ITP is only one problem

Recently diagnosed with ITP, however there were a load of other issues at the same time, including almost no white blood cell counts, low red blood cell counts, platelets below 7, and hemoglobin at 3. All this happened at the same time, along with me having pneumonia, bronchitis, and asthma. This was about 1 1/2 months ago. Even with all this (particularly hemoglobin at 3), I was fully conscious and pretty much normal. No one can figure out how I was still alive or conscious with hemoglobin of 3, let alone still functional and able to do my usual intense cardio workouts each day which could last over 2 hours. And I never really feel sick or tired. Didn't know I even had anything wrong except for a sudden asthma attack that brought me to urgent care, where they did blood work and declared me critically ill.

Have been in hospital 3 times now, doctors can't figure me out, I feel fine and normal except the treatments are killing me. Got over the pneumonia/bronchitis and asthma allergy season is over, and now my numbers are all still low but slowly increasing - except for the platelets. I do get the purpura and bruising and lack of healing, though - that's the only sign. Doctors can't stabilize, and I keep going critical and being hospitalized again. Prednisone was an absolute horror and didn't work at all. Have had over 20 transfusions (blood, and platelets), but platelets don't go over 75 and decrease by about 10 each day until back below 5, when I get another transfusion/infusion.

I'm female, 59, and totally atypical for this condition. Many doctors and none have figured this out. Most just try to drug me. No one in my family ever had this, so no heredity cause. I think it may have come due to extreme stress I had a few months ago plus the pneumonia/bronchitis/asthma issue overwhelmed my system and bacteria may have leaked into my blood ? No one knows. I've had a lot of tests done - everything they can think of, and I am in such perfect health they can't believe it, except for this. Never took any medications before this - didn't need them.

Question: Has anyone else had something like this happen to them ? Where everything goes at once and then slowly each blood count starts to recover on its own ? And if so, what happens to my platelets ? Will they eventually get a turn ?

Without treatment, I feel perfectly normal and functional, as always. Treatment destroys me and doesn't work, so far. I almost feel like taking my chances without treatment (but I won't, I know this is a serious issue) because of this. Anyone else have this situation ? Would appreciate any input or suggestions. After 3 hospital stays, I don't want another, but I keep going to critical levels and getting readmitted.

Leigh:

My opinion for what it's worth. Illnesses can sometimes cause counts to drop. That includes reds, whites and platelets. It's possible that the illnesses caused it and things will return to normal. It's also possible that the illnesses triggered an autoimmune disorder that will linger. When two or three counts are down, it's generally called Evans Syndrome. Have they used that term at all? In that case, it's not quite ITP since ITP just includes platelets. It is rare to have anyone with low reds or whites here, although it happens once in a while. Have you had a bone marrow biopsy? I would hope so.

Of the three, I'd say that you'd have to worry about platelets the least. Low red counts and low white counts can be more serious than low platelets. Many people do fine with low counts if symptoms are few, and some do not treat. Platelet transfusions do not work for ITP due to constant destruction. If you have a problem with production in the bone marrow and it's not truly ITP, they might work for a while. Platelets live 7 to 9 days so they would die off around that time. I hope that made sense.

We can all agree with the Prednisone nightmare. Most of us have been there. If you're doing it just for the platelets, it's not working and you feel horrible doing it, there are other options. I think they have to figure out what is going on first though.