How long does it take to sign up & receive Nplate

Hi, I was so hopeful Don was doing OK, his last count a week ago had actually gone up from 72 to 77. He isn't even scheduled to go in for another week, but tonight I changed a bandage (from an old wound that's slow to heal), and it pulled on the skin and I couldn't get a small pin point tear on his skin to stop bleeding. I finally got it slowed down enough to put a couple of large gauze pads on his wound. The skin around it has two large black hematoma's under the skin, just like it was when his count had fallen to 2 last month. I also noticed two small bruises and it seemed like right before my eyes, a few petichea started popping up on his leg. So tomorrow, he'll need to call the hemo doc and ask them if they want him to come in for a CBC. If his platelets are dropping, how long does it take to sign up and qualify for Nplate treatments? The hemo doc said if he dropped, that was what he was considering. Right now, Don hasn't been on any treatment for a week, tapered off Prednisone as it didn't do anything and doc doesn't seem to want him on it because of all the rest of his health woes. I'm hoping they can do something without putting him in the hospital again. What's any other options for a quick way to get his platelets up for a few days?

I signed and got approved in less than a week. My nurses really pushed for it though, calling everyday. I don't know much about quick treatments for bringing up the count for a couple of days except for platelet transfusions. I had a bunch of those in the beginning. Some lasted for a couple of days and some for only 1 day. Good luck!

Although I use Promacta and not Nplate, the programs are basically the same. It took three days from my filling out forms to the first prescription delivery. If your hematologist is already in the program, it is a fairly easy process.

You asked about alternative meds for quick platelet increase?
I have in the past used heavy doses of Dextramethasone (three times in the past year) to bump my count up when it falls below 4k. Takes a couple of days to boost the count up to a safer level (safer for me anyway). The stuff is horrid, it absolutely sucks to be on it, but for me it is a quick TEMPORARY bump that works (it is also inexpensive). It is temporary though.
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IVIG can be used for a temp quick fix, once nplate is administered it can take 5-7 days for a response.

Thanks for the feed back. Don went in to the hemo doc yesterday and his count was 3, so he's back in the hospital. They gave him platelets, but I guess they only bumped him up, and now he's right back down again. He's also getting solumedral. On top of that he has a hugh distended stomach and shortness of breath. They did a ct of his abdomen and I don't know what they found except a nurse said there was some pleural effusion (fluid in tissues). Right now the hemo doc said they're just going to wait???? For what??? I'm so frustrated, he's so swollen and they're giving him steroids??? Sorry for the rant, I'm really frustrated.

I bet you are frustrated! I know I would be! He has other health problems right? Could one of them be the reason for the fluid?

Hi, yes he has heart problems and has had pnemonia in the past and uses a nebulizer off and on when he gets congested, so everything can cause problems. The other thing I forgot to mention is they weighed him in the hospital bed on May 17th and he weighed 238 lbs, and they weighed him in a different hospital bed yesterday and he weighs 268. Yikes, they think he gained 30 lbs in one month. Is that even possible, even starting, then tapering off Prednisone? A kidney specialist did come in today and is going to take a look and see if everything is OK there. I read about a kidney problem that could cause the swelling and possibly even destruction of platelets and red blood cells. He is low on both. The hemo doc says he's making platelets, they just aren't sticking around. It sure helps to bounce off ideas with others with ITP. Thanks