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Counts affected by B12 shot???

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14 years 5 months ago #14628 by mrsjmuirhead
Counts affected by B12 shot??? was created by mrsjmuirhead
I have been struggling with ITP for 4 1/2 years and am sick of it! I have tried prednisone, rituxin, IVIG, and am currently getting NPlate injections weekly. Have been on those for a few months now, my count goes up and down and never above 50. Started at 1 mcg per kilo and am now to 3 mcg per kilo. I was also recently diagnosed with h. pylori, and finishes treatment with no increase in platelets. About two weeks ago, I got a B12 shot and for the first time since I have been on NPlate my platelets went to 50, and my hgb went above 12 which that hasn't been above 12 in years. I got the Nplate at 50, and the next week had dropped to 34, so I got another NPlate, and this week my count is 27. It seems the Nplate is not doing its job, but something made my count go up. Could it be the B12?
  • server
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  • newcreationchangingdaily
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14 years 5 months ago #14633 by server
Replied by server on topic Re: Counts affected by B12 shot???
I'm with ya on the NPlate not doing it's job! Are you having any side effects with the NPlate? Wish I could help you with the B12 question, but I really don't have a clue! I'm sure someone will chime in soon with some insight.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:26
Blessings,
gretchen
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14 years 5 months ago #14634 by mrsjmuirhead
Replied by mrsjmuirhead on topic Re: Counts affected by B12 shot???
When I started the Nplate, I had dull nagging headaches for days after my shots. I had some bone aches. Pretty much those symptoms have subsided. How about you?
  • 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 5 months ago - 14 years 5 months ago #14635 by Sandi
Replied by Sandi on topic Re: Counts affected by B12 shot???
I have read a few blurbs over the years about a B-12 deficiency possibly causing low platelets. I've never read any solid, concrete articles though that linked the two definitively, nor have I read any studies about the two. I've also never seen anyone here recover from ITP by raising their B-12 levels. I have also had low B-12 but my counts were never affected one way or the other.

It's hard to say if it was the B-12 shot or if the N-Plate is becoming more effective, which I have seen happen.

Here is an article about B-12 and platelets - as you can see, just a blurb:

www.medicinenet.com/thrombocytopenia_low_platelet_count/page2.htm

The B-12 shot could affect your hemoglobin, that's for sure.
  • 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 5 months ago #14669 by Sandi
Replied by Sandi on topic Re: Counts affected by B12 shot???
Keep in mind that N-Plate is not given with the goal of maintaining normal counts. It is given to achieve safe counts.
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14 years 5 months ago #14673 by mrsjmuirhead
Replied by mrsjmuirhead on topic Re: Counts affected by B12 shot???
Yes, all my hematolgist wants my counts to be at least 50. For the last two doses my count hasn't even improved at all. I went today and my Dr increased my dose to 4 Mcg, but they have to get an authorization so I didn't even get my shot. I will have my CBC done Tuesday, so we will see what happens without the shot.
  • 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 5 months ago #14681 by Sandi
Replied by Sandi on topic Re: Counts affected by B12 shot???
Good luck!
14 years 5 months ago - 14 years 5 months ago #14686 by
Replied by on topic Re: Counts affected by B12 shot???
As Sandy said, Nplate is only to maintain a platelet count of around 50k. It can take several adjustments in dosage to achieve that goal. It has to be dosed to the individual. But for some people, it simply doesn't work.
The following is an excerpt from nplate.com :
"Nplate® is used to try to keep your platelet count about 50,000 per microliter in order to lower the risk for bleeding. Nplate® is not used to make your platelet count normal.

Not liking needles, I don't use Nplate, I use Promacta instead. I'd rather take a couple pills daily than get injections. But they both are designed to do the same thing; keep platelets around 50k.
For many of us, getting and staying above 20k is wonderful! It took awhile to my dosage adjusted, but now I stay around 40k - 55k and only have to visit my hematologist once every 4 months. Sure beats all my other treatments in the years prior. ;)
But....it did take a few weeks and some dosage adjustment to get the desired results.
.
  • server
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  • newcreationchangingdaily
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14 years 5 months ago #14691 by server
Replied by server on topic Re: Counts affected by B12 shot???
I think I'm not a very good judge of the NPlate. I know I didn't like the side effects of joint/bone/muscle pain. It was more than I could bear. Also, I started Rituxan while on NPlate so my counts went up over 350. I'm on Promacta now, started it just after finishing another round of Rituxan that appeared not to have worked, not sure though because the 50mg of Promacta brought me up to over 200 so I went down to 25mg/day and I'm slowly dropping but still over 100. So, is the Rituxan working now? I dunno, I only know that this whole thing is getting old!
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 5 months ago #14711 by Sandi
Replied by Sandi on topic Re: Counts affected by B12 shot???
Gretchen - I didn't realize that you'd gotten your counts up. Good for you!
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