Low Platelets: Diagnosis to be confirmed

Posted by rockitman @rockitman, Oct 14, 2022

I have a platelet count of 17 as of Oct 10th 2022. I lose about 800-1000 platelets a day. 5000 - 7000 a week between CBC.
My Dr has me on Promacta 50mg a day(4 weeks), Prednisone 80mg a day, 40mg morning, 40mg night (6 weeks), No help at this point.
Started Rituxan last Tuesday morning Oct 10th 6 hr treatment.
Three more 6hr treatments one week apart every Tuesday morning.
Has anyone had good results with Rituxan?
My Dr has changed my Diagnosis 5 times in as many weeks.
My bone marrow biopsy/asperation lists two possibilities, aplastic Anemia and Megakaryocytic Hypoplasia. He is currently dianosing me with Megakaryocytic Hypoplasia??????
At this point I'm not sure what I have?
I did contact Mayo Clinic and have gotten an Appointment next Wednesday, thank you Mayo.
Does anyone know how long it takes for the Rituxan to work if will even work at all. My Dr said 54 days? I don't have 54 days of platelets left at the platelet loss I'm experiencing now. Getting down to the critical stage, No bleeding yet that I can tell internally but bruising very easily.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Blood Cancers & Disorders Support Group.

PS you also had a very low blood sugar level and that need’s evaluated as well. It could be you have reactive hypoglycemia or if you are diabetic that your diabetic medication dose is too high. Your PCP could address that.

REPLY
@slkanowitz

PS you also had a very low blood sugar level and that need’s evaluated as well. It could be you have reactive hypoglycemia or if you are diabetic that your diabetic medication dose is too high. Your PCP could address that.

Jump to this post

Thank you for reaching out to me. I am just looking for answers to what is going on with me. I feel like I am just getting the run around. I am in law enforcement I work 40-60 hours a week I am a 911 dispatcher for 23 years.

REPLY
@slkanowitz

PS you also had a very low blood sugar level and that need’s evaluated as well. It could be you have reactive hypoglycemia or if you are diabetic that your diabetic medication dose is too high. Your PCP could address that.

Jump to this post

I have thought about contacting Mayo Clinic and see if they can help give me some advice about what is going on with me. Do you think that would be a good idea? My husband and I have discussed it and are willing for me to travel to see if they could give me some answers.

REPLY
@mwhitaker

I have thought about contacting Mayo Clinic and see if they can help give me some advice about what is going on with me. Do you think that would be a good idea? My husband and I have discussed it and are willing for me to travel to see if they could give me some answers.

Jump to this post

Absolutely appropriate to go to Mayo Clinic. You may get seen sooner through dermatology than rheumatology but once you’re in the door the initial Dr will get other specialists involved. They will need all your medical records from when this problem started. When you call Mayo for an appointment they guide you through the whole process. They request records directly from your doctor with your signed permission. Good luck! Hope you get an appointment soon. They can usually complete a work up and get to diagnosis within a week.

REPLY
@mwhitaker

This one wouldn’t load

Jump to this post

This is the one I couldn’t get to load last night on the Antithrobin III results

REPLY
@mwhitaker

I was in the hospital in September of 2023 with they told me Ischemic Colitis was there for 3 days and sent home. Two days later my husband took me to another hospital in Jackson,Ms they said I had a blood clot in my upper colon restricting the blood flow that’s why I was having severe stomach pain and bleeding from the rectum. I had two stents done in April of 2023 they found a blood clot in the stent in my lower addomin. Then 2 days later they found two more blood clots in my right arm one in Basilic Vein and one in the Cephalic Vein. Was in the hospital for 8 days that time. Was put on Elaquis 5mg 2x a day. Then in December was taken back to the hospital having an allergic reaction to my Ladinapril and bleeding from the rectum again. Had another blood clot in my left leg. This time they installed a IVC filter. Was there this time for 4 days. Went to a hematologist/ oncologist he done a lot of blood work. I have still been seeing the hematologist/ oncologist he told me on the May 15,2024 I didn’t have a blood disorder but would be on a blood thinner more than likely the rest of my life and I did not have a blood clotting disorder and he had no answer for me as to why I had a total of 5 blood clots. In 3 months. He has scheduled me for a Iron infusion on June 10,2024. I have told him my mother had blood clots really bad she was on Coumadin then on Warfarin. I am looking for a doctor who can tell me what is triggering the blood clots in me. And help get me some answers to why I am having blood clots all of a sudden when I have never had any until September of 2023. The Mayo Clinic has been recommended to me I just hope to get some answers.

Jump to this post

Hi @mwhitaker, if you would like to seek a second opinion at Mayo Clinic, here is the link to request an appointment http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

As @slkanowitz mentioned, they can walk you through the process of submitting your testing results for review, etc.

Naturally, as fellow patients here on Mayo Clinic Connect, we cannot provide a diagnosis. But we can help you to figure out what questions to ask medical professionals.

REPLY

I mistakenly mentioned rheumatology at the Mayo Clinic and I meant hematology for diagnosis of your platelet disorder. I respond to a lot of rheumatology questions and had that on my brain Sorry!

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.