substances detrimental to platelet count

The PDSA list of substances derimental to platelet count includes omega 3 fatty acids and Lipitor. I need to take fish oil and plant oils to reduce my LDL cholestrol count. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience that would prohibit me from taking these substances?

Hi Helen,

I can only go with what my experience has been with fish oil and or flaxseed oil. Yes, those are good medications to help with your cholesterol. I had an adverse reaction to fish oil, only I didn't know it at the time. I ran into someone who used to be a patient of mine from a previous job position, who worked at a coagulation clinic. She had me go up and speak with the physician running that clincic. That physician said that for some people, especially those with blood disorders, fish oil or flaxseed oil could cause a problem with the platelet count. I was having difficulty getting off the Prednisone and stabilizing my platelets. I stopped taking the fish oil and my platelets regulated, all on their own. Also there is something about green tea, DHA supplements (those are usually in prenatal vitamins and that is the plant based form of the Omega three's) tomatoes, chocolate, and anything with caffeine in it. I've been dealing with ITP for four years now and these diet changes seemed to have helped me a lot. Everyone is different; my hematologist did not acknowledge that fish oil can have an anticoagulant effect on some people. My cholesterol was just checked and is okay. I'm sure lots of factors also can effect the platelets, this is just what worked for me and information I found out about. I have also noticed at work that some of the supplements we give out now have warnings on them stating this very fact. I found that interesting. Natural supplements are tough to decide about; if you think about it, you would think natural is better. However, supplements can have some very adverse affects on people and they are not regulated by the FDA the way our food products are. Long ago, the indians only had herbal remedies to us for their medications and anyone gifted with skills to use those herbs correctly was deemed a "medicine man." Natural remedies are very potent drugs! I'm not against them, by any means, to those of you out there lucky enough to have found something that has worked. Stick with it, but seek someone knowledgable about them and use them correctly. A lot of our modern drugs have been so synthesized that there is nothing natural about them, yet billions of people take them every day and they do work, for the most part. Me, I'd rather not have to take anything if I can help it!

I hope this bit of information helps you! Take care and keep on doing research on what is best for you.

Kathy

Cod liver oil (high in omega 3's) thins the blood which can be a problem with low platelets. It would depend how low yours are if you want to risk taking it. I did not start my boy back on the CLO until he was at 50K steadily as a safety precaution. He is not a bleeder so I was comfortable starting him that low. But if someone were a bleeder I would not recommend it until they are steadily at 100K - at least. The best, natural way, to reduce your LDL is to do a high healthy fat diet (our bodies need fat), high protein, low carb (not Atkins low - just proportionally low to what your normally eat). Good fats would be coconut oil (as much as you can use!), olive oil, grapeseed oil, real butter. Bad fats: all fake margarines, vegetable oil, canola oil, soy oil, and any other oil not in the first list.

I dropped my LDL and raised my HDL in 6 months very naturally by eating those oils only and doing the higher fat, higher protein, low carb eating. Very much helped my inherited high cholesterol issues.

Lipitor will lower your blood levels of cholesterol and cause your liver to kick out more cholesterol (because your body will then think it's too low in cholesterol). Your body NEEDS cholesterol for nerve communication, brain cell function, and particularly it is needed in autoimmune cases. If you give it the right types of fats, the body will balance itself out in a period of time.

Best wishes,

patti

It all depends on what your counts are as far as fish oil and Omega's. Those can thin the blood and make platelets less sticky, so if your counts are low, you should stay away from them. If counts are up, they should be fine.

As far as Lipitor, many people take it with no problems. The potential to drop counts is possible with any drug, but may not occur. I take quite a few that are contraindicated for ITP and have had no problems. It's a benefit vs risk type of thing.

At a national PDSA conference in San Francisco a few years ago, I spoke with one of the hematologist guest speakers and asked him if there were any supplements or foods (I didn't ask about prescription medications) I should avoid. He said only Omega 3 capsules.

I started taking some Omega 3 a week ago because I was having bursitis- painful inflammation in shoulder and along arm. And Omega 3 is often recommended for inflammation. I knew I shouldn't take ibuprophen, so took some Tylenol. I thought the Omega 3 would be okay because they were just Gummy Bear(gummy fish) children's vitamins- I mean, come on! I didn't imagine a gummy could harm me.

But I began getting dark bruises and blood in my nose that was worse than I'd ever had even with counts below 10K. I doubled my prednisone but the bruis/bleed continued and worsened. Finally I figured out that the Gummy Vits might be the problem. I quit taking them and in 48 hrs no more bleeding.

Thanks for your info everyone! I'm interested now in what not to eat and will be watching how the other foods on the list affect me.