Ques: ITP and Artery Disease

When I was on Promacta and counts were above 50K I was having symptoms of Peripheral Artery Disease, meaning the arteries in my legs were showing signs of clogging, pale skin etc. as though my legs weren't getting enough oxygen.

My hemo didn't think it was from Promacta. His nurse practitioner suggested that my arteries had grown used to having thin blood and now weren't tolerant of higher platelet counts.

My question to Sandi or anyone: Have you ever heard of anyone's arteries not able to tolerate higher counts after having low counts for several years?

No, sorry. I have not heard of that before. I wasn't under the impression that blood was any thinner when platelet counts were down.

Thanks for your response Sandi. I have searched the web and didn't find anything supporting the idea that low platelets affect arteries over time, making them intolerant of higher platelet counts.

I think what happened is the nurse just came up with an idea to support the doctor. I don't know why he thought that Promacta couldn't cause peripheral artery disease (or make it worse) if it can cause strokes. Both are clogged arteries, just in different places. Possibly because it doesn't state that as a side effect. All I know is the symptoms cleared when I quit Promacta.

I am returning to an old favorite hemo, this one was temporary. So will get another opinion.

Your theory makes much more sense.

A side effect is not listed if it has never been reported as a side effect. Maybe there are five of you out there who experienced it, but none of the doctors reported it - they thought it was just coincidence or insignificant (Huh?). I'm sure it happens all the time.

I'm glad the symptoms went away. One less thing....

Just to clarify our terms -

Sandi, I am somewhat confused when you wrote "I wasn't under the impression that blood was any thinner when platelet counts were down."

Then what does "thin blood" mean?

I thought it was a colloquialism for a relatively low platelet count or reduced platelet function - or maybe reduced clotting function (of which platelet levels/function would be subset).

For example this website equates the two

www.healthguidance.org/entry/11498/1/What-Is-Thin-Blood-or-Thrombocytopenia.html

Mark

Mark - I couldn't find anything in that article that explained anything about thin blood and low platelets. Honestly, that is a poorly written synopsis of ITP and a good example of what people should not be reading.

However, you called me out on this so I did some digging. I usually think of things that affect coagulation as "blood thinners", such as aspirin and heparin. But, after looking around, I found that thrombocytopenia could be considered a "blood thinning" condition. We usually think of things seperately here - things that thin the blood and things that can actually lower platelets. Two different things, but the term "thin blood" could theoretically include ITP.

If this article is accurate, it is a good explanation of the difference between "thick" and "thin" blood.

www.nutralegacy.com/blog/general-healthcare/do-you-have-thin-blood-or-thick-blood/