Hi so my anxiety level is through the roof! During my pregnancy they noticed my platelets were dropping. They dropped to around 50 by the time I gave birth. All very dramatic. Anyway 2 weeks later my levels were up at 244 so that was that. 
A year later they were at 160 and now at 140. So I went to my drs and they told me that 12 years before my pregnancy they ranged between 132-140. No massive drops just constantly low with a mpv of 12. So large platelets. Anyway I got referred to a haematologist who basically looked at me and said you’ve not got blood cancer you’ve got itp. But itp to me goes up and down. Other than when I’m pregnant mine stays the same. 
He reluctantly offered to look at my blood under a microscope which I’m due to have a call about. He just seemed very unbothered. I really need some advice on whether it does sound like itp that I have. 
All of my other blood work is great. All normal and has been the whole time. 
It just doesn’t make sense to me. If anyone can advise that would be great. 

Thank you
Keely  

Persistently low platelet count is ITP. So, you seem good. Maybe he meant you had a one time low platelet, that, if was persistent would be ITP.

 Now, look up Gestational Thrombocytopenia. Google is the way to go. Says your only "problem" here, most likely, is that another pregnancy, you have more chance of it happening again than the mother next to you. Don't read that as its the end of the world in the event of another pregnancy. Not saying that... It would have to bother you at the worst time, though, wouldn't it?

In the interest of comparing to what your doctor is doing, here is some suggested protocol for your exact situation:  ashpublications.org/blood/article/121/1/38/31058/How-I-treat-thrombocytopenia-in-pregnancy

Sorry for the scientific stuff that could overwhelm you again. Just an example of all the stuff out there, if you can understand it.

Thank you. I’m more concerned of my platelet count normally. I’ve been told I have itp as count at 140 with large mpv. Been this for years. Apart from when I was pregnant. But to me itp has flare ups. Mine just sits at this figure other than when I’m pregnant.

Well, yeah, you're a bit on the low side, but a consistent 140 is 40 above ITP, so sounds pretty good, for now anyway.

I'm not really up on platelet size. Big ones are supposed to be younger, right? So are you worried that that means your platelets are being destroyed by your immune system?

Yes, I guess if you are actually out of the preferred mpv range, that could be a problem. I'm glad you're pointing this part of the CBC out. Since its only abbreviated, I haven't looked closely at mine. I see mine is in the middle.

That’s interesting. What is your platelet count?

I’m worried it isn’t my immune system and it’s cancer and I’ve been misdiagnosed

I guess I should have said my mpv is high normal. I see it goes from 10 to 12 and 1/2. When I was at 12 and 1/2, my platelets were 21. When my platelets go up, sometimes 450 to 500, I see, expectedly I guess, lower mpv. Now, my platelets don't fluctuate that way for no reason. Its just me trying to get the medication right. 

Maybe you might want a bone marrow biopsy if you are worried about cancer. Mine wasn't too bad a procedure, my doctor explaining what he was doing as he did it. It was negative. You'd have to run this by your doctor. I could be off on this being something for you to do.

Actually, this time my platelets dropped drastically and my monocytes went up a little more than last time. Soo... never mind I guess  on the connection that I had before this.

Actually, I did feel I was fighting an infection, so maybe that was the influence for lowering platelets and raising monocytes...

njppp.com/fulltext/28-1486322158.pdf

People want to know why Carica papaya leaf extract works. Well here is the reason, or two of the reasons:

"The active ingredients of CPLE are known to upregulate ALOX 12 and PTAFR genes which in turn are responsible for increased production of megakaryocytes and its conversion into platelets. Clinical evidence shows that CPLE increases ALOX 12 activity 15-fold and PTAFR activity 13.42-fold which is responsible for increased platelet production in patients with dengue fever and dengue hemorrhagic fever.[11] Hence, this study was planned to explore the possibility of using CPLE in the treatment of CIT."

When you increase important platelet activity 15 fold for one, and 13.42 fold for another important activity, there you go. 

As always, depends on the dose. If you don't use enough, then it won't even help. But it can knock the count right out of the park, too. Its a sensitive thing, and I still don't have it under control, yet. Wish me luck.

I will say that in this study, they did use a large amount. They used 3300 mg per day (for 7 days). My favorite for getting platelets up quick is 2000 mg per day for 4 days straight. So be careful. You seriously don't want to go overboard, so you need consistent blood tests to do this. Of course in this study, you would think that some of the patients may have gone overboard...

 

 So I can only offer anecdotal evidence that maybe Truxima is not as effective. You tell me.Here is what I have had:

1st time - 2 doses of Rituxin (basically 1/2 of normal). Remission lasted little over 2 years.
2nd time - 4 doses of Rituxin (ie: full dose).  Remission lasted 5 years.
3rd time - 4 doses of Truxima. Remission lasted 3 years
4th time - 4 doses of Truxima, undergoing now, just finished 2nd infusion.  Remission length? We’ll see.

Like you said though they won’t give me Rituxin just because i ask, it’s all up to the insurance what they would pay for.  I guess if Dr. believed it was better he could try and advocate for it but I don’t know the evidence is there.

Possibly.  I waited too long this time and got all the way down to 2k when I finally tested. Bad, bad of me.  Won’t be doing that again.  Luckily I responded well to Prednisone so they gave me that and sent me home instead of over to the hospital.  Anyways, I did not see any Petachia until just before testing.  So yeah, my main indicator is actually bleeding in my nose that I need to pay careful attention and fatigue. I was very tired the few weeks before and should have taken that as a sign to go get a cbc.  HRV, maybe. Probably. I actually have a sleep number bed that measures that and it did say HRV had changed so… Still so many things affect that that I don’t think it’s anything other than a secondary clue to the more obvious ones like my nose and gums bleeding. I just got lazy about it…

I’ll give an update to my own thread.  So, best as I can tell (hard to as Anthem and Northside hospital system were fighting at the time of my last treatment) 4 doses of Truxima cost $57k or so  (in terms of what Anthem paid out).  This time around it seems 4 doses of Truxima of 880 mg each are going to result in Anthem paying $64k  (16k each).  Ug.  And the nurses in the infusion center call Truxima a cheap medicine!   If Northside had their way they would be getting closer to $200k or something stupid. I don’t know where they get their numbers as they know what is contracted but still try to bill crazy stuff thinking somehow the insurance carrier might pay it.  

Anyways, no idea how this compares to things like N-plate. Hoping I never have to find out.

Good to know about the sleep number bed! Thank you for sharing your observation!

 Yes, I did get a headache when my platelets went down last time, for one night.

That's great Janet! Were those two steroid shocks Dexamethasone pulses of say 40 mg, 4 days in a row? Just curious, since that's common for ITP. I realize though that you said it was a treatment for something else.

I try to be clear on this, so, I just raised my platelets but not in the impressive way I have in the past. I only know by my numbers, and, while I just doubled my numbers, they were very low, so going to take dexamethasone. I have avoided this for 6 months, but can't deny the papaya leaf extract is not working as well right now, for whatever reason. Maybe the body has figured out how to fight it, bad batch, can't mix it as much with food, I don't know.

Never mind, platelets came back up extraordinarily with dexamethasone and papaya leaf extract, in one week. I have seen the dex not work on its own, so I give the credit more to the papaya leaf extract, that I mixed (pills with food) with less food, than I have been lately. Will say that it seems that the papaya leaf extract and dexamethasone do work pretty well together. Numbers came up by almost 50 fold, since my number was only 8, last week.

So, a new test, new worries, but maybe still ok. My myelocytes and metamyelocytes were suddenly measured at the lab. This was scary for me because I see these results and they are considered high for existing in the blood at all! 

Well, here is my hope; I hope that these myelocytes and metamyelocytes are being released into the blood because of the stimulation of the bone marrow by the papaya leaf extract (and the recent dexamethasone, which together raised my platelets by 48 fold in one week). My white blood cells and red blood cells are ok.

Hopefully it will be business as usual for my papaya leaf extract maintenance dosing. Anyone else have any experience with their supplement/drug raising their myelocytes as the bone marrow is stimulated?

It’s possible you may not need immediate treatment if your only symptom is easy bruising, but your low platelet counts (19–21) suggest a discussion with your hematologist about risks versus benefits is crucial. Non-steroid options like TPO-RAs or Rituximab could be safer for your bones, and optimizing osteoporosis management (e.g., bisphosphonates, calcium) is key if steroids are used. Share your concerns about bone health with your hematologist to tailor a plan that balances both conditions.

lauralordelaure wrote: It’s possible you may not need immediate treatment if your only symptom is easy bruising, but your low platelet counts (19–21) suggest a discussion with your hematologist about risks versus benefits is crucial. Non-steroid options like TPO-RAs or Rituximab could be safer for your bones, and optimizing osteoporosis management (e.g., bisphosphonates, calcium) is key if steroids are used. Share your concerns about bone health with your hematologist to tailor a plan that balances both conditions.

In my opinion, this moment for a new patient should be addressed with a hematologist, like you said.  
 
Then, the thrombopoietin test could be telling, before any medication, to see if there is a shortage of thrombopoietin which is responsible for platelet production. This will help you, I believe,  on second line drug choices down the road if options start running out.
 
Then try papaya leaf extract and adjust dose with the bi-weekly blood tests. If you find this works, then you have your maintenance and your safety net if the number drops further, to keep you away from the steroids, and/or hospital. 

Of course, don't expect complete acceptance of the papaya leaf extract from the hematologist... Its something that can't be denied, when it works, but their curiosity is often limited. You need the blood tests, so hopefully you find a relationship that works. He will watch the numbers, and as long as they are not going into the low serious zone, things should be good.

Hey,

I was once hospitalized in 2021 for a very minor viral infection, where my counts dropped into single digits, and I was sent to the hospital.

Ever since then, I have taken this rescue prednisone regimen. A few other instances of such infections also showed me that counts can drop very quickly, matter of hours. You wake up in the morning, look into your mouth, and see symptoms.

Now this new hematologist does not believe in that. Past two doctors were ok with it. He says it could cause the flu or whatever the ongoing infection is to spread. He wants me to take a test to see if they are dropped, then only to be prescribed prednisone. 

This is very inconvenient since I live alone, and it is very scary to be in such a situation. Also lab currently takes multiple days (yeah, read it correctly) to give results. Even with a fast lab still it is still very inconvenient to disrupt my life and work to do that, as there is no guarantee when they will drop. What do you do? Take a CBC daily when you are sick to avoid a bit of prednisone?

His other suggestion was taking IVIG, but again very inconvenient due to the administration time and insurance approval for a viral infection. 

Are all these worth avoiding prednisone for a week? I usually just take 20mg for a week or so. I simply don't buy his argument as I know you guys have prednisone in your arsenal.

I strongly agree with you on this. You've found a method that works pretty well for you. I personally use a variation of it by taking a short, low-dose course of prednisone to ensure a safe count before an invasive test or procedure. 

Those of us who've been dealing with ITP for a long time know it doesn't have a one-size-fits-all treatment plan. So, when we find a plan that brings safe counts while causing the least amount of side effects and - not inconsequentially - alleviates the expense of hospitalization, it only makes sense to stick to it.  I've always stressed the value of finding an open-minded, cooperative hematologist to partner in treatment instead of a dictatorial one.

You can try to diplomatically work on changing his mindset. That sometimes works. I hope it will for you.

Doctor agrees that the medications stimulating the bone marrow are what's up with the myelocytes, so no problem.

This here may agree with the doctor:  www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2468867321000754

I would go with papaya leaf extract, but of course that's just me, knowing it works for me. I would think that going for the prednisone because of illness could be bad timing.

I do certainly believe in having options, though, so you need the right help from your provider. 

If you suddenly see the bruising, petechia and mouth sores etc., you pretty much know your platelets are low. I have even cancelled a trip to getting a blood test once, because those symptoms told me the platelets were low. That would be the time to have your safety net in place, as you undoubtedly know. I'm not that familiar with sickness bringing on low platelets, but it sounds like you have that experience.

Actually, I should state that a month ago, I did seem to have some kind of quick bronchial infection that did coincide with a surprise plummet.

I am in your boat a little bit, too. After using my dexamethasone that was ordered 6 months earlier, I ran it by the doctor that it  would be nice to have a refill, he ignored. I haven't asked again. At least I have the papaya leaf extract as the net, but it would be nice,  even so, to have the dexamethasone on hand, too!

Oh, I should state that I did end up doing different things with the papaya leaf extract pills that Did Not work, although my digestions was better. So, I opened up the pills, didn't work. I combined with 2 servings of oatmeal, didn't work. What works is in combination with a light meal, like one slice of bread. I have  had success with more meal than that, but one slice of bread is what I'm doing now.

4 papaya leaf extract pills every 4th day has finally given me a level line trend at a good high number in the upper 300's! I got a bit aggressive, thinking my number might be too high, but it worked! First time I have felt that I have found my maintenance dose. 

I tried this same thing in February, 3 months ago, and got a 300 number, but it was up from before and I mistakenly thought that it was too much, or should I say I thought it was more than I actually needed to take? I would rather take less if it would work, but I'll take it. It's been 8 and 1/2 months to get to this point, 7 months using papaya leaf extract and searching for the combination. 

I'm recently diagnosed - 6 weeks - and have had a roller coaster of 3 hospitalizations in that time period.   Was referred to the on call hematologist at 1st ER visit.  Currently on Rituximab and it seems to be working so far after 2 treatments.  I am wondering if anyone knows of a hematologist in Calgary who is familiar with ITP.

I can't help you with that as I'm in NB, but I know there are a couple of members from Alberta. Hopefully one of them will see this and let you know.
Good luck.