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Large/Giant Platelets

  • server
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  • newcreationchangingdaily
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14 years 8 months ago #12027 by server
Large/Giant Platelets was created by server
ok, here I am again :unsure:
I know I've asked about this before but here we go again. For as long as I can remember my CBC's have said "Large/Giant Platelets present" I always thought that was a good thing because it meant my body was producing them sufficently. Well, I asked the NP this morning and after she tried to ignore my questions but I didn't give up, she looked me square in the eye and said "I'm not going to tell you that it's a good thing, but we are used to it with you. We're just glad that your counts are rising." So, now what?! I was kinda taken back by her response and didn't think to ask any more questions.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:26
Blessings,
gretchen
  • Sandi
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  • Sandi Forum Moderator Diagnosed in 1998, currently in remission. Diagnosed with Lupus in 2006. Last Count - 344k - 6-9-18
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14 years 8 months ago #12035 by Sandi
Replied by Sandi on topic Re: Large/Giant Platelets
Gretchen - it is a good thing. They are reticulated (young) platelets. I can't think of any reason why large platelets would be a bad thing for someone with ITP. Honestly, some medical personnel are clueless sometimes and say the wrong things. I've had nurses do that to me. Maybe she was silent because she really didn't know and just threw that answer out there to satisfy you.

For those without ITP, it wouldn't be a good thing, but it's normal for ITP'ers.
  • Sandi
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  • Sandi Forum Moderator Diagnosed in 1998, currently in remission. Diagnosed with Lupus in 2006. Last Count - 344k - 6-9-18
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14 years 8 months ago - 14 years 8 months ago #12037 by Sandi
Replied by Sandi on topic Re: Large/Giant Platelets
This is making me mad the more I think about it. I saw a PA two weeks ago about my achilles/antibiotic thing and she told me she wasn't aware of the link between the two and had to look it up and confer with the doctor before I got there. Good for her for not coming in unprepared. At that point, I knew everything that she did because I'd read about it.

Point is: Don't assume they know everything. They don't.
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14 years 8 months ago #12179 by Amber
Replied by Amber on topic Re: Large/Giant Platelets
I've been told several times since I was diagnosed with ITP back in 2001 that I have "large" platelets. I was also told that the larger ones are usually counted in a CBC, so my platelet count could acutally be higher than the reading. I think large platelets are typical in ITP, at least that is what several hematologists have told me.
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14 years 7 months ago #12358 by dave nj
Replied by dave nj on topic Re: Large/Giant Platelets
People with ITP have an immune system that destroys Platelets. The destruction takes place vrey quickly.
In a normal person the platelets live for several days - they all start out large and get broken down into smaller pieces as they travel through the body.
In an ITP patient the Platelets do not live long enough to get broken down so the majority of platelets show up as large/giant size.
This is especially true if you are on one of the thrombopoetin drugs as your body makes platelets faster than they can be destroyed.

A manual platelet count is required to get an accurate count for an ITP Patient as the large platelets are sometimes counted as white cells by the machines.
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