treatments aren't working...why?

Hi, my daughter is 10 years old. She was diagnosed with ITP about 5 weeks ago (I had it when I was 6, but got over it very quickly). Her platelet count started at 11, then dropped to 4,2,1, back up to 4, etc. She has had 3 IVIg treatments (no increase in platelets) and has been on prednisone for almost 2 weeks. Her platelets are still at 4. She has had bloody noses (lasting 2-3 hours). Dr. put her on a medication for stopping that until we can see the Dr. again. Her petechiae and bruising has gotten better. My daughter is very pale, tired, and her legs are always bothering her. Any suggestions? Dr. let us go to OR for Christmas (her hemoglobin counts were fine, so they let us go). It seems like the IVIg and steroids aren't working. What treatments do you suggest we stay away from, what do you think could work, etc? Also, her white blood cell count went up to 18,000, but Dr. said that is from the steroids? Just a little nervous about what this is leading to.....
Thanks!

Lots of things to think about. We had a genetic history of blood disorders in our family and therefore pushed for a bone marrow biopsy to be done on our son. Thankfully, it was still ITP. While other blood lines can and do go up and down a *little* bit (that being the operative word here), I would be concerned about a white cell count of 18K. Do you have copies of her blood work that you can compare over a period of weeks? It might be worth pushing for a BMB for peace of mind. It's not something I would normally suggest, but I know for us, with our history and what we were looking at count wise, it was worth it for the peace of mind.

I'm curious where you are at as I used to live in OR. Our son's naturepath is also in Oregon and still follows him periodically.

As far as drugs, it depends on your tolerance level. We tried two that gave us no results and plenty of side effects. The more we read about all of the options, the more we determined we would do no more drugs to our sons body. There is a natural forum here that has lots of information regarding homeopathy. It might be worth spending some time reading as it may be a route more preferable to you. After months of zero platelets and a host of other issues, our son's platelets are normal today and he's doing great. It would be worth looking into.

Stacy - some people just do not respond to certain treatments and it can take a while to find the one she will respond to. It's frustrating, but eventually you'll find the right one. Counts of 2 and 4 are basically the same thing.

White counts can rise when a person is on Prednisone. It's happened to quite a few people here. I'm sure the doctor will keep an eye on it and will let you know if it's something to worry about.

I hope you find something that works soon.

Hi! Thanks for your response! We used to live in Bend, OR. I sure wish we were still there b/c both grandparents lived next to us. We could use their help right now!
Anyway, I have an update on my daughter's condition. We saw her hematologist (they fly in from Oakland, CA) last night. I guess Alyssa's red blood cells are being attacked by antibodies as well as her platelets. B/C of this, the Dr. has given her the diagnosis of Evans syndrome. A little scary when you look it up. Dr. is also taking her off the prednisone over the course of two weeks. At that time, we will be doing a full antibody panel to test for other autoimmune diseases. If there aren't clear answers, we will have to do a bone marrow. I'm feeling so tired, unsure, and hoping we are taking the right steps. That's where faith has to kick in!
Thanks for getting back to me. AND...let me know if you know anyone with Evans syndrome.
Thanks!

I also meant to say.... CONGRATS about your son. Puts a smile on my face. Glad he is doing better!!!!!

Thank you for your response, as well. If you get a chance, see my other post. Dr. is thinking my daughter has Evans syndrome, and possibly another autoimmune disorder... that is why treatments did not work...

Sorry to hear about the Evans. Yes, it can be scary. Most people do get it under control in time though. I hate to hear children going through a diagnosis like that.

There have been a few parents lately with children with Evans. If you do a search, you can find them. It wasn't long ago. Let me know if you need help.