New to PDSA, background, concerns, and questions.

Hey all.

I am currently 34 years old, and in 2006, I had been diagnosed with ITP and spent 3 weeks hospitalized as my platelet counts hovered around 2000 daily. I received platelet infusions, we tried chemo pushes, and eventually, I had a Spleenectomy.

Everything was fine for several years. My counts were good, I got my annual flu shot and had my other shots that my doctor recommended taken care of.

In 2009, I was discovered to have a blood clot in my leg. It was unprovoked. Doctors determined that due to my spleenectomy and blood testing to determine that I was heterozygous for Leiden V, I was predisposed to unprovoked blood clotting. Their recommendation was a lifetime of Coumadin in order to keep my INR levels boosted to prevent clotting. I have been on the medication daily since.


I got a little freaked out when I see the spots in my mouth that I had back when I was first diagnosed with ITP. Today, I woke up to two new spots in my mouth, similar to what I had when I first had the problem. Naturally, I am a little concerned. One is on my bottom lip, and fairly large. The other is in the back of the mouth near my molars.

Should I be concerned about these new spots?

I think considering the ITP and Rx it's sure worth a MD visit. Your general MD can order a quick CBC to identify your platelet count. Depending on your relationship and history the MD might just order without an office visit if you provide the background and symptoms. I know the anxiety of "could it be" is likely high and the MD can hopefully alleviate that or determine if there's something else happening. Try not to assume it's ITP, although I know it's hard.

It wouldn't hurt to get a CBC, especially since you are on blood thinners. Let us know!

It really is onkay to give them a ring. First time is nervy. Have your hospital patient number at hand if you have them.... Good luck and wishing you all the best.

With ITP I would give the MD a call with your concern and have a CBC done.
I have a standing order at the Hospital lab so whenever I feel like I need a count done I can go to the lab and have it checked.
Good Luck.
Let us know what you find out.
Try not to stress out to much.

Please do give your doctor a call to see about getting a CBC; you do want to make sure to see what's going on and have peace of mind.

Good luck to you and please let us know how you are going.

Update:

It turns out it was ITP. I stopped by the hospital on Monday and had my doctor take a look. Turns out there was some petechia sploches in several areas I hadn't noticed around my body. I had developed two more blood blisters in my mouth as well.

The doctor had ordered a CBC and my platelets were at 15k. I was hospitalized from Monday until Wednesday night. While hospitalized, I was given 3 bags of platelets, and on a steady IVIG drip for 48 hours, as well as given 120mg or Prednisone each day.

I am now released and my current meds include:
120mg Prednisone once per day
Zantac twice a day
Bacterum (sp?) on the weekends (antibiotic)
Calcium/Vitamin D tablets 3 times a day
Warfarin fluxuated doses (5mg some days, 7.5 others).


The doctors continuously state that the Warfarin is not causing the ITP flareup, despite mine and my wife's worries. They are more concerned with my overall auto-immune issues from the previous Ulcerative Colitis when I was 22, my Spleenectomy from the previous bout with ITP, and the discovery that I am heterozygous for Leiden V.

While I was hospitalized, they also did a CT scan on my abdomen to see my lymph nodes, and they discovered a few that were a titch larger than they like, so they will be testing me on those over the next few weeks as well.

Good thing you went! I also don't think that Warfarin caused the drop. ITP recurs all the time all by itself. I hope your counts respond - let us know!

Glad you visited the MD. Now you can focus on treatment options. I'll pray for effective treatments.