Not officially ITP but I am sure it's coming

I am a forty-five year old woman who's platelets are at 40 to 45 at the last count. Always a bruiser and now seeing the little red dots mostly lower extremities and extremely tired. I see a specialist on wed this week. I am extremely allergic to antibiotics and have had serum sickness before and am scared ro death of taking new drugs. I have no idea what triggered this and am generally a healthy individual. Have felt very isolated the last week or two since this was discovered during routine blood work. am having excruciating headache pain for the last two days as well....

Any advice?

Hello Sheepstrings While the symptoms you mention, other than the headache, sound typical of ITP, a count of 40-45 is livable! Most don't even treat with that count. The usual advice, research everything! Antibiotics aren't prescribed for ITP. Are you taking anything for the headache? Do you normally have headaches? Don't forget to mention it to the doc on Wednesday.

Have taken Tylenol extra strength regularly over the last two days with very little results. Have had severe headaches in the past. My doctor did mention ITP when we spoke and I am not sure what last count was but I go again tomorrow for another count. have two new bruises today on legs for no reason. Definitely will mention the headaches and everything else on we'd

Thanks

While I am currently at a relatively safe count, is there anything to watch for that would indicate a drop? I have felt relatively well the first week and now have been battling dizziness and the headache and mild fever. What happens when levels drop? Or is it just unexplained. I am sure that stress has something to do with how I am feeling right now!

Everyone has different symptoms, but the main ones include spontaneous bruises, bleeding gums, nose bleeds and petechiae. Small, yellow bruises are not of much concern, large black ones are more worrisome.

Is it possible that you have a virus that would explain the fever? Headache and dizziness can also be a symptom of that. Fevers are not common with ITP, but a virus could lower counts.

I have also had serum sickness and am leery of new drugs, but with some research, you can determine if a particular drug carries that risk. As far as ITP treatments, the only one that I'm aware of that can cause serum sickness is Rituxan.

Do you have any history of ITP? Do you know your historical platelet count - no is a perfectly acceptable answer as why should we unless there's reason to watch them. On my initial Dx the only platelet I knew were the little plates we used on holidays! :laugh:

Seriously, try to lower the stress. I know easier said than done! My stress was pretty high for a while after Dx. I pray you find some hope here - we all have ITP, some for many years and can attest to living a very good life with ITP.

No history of ITP in our family that I am aware of...so this came as quite a shock...I have typocally been a bruiser and have two of the bluey purple unexplained as well as a very few of the small needle head like red spots on lower extremities. Have not been really sick of late just at Christmas when I had a very bad 'something' virus...maybe that triggered this. Off to a specialist on Wed for further discussion and further blood work tomorrow.

Thanks to all for the reassurances it really eases the mind.

Don't anticipate they will identify the trigger because a trigger is not known. Probably a CBC for a current platelet count and based on that result they'll decide whether to treat. Perhaps various Lab tests and a bone marrow biopsy - ITP is a Dx of exhausting the known culprits and then applying the ITP Dx. If they do treat, the common Rx is a steroid to slow down/impede your immune system from destroying platelets (doesn't always work -didn't for me). If you continue to decline there are several drugs to try. Notice I said try... a cardinal rule of ITP is what works for one doesn't ensure that it'll work for another. Thus the MD try the tier 1 Rx and monitor, try another and monitor until they exhaust the tier 1 treatments. Then they move to tier 2 Rx and repeat, repeat and repeat the cycle.

Don't hesitate to post any questions, concerns, fears because having been there and done that, we know how difficult ITP can be to accept.