Spleen removal

Hi my name is Melissa and I have been dealing with ITP for about a year now. We started off with steroids (platelets up) then within a 2 month period they dropped. Rituxan was next, 4 treatments over 4 weeks, (platelets up).

Now at 4 month check up platelets have dropped again and my doc is recommending a splenectomy. He has not recommended any other treatment and wants to have this done asap.

Other health factors are I am diabetic and had a heart attack in 2012. Should I have the surgery or insist on other treatments first.

Platelet count is 25,000.

Thanks for any advice on this matter.

Melissa

Welcome to the "family", Melissa! First of all, how old are you? Do you have any symptoms, like really bad bruises or heavy bleeding? I had a splenectomy in 2006 which didn't work. There are other treatments to try before going that route. I'm sure others will chime in with more answers for you.

I will fight tooth & nail to keep my spleen

Hi Melissa! I would strongly urge you to get another opinion. You should have been offered other options since there are quite a few left to try. If your current doctor is not familiar with the other treatment options, then he is probably not all that familiar with ITP. In that case, I would want a doctor who is.

Splenectomy is a choice, not a must and it certainly is not a decision that has to be made quickly (as in asap). It does not always work and when it doesn't, patients are right back to trying the same treatments that they could have tried before the surgery.

Hi Cindy,

I am 46 and am seeing a blood specialist. I do not know if we have not tried other treatments due to the fact I have medicaid or if he feels this is the next step. I did ask him but he said that he felt i should do this soon.

thanks for posting and will keep an open mind.

melissa