low platelets

[Laurie H]

I started with Revlimid on 6-1-09 after having procrit and pheupogen shots for several years. During the last year on the shots my HCT bounced back and forth like a yo-yo so they were discontinued and I started the Revlimid. In the three week between the shots and Revlimid my platelets dropped to 102-then 64 and down to 26. Several days after the 26 reading I had more blood work and PLT was at 13 so I had a platelet tranfusion. Since I had only been on Revlimid for a week when PLT hit 26 they told me that it wasn’t from the Revlimid. I also had a reaction to the platelet—itching and hives. Anyone else experience anything like this? I also have a lot of bruising and petechia.

[choijk]

Laurie,

For the past 6 weeks, my dad has been receiving plt transfusions on a weekly basis. His plts used to be in the normal range, but eventually did decline. By the time he goes in for his weekly CBC’s, his plt level is 13-15, which our hema orders 1 unit of plt transfusion.

The past week, he has been compalining of itching. He says the itchiness only lasts for 20 minutes at most, and comes and goes. He feels itchiness on his ankles, sometimes the back of his year, sometimes on his thigh. He said that he seems very small bumps but they disappear really quickly. Is this what you are experiencing?

June

[Laurie H]

I always get Benedryl via IV before platelets because I get hives. Even with the Benedryl I still get a few hives but not as big and not as many. From what they tell me, it is pretty common to have a reaction to platelets—more so than red blood cells.

[choijk]

who here on the forum is on weekly platelet transfusions? i know in the past there were posts about juicing pineapple juice with black seseame seeds. has anyone had any succeed with this? and my second question is, once the platelet count is down, has anyone seen an increase over time?

thank you !

[Hunter Bob]

Been awhile since I wrote here. I’m getting platelets when the count drops to 10 – that takes the count to maybe 23 and then 3 days later getting more – two six-packs at a time. Yesterday, after the weekend, the count was 5 and I got two six-packs. Never heard of the juice thing.

They want to do another bmb in about 3 weeks if the platelets continue dropping like this. That will be my 3rd bmb since March 2009.

Hunter Bob

[rsne]

My Father has be getting 2-units of platelets every 7 to 10 days. Does anyone know how long someone can continue getting these tx’s?

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