HI
I am wondering if anyone else has experienced Emmett's situation. His platelets keep dropping lower each time his blood is checked. Last Dec (11)at the end of treatment he was at 114,000, in Sept he was 76,000 and in Dec. at 64,000. They have done an untrasound and all organs checked were okay. White and red cells seem to be in normal levels per the reports. He has gone back to napping in the afternoon, bruises easily and unexplainedly and rated his fatigue as 8 out of 10 for the Dr. this time. I am worried as I don't think they should be dropping still. My understanding is platelets usually return to normal levels within a month or two after treatment. The Dr. wants to do monthly checks and if they drop to 30,000 do a bone marrow exam - I wish we had told him to do it now so we don't have to "wait" for answers. I am worried this is a serious issue related to his chemo/rad treatment.

Has anyone else experienced this or have any thoughts.
Thanks.

Hi Karen

I don't have too many ideas but immediately wonder about any other meds he might be on?

I assume this has been covered by the doctors but will ask anyway - warfarin? pain killers? Particularly those you or Emmett may have bought from the supermarket and may have forgotten such as ibuprofen or diclofenac (Nurofen or Voltaren). This includes even those cream things that you rub on the sore spot.

Any history of ulcers?

and I suppose the good news is that you are still well above the level that the doctor would be worried about if they are going to wait till 30,000 to do any more tests?

KarenJ!

Low platelets, also known as Thrombocytopenia, can be caused by chemotherapy among other things. Here is a link to what the Mayo Clinic has to say on the subject

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/thrombocytopenia/DS00691/DSECTION=causes

As your husband is so far out of chemo I would look to for drug induced thrombocytopenia as there are over 250 medications that will cause that reaction. If you notice on the Mayo's article some antibiotics will do it as will anticonvulsants both commonly prescribed to OC patients. Neurontin is a popular anticonvulsant many on these forums have been given to ease nerve pain.

Here is another article on drug induced thrombocytopenia that goes into more detail.

http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/116/12/2127.full

definitely read these and keep working with your medical team for answers.

Good luck!

Eric

Thank you Eric for your links. I read them and they were informative and gave me more of an understanding of the situation. Karen, Emmett is only on one med. at this time for his thyroid which was damaged by radiation but I will research that angle more. He is not concerned - just me.....

I just arrived home from Mayo today as caregiver for my niece so I wonder if I am so worried because I lived at Hope Lodge for 6 weeks with her and so many there seemed to be struggling with blood related illnesses, several as a result of earlier treatments.

PS: Her cervical tumor has been obliviated with a tough rad/chemo treatment! (Here in MI the Dr. gave her no hope.) She still has more chemo to do but we now have hope for a future for her.