Low Platelet Levels

Has anyone experienced low platelet levels that have caused treatments to be halted? 

As anyone had a platelet transfusion? or a drug called interleukin 11 (IL-11). 

My husband's treatments seem to work well but he is unable to stay on schedule due to low platelets.  Need info on platelet increase treatments or anything you can share on your experience with this.  Thanks.

On 6/1/2007 Negkj wrote:

Has anyone experienced low platelet levels that have caused treatments to be halted? 

As anyone had a platelet transfusion? or a drug called interleukin 11 (IL-11). 

My husband's treatments seem to work well but he is unable to stay on schedule due to low platelets.  Need info on platelet increase treatments or anything you can share on your experience with this.  Thanks.

My Dad has thrombocytepenia purpura (low blood platelets)  caused by chronic MDS.  I cannot answer your question but I've a suggestion that you may find helpful: There is "platelet disorder support association" founded by patient Joan Young of Maryland; and they have their yearly public support (low-priced) conference, organized by patients, with MD's as speakers etc. (soon this month or next) in New Jersey this year.  

Specifically to finding your answer, I am writing to sing the praises for Joan Young's platelet disorder website...    www.pdsa.org 

and in it... for no cost to you...you may enjoy the inner-active "forum" where easily you can post platelet blood "questions specific" to  your platelet & cancer issue and hopefully get support and information you seek (if not of course also from here at this fine site cancer compass); it is just that the other is all platelet talk.  Again, it's a free site, too. 

Franklin 

Same thing happened to my Dad.  He needed weekly platelet transfusions in order to continue his radiation.  They halted the chemo because doing both was too much.  I think he needed a level of 50,000 just to continue his radiation and his would go below 20,000 by the end of the week.  Hope this helps.

Lisa

Hi Negkj

I have ALL (Leukemia) and have had several instances of my chemo being stopped because of low neutraphils and/or low platelets. I have been off treatment for the last 3 weeks because of my platelets - have had 2 transfusions of platelets in the last 8 days (only takes 30 minutes). The doctor is waiting for counts to come up before he resumes treatment. This has happened to me many times before (diagnosed February 06). Have been told that delays in treatment due to low counts happens to most patients as everyone reacts differently to treatment & dosages. Like your husband, my treatment seems to be going well when I am on it.

Hang in there

Vicki

Negkj,

After a year and a half of chemo, my wife is having an issue with her platelets.  Her choice is to change treatment to something not as harsh or to have a spleen embolization. The procedue takes about two hours and in effect squeezes the spleen in order to allow platelet production. The after effects are pain and nausea but she can then renew her treatments. I would be interested to hear from anyone else who is familiar with the procedure and most definitely from someone who has experienced one.

 Kevin

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all your messages - public and private.  Knowing that so many people are dealing with the same situation and getting by does wonders for my emotional state.  Isn't it too bad that we all can support each other during times of distress, but when everything is fine we just say "have a nice day" and don't even mean it.  Ironic huh?

The dr. mentioned transfusion once and my husband said no and he never mentioned them again. He has now agreed to try them and we'll see the dr. on Monday and talk about Platelet transfusions to afford my husband the opportunity to stay on his current meds.  They are working but since he has only been able to have 1 1/2 treatments in 2 months things are starting to grow again.  We didn't even get a chance to knock the thing out before the platelets crashed.

There are shots for white and red cells deficiencies and they work well for him, just the platelets are an issue.  Anyway if we can get a chance to use this med for an extended period of time there is a chance they can kick it out of him at least for a while and we can look at other options for stubborn spots. 

Has anyone with metastatic cancer used Cyberknife? If so, how did it work for you?  I am working on my husband to go to a consultation and see if there is anything that they can do for him (mets to the lungs).

At any rate, I feel so blessed to have found this forum and all of you who are so willing to share the good the bad and the ugly while going through your own nightmare. 

You will remain in my prayers...God bless!  Nancy

I too am looking for away to raise my platelets, by Monday or at least within a week. If they are still at 19,000 on Monday mt chemo will be delayed a week. I have Difuse Large B-cell Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkins.

Original tumor was on my spinal cord, three chemo treatments and it was gone, but two months later it's back in two lymph nodes in my belly. Doc says they are only two centimeters. A stem cell infusion (used to be called bone marrow transplant) at UNC is planed. Sice starting chemo in Dec. 06 I've been told that I had an 80% chance of recovery. Now, she says that if the stem cell infusion doesn't work, it would then be considered incurable and any chemo after that will be to "give me more time" and that if they can't get my platelets up they could have to stop chemo, in which case I'm a gonener. How did I go from 80% curable to this? Anyway, I know my God is in control and everyone is praying for me. My doctor's nurse said there is nothing I can do to raise the levels and they won't do a platelet infusion until they see if my body can recover on it's own. If anyone knows of any alternative, nutritional, or complimentary remedy, please email me

Thanks and God bless.

Sandie

On 6/1/2007 Negkj wrote:

Has anyone experienced low platelet levels that have caused treatments to be halted? 

As anyone had a platelet transfusion? or a drug called interleukin 11 (IL-11). 

My husband's treatments seem to work well but he is unable to stay on schedule due to low platelets.  Need info on platelet increase treatments or anything you can share on your experience with this.  Thanks.