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Old Tue Jan 19, 2016, 10:52 PM
Hopeful Hopeful is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: California, USA
Posts: 766
Hi Maura,

I use to get weekly platelets and remember the fatigue when my platelets were low (<15k). I attributed the fatigue to my marrow cranking away, even though there wasn't a lot to show for it. I felt "fragile" when my platelets would drop below 12k.

I use to have allergic reactions to the platelet transfusions and got a bunch of pre-meds that would make me very sleepy for the rest of the day. However, unlike your mom, I always had an increase in energy for a few days after the meds wore off, until my platelets dropped low again.

I had leukocyte-depleted, irradiated, HLA-typed-and-matched platelets. I always checked the bags. The blood center tried to obtain single donor platelets, to minimize reactions. (Thank you platelet donors everywhere!)

Also, it is normal for platelets to bounce around. Nowadays, mine will swing +/- 7k month-to-month. This isn't a big deal if your platelet counts are good. If they are low, it is scary.

I always had a lot of spontaneous bruising when my platelets were below 20k. This alone didn't alarm me. Seeing bruising in your mouth though is a cause for concern, as are spontaneous bleeding, severe headaches, and confusion.

Has your mother had her clotting factor recently tested?

It is great that she went 11 weeks between platelet transfusions! I wonder if she had a positive reaction to the steroids???
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55 yo female, dx 9/08, AA/hypo-MDS, subclinical PNH, ATG/CsA 12/08, partial response. small trisomy 6 clone, low-dose cyclosporine dependent
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