like chemotherapy Show Full Answer
Yes, hemoglobin levels can definitely drop when living with leukemia. This happens because leukemia cells multiply uncontrollably and crowd out the bone marrow, which is where healthy red blood cells are made. Fewer red blood cells means lower hemoglobin levels — this is called anemia.
Leukemia treatments like chemotherapy can also lower hemoglobin, since chemo targets fast-growing cells, including healthy red blood cells. Some symptoms of low hemoglobin to watch for include:
- Extreme fatigue or weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Lightheadedness
- Chest pain
- Pale skin
- Cold hands or feet
- A fast or irregular heartbeat
A MyLeukemiaTeam member shared, "This disease has robbed me of my energy level due to being anemic." It's a very common experience.
If hemoglobin drops too low, a doctor may recommend red blood cell transfusions or other treatments to bring levels back up. It's worth flagging any of these symptoms to your care team so they can check your levels and adjust treatment if needed.
September 23
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