Serious health problems can take place to person suffering from Polycythemia Vera. One of the most serious problems could be the clotting of blood. In PV the blood becomes thicker and the flow of your blood becomes slower, this may cause your blood to form clots and you can suffer from stroke or heart attack.

Another complication of PV is the enlargement of Liver or Spleen. Because of the blood clot the Liver & Spleen become enlarge and very painful. Sometime it's so severely painful that one has to get operated and remove the organ.

The high levels of red blood cells that cause PV can lead to stomach ulcers, gout, or kidney stones.

Following are the Possible complications of Polycythemia Vera.
Blood Clots, Enlarged Spleen, Skin Problems, Other Blood Disorder

Blood Clots.
In Polycythemia Vera the blood become thicker than normal, PV causes the blood flow in your veins and arteries, slower than normal. Possibility of blood clotting is very high due to increased blood thickness and decreased blood flow, as well as abnormalities in platelets. Clotting of blood can cause heart attack or stroke, or any artery of your lungs could be blocked or in a vein deep within a muscle (deep vein thrombosis).

Enlarged Spleen.
The function of the Spleen is to fight against infection and to filter old and damage blood cells so our body is protected from infections. In Polycythemia Vera the Spleen has to work harder than normal to filter blood cells because of the increased number of red blood cells. This causes the Spleen to enlarge and painful. If your spleen becomes too large or severely painful, it may need to be removed.

Skin Problems.
Skin problem is also associated with Polycythemia Vera. Your skin can become very dry and itchy especially when you take warm bath or shower. Your face or palm can appear red and you also get feeling of irritation on you arms, legs, hands or feet.

Problems Due to High Levels of Red Blood Cells.
Other complication can also be associated with Polycythemia Vera, including open sores on the inside lining of your stomach, upper small intestine or esophagus (peptic ulcers), inflammation in your joints (gout), and uric acid stones in your kidneys.

Other Blood Disorders.
In rare cases, Polycythemia Vera may lead to other blood diseases, including a progressive disorder in which bone marrow is replaced with scar tissue (Myelofibrosis), a condition in which stem cells don't mature or function properly (Myelodysplastic Syndrome), or cancer of the blood and bone marrow (Acute Leukemia).

Complication in Pregnancy
Pregnant women suffering from Polycythemia Vera should be very careful in taking drugs of curing PV , because it may pose a risk to a developing fetus.