No symptoms at 3

So every time I get sick my platelets plummet annoying! I'm at 3 with no petechiae have had itp for 11 years my dr is so mad at me for denying the hospital but I have my last class for school tomorrow if I miss I fail just want some reassurance it's ok lol I've done it before I just want to hear from you guys I have no petechiae which is odd cause I'm usually covered when I fall under 5

Keli - all doctors and patients are different when it comes to the hospital. My doctor told me to keep working at 3k, so there are doctors that support that if few symptoms are present. You've been doing this long enough to know when you are in trouble and sometimes you have to trust your own judgement.

My daughter is 16. She has had ITP x 3 years and would hardly have ever gone to school based your doc's recs. Her count stays well below 10 all of the time (except for the a couple weeks after an IVIG treatment). She rarely misses school due to her ITP... maybe if fatigue gets too bad or occasional breakthru bleeding issues and then she gets treated with IVIG.

I think ITP'ers know learn to know their bodies.... You all are a strong bunch!

Good Luck!

Thanks guys yeah I know I know my body way better then my dr I'm so tired of getting lectured by them when I don't do what they say. I ended up going to a Walgreens clinic because my throat hurt and ears and I was so tired just found out I have strept throat so there's why my platelets went down lol I hate when drs don't listen but thanks again gave me a little relief

It feels like that a lot, and so nice when you get a doctor that does truly listen!
My platelets always drop lower when i get sick, if it feels like an infection that won't go away on its own, whether in my throat or head, I right away get a script for z-pak. My hematologist has found that prescribing zithromax boosts the platelets when sick. (I've actually had 2 doctors tell me that) They've helped boost my platelets enough that I was able to go a whole month and a half longer before needing treatment. If your not allergic to it, it could work better then other antibiotics for the platelets. You obviously know your body, so go with what you feel.

Kellierae,

I have the same issue, when I am sick (even a tiny little cold). I crash, even on Promacta. Once I get over the illness my counts go right back up. Why would I go to the hospital unless I am bleeding? Last week I canceled my CBC because I had a cold and didn't want the local hema freaking out. ( he doesn't listen or understand itp)The specialist sees a pattern with me and does not freak out. He would rather me stay home and fight off the illness and have my counts rebound on their own. He also has patients at counts of 3 who do not respond to treatment that are living pretty normal lives.

Thanks guys I think I need to learn to start trusting what I feel more and not letting my dr freak me out

I say it is time to freak out your doctor.


This is why people need to look at the whole picture. Yes 3 is extremely low but if you have no symptoms and missing the last class means you fail. Than the only choice is to go to class and just be careful.

People need to look at the whole picture how they feel, symptoms, what is going on in life, before making a decision and or letting a doctor make it for them!

Update went back to the dr today after four days on penicillin for my strep I went from 3 to 68! That's never happened I was so excited lol and I got to avoid the lecture

Glad to hear the good news!

Wonderful news! Enjoy the rise!

Hi Kelirae- A similar thing just happened to me. I started back on Promacta. Day 6 and all bruises went away so I thought yes, this is working. I got my cbc and to my surprise it was 3K. Its weird but that happens to me- when I'm really low all my symptoms clear up, no signs of ITP at all. Even the needle stick shows only the tiniest pin point of blood on the cotton.

Anyway, so the nurse calls and says I must come in for a platelet transfusion right away! She was all in crisis mode. My hemotologist would never freak out like that- he knows me. Plus he seems to be looking at symptoms. I was just in his office with 7K counts and he wanted me to up my treatment but wasn't urgent about it. He made me laugh because he said he would be comfortable with me having a colonoscopy at that count, but the doctor doing the procedure would not. I was amazed how much he WAS really looking at symptoms.

Anyway back to the phone call: seems my hemo was out of town and another doctor was in charge. The more I told the nurse I was fine, the more she was trying to force me and scare me into getting a transfusion. I know she thought I was an absolute idiot and didn't understand the danger, plus the doctor was probably pressuring her. and I was at work trying to be cool since my work people don't know I have ITP. haha awkward

Then the doctor wanted me to up my prednisone to 40mg (I was at 5mg). I agreed to increase to 7.5mg. NOT what they wanted to hear. Next morning I got a call from the hospital saying that everything is all set up for my transfusion. And then got another call saying my NPlate infusion is all ready to go- I was just like what??

I didn't do any of it. I increased prednisone to 10mg for one day and my blood pressure went way up 173/84. I regretted that, felt terrible. next day went back down to 7.5 pred. got another CBC and didn't hear from the doctor- good. But like you said, its hard to stand up to it- that was intense! Great you took your test and numbers are higher!

Wow good for both of you. Great stories.
Erica