Coughing up blood after cold...?

Hey guys!

I've had a cold for the last few days - low grade fever, cough, congested ears. Definitely not the flu, just a cold.

I feel a lot better today and have no fever, so I'm going back to work. But I've begun coughing up whatever had been in my chest, and it had blood in it. Not a ton, but more than just "pink". It's definitely phlegm with blood swirled in it - about 1/3 blood.

I don't have any visible signs of bleeding right now (except the blood in the phlegm), very few petechia (like 10 total), no mouth blisters, no nosebleeds.

I actually haven't had a cold since I was diagnosed w ITP 2 years ago, so I don't know about this!

Is this normal? Seems like it might be, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

And for those who don't know me: I don't know my current numbers, and I'm not on any meds at all for ITP. I would guess my numbers are anywhere between 10k and 45k.

Thanks!

Could be a small, ruptured blood vessel in your throat. I'd say if it keeps up, check with your GP.

Hi I am taking romoplostim Nplate but when my count goes down between doses I always have blood mixed in with my phlegm but never when my counts are up I always know when my platelet count is coming down due to blood my consultants don't seem to worried by this

Kitty if you have to ask if it is normal then it isn't something that normally happens to you and it is worrying you. Call the doctor and find out or make an appointment to see him/her to be checked out.

One of my favorite quotes is:

"Instead of wasting your time worrying about symptoms, just get it checked out." -Nieca Goldberg, MD

Good luck!

Kittie:

Are you taking a B6 vitamin? My platelets were 8k on Dec. 10th. I started B6 on Dec. 19th. My platelets were checked yesterday and they were 30K! I haven't taken any meds since 2011.

I'm hoping that the B6 will continue to raise the platelets.

Hope you are feeling better and that your platelets go up!

I have been taking b6, and maybe that is how my numbers got to be better on their own? Honestly I can't draw any conclusions to any herb, food, pill, etc yet. I started taking them for energy, and they seemed to help so I kept going. I stopped looking for magical cures a while ago and now I just manage it!

As for the blood in my cough - that stupid cough led to a full on big bad cold with me completely and totally losing my voice. I've never had a cold this bad - this is the kind of cold that people would call a flu if they had never had e flu and didn't realize how different they are.

Unfortunately, there is this huge clod/flu epidemic going on and there is no way I can see my dr, because they are so booked up. so I'm going to a Minute Clinic tomorrow to see if it's developed into a sinus infection (as it feels like it has). No more blood in my mucus though, so at least this go round I'm only worried about getting rid of the cold, not my platelets!

Thanks guys!

BEfore my splenectomy, when I had platelets in the 20 - 50 range, they would always drop when I was fighting off some infection, such as a cold. So maybe you should get your numbers checked -

Mark

Mark wrote: BEfore my splenectomy, when I had platelets in the 20 - 50 range, they would always drop when I was fighting off some infection, such as a cold. So maybe you should get your numbers checked -

Mark

Mark,

I believe it is starting to look like a splenectomy may be in store for me. Could I ask you for a cliff note version of everything from prior to surgery, and recovery,and life after it. I am 59 year old triathlete and I do not want to quit competing. I am not that good, I just love the sport and I am really concerned on the impact that the surgery will have on that activity.

Thanks in advance!

Jeffrey Writtenhouse

Jeffrey:

One thing I will tell you about a splenectomy is that the risk of blood clots can go up for several reasons. If you want some articles, I can post them. This may affect your ability to compete.

I'm mentioning this because I have heard, all too often after the surgery, that "no one ever told me this!"

Sandi wrote: Jeffrey:

One thing I will tell you about a splenectomy is that the risk of blood clots can go up for several reasons. If you want some articles, I can post them. This may affect your ability to compete.

I'm mentioning this because I have heard, all too often after the surgery, that "no one ever told me this!"

Sandi,

Thanks! I will take any info I can get.

Jeffrey

www.pdsa.org/treatments/conventional/splenectomy.html

bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/114/14/2861.full

www.hematology.org/Publications/Hematologist/2011/7179.aspx

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2141.2012.09231.x/full

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090730141557.htm

I will sum this up since the articles are specific and do not link the various problems together. People with ITP are more prone to blood clots anyway for several reasons. One reason is the possible presence of APS antibodies (33% of ITP patients have them) and the probability of the presence of microparticles. Recently, research has shown that those who have a splenectomy are more apt to have vascular complications. Add in the TPO's which may be a treatment after a failed splenectomy (TPO's carry a blood clot risk) and you are greatly raising the risk.

I've been surprised by the number of people here in the past few years who have had strokes and serious blood clots, even young people. This occurred more often after a splenectomy. It can also occur with low platelet counts.