Low platelets interfere with cancer treatment

Welcome to Mayo Connect, @arthur333. It sounds like you’re in a little pickle right now with having platelets too low to be able to continue treatment. Multiple myeloma causes an overgrowth of cancerous plasma cells in your bone marrow. These cancerous cells can eventually crowd out the healthy cells in the bone marrow which can reduce your platelets and other blood numbers.

The Revolade you are/were taking is a medication which acts to help stimulate the production of platelet cells in the body. If you were taking the Revolade for two years, it may have helped initially to keep your platelet level higher. But the proliferation of the cancer plasma cells may have crowded them out. That’s why you were given the other medications to slow or stop the multiplying cancer cells.

It can become a bit tricky treating this condition because you’re taking medications to rid your body of cancerous cells so that your bone marrow can start producing healthy red/white and platelet cells again. However, the side effect from those meds is often a reduction in your all of blood cells for a while until they can regenerate. So whatever platelets you did have are also waning.

Your doctors may have you on a rest cycle right now without any medications. This will allow your bone marrow to recover and regenerate new blood cells again. You may see your numbers start to edge up over the next few weeks. I know you’re worried that the cancer cells will continue to grow too. But with the meds you were on, they should be reduced as well making it easier for your healthy cells to get a good start.

If all of your blood numbers are down this is called neutropenia and it can leave you feeling pretty low mentally and physically with fatigue and malaise. It can happen to all of us who undergo cancer treatments.

When is your next set of labs to check your blood numbers? Have you ever been given platelet infusions to keep your level up?

Dear Lori

Big thanks to your reply & encourage.
Fortunately my white cell counts not too bad.Usually the platelets increase once the anti cancer treatments are stopped for one week but this time not!
My doctor will do me a marrow biopsy on early July.I hope there will be improvement in platelets count next week spontaneously.

Best for all
Arthur 333

Hi Arthur. Our bodies have amazing regenerative abilities. I’ve been where you are and can appreciate your anxiety of not seeing numbers rebounding like they did after each previous cycle of chemo. Sometimes it just takes a little break in the schedule…like sitting and resting, taking a breather.
It’s very encouraging that your white blood count is good. Let’s hope the platelets decide to follow their lead and catch up! In the meantime, no knife juggling. 😅

Try not to worry and let your body and mind rest this month.
We’ll hope for a clean bone marrow biopsy! When was your last biopsy taken?

Dear Lori
Today will have my cell counts taken. Will see how l go?

Arthur333

I have my finger’s crossed for good blood numbers for you!! ☺️

Dear Lori

Monday platelets count only 15
Have blood transfusion,platelet transfusion done

Disappointed
Arthur 333

Hi Arthur, that is a low platelet level so it’s a good thing to have the platelet transfusion. I had a lot of those over my trek through the land of blood cancer. Try not to let it get you too discouraged.
I know I mentioned it before, but we take quite a hit from those rounds of chemo and sometimes it just takes a month or two of a break in the cycle to let our bodies rest and recoup.
I know you’re worried that if you’re off treatment the cancer cells will also get a chance to grow again. But if you’ve been on several months of meds, the fast growing cancer cells should been reduced appreciably in numbers so it’s ok to take that break. Your body will be able to do some regenerating and hopefully the platelets will rise on their own again.
You’ll be having the bone marrow biopsy soon and that will give your doctor direction as to how you’re responding to treatment and if the MM is being held in check.

Try to remain positive, Arthur. Your WBC is up and that’s a really good thing! I’m not being cavalier, because I know what a trying time this is, but my best suggestion is to keep busying doing things you enjoy for a distraction. Try to keep life as normal as possible. I know that’s really rough when you are feeling low mentally and physically. But there are less physical things like reading, jig saw puzzles, try doodling and painting with watercolors, etc.
What’s your favorite activity to bring you joy?

Good morning, Arthur. Just checking in to see how you’re feeling. I know you’re anxious to get some good news so you can continue treatment. When is your bone marrow biopsy?

I am fighting low platelet count too, but losing badly. Yesterdays' CBC showed a new low of 5, And I've had 5 infusions already. Other values are concerning too: White increasing to 15.1 from 6.3; red down to 2.2 from 2.7; hemo 7.0 from 8.7; hema down 22 vs 27; blasts 150. Etc. These new values are only 6 days old. I am under hospice care now in an assisted living facility. I don't know what I'm asking. Time to "let go and let God:?

Good morning @crhilston, I’m so happy to hear from you today. You’ve been on my mind frequently lately. I’m sorry to say it isn’t surprising to see these new blood results being progressively lower and blasts increasing. It’s the nature of your blood cancer in later stages. And I don’t know how else to say this except for me to follow your lead with your reference of “Let go, let God’. If you’re a religious person, that phrase has guided your life in some manner from the beginning and it will help continue to be your guidance in your final days.
From experience, at this late stage in the AML journey, it just feels like our light grows dimmer as this disease progresses. It’s fatiguing and sleep seems to take over as energy for anything else takes a back seat.

No one can predict our last breath so, live each day to the best of your ability. Write down thoughts of anything you wish to share. I wrote notes to my husband and daughter…bits of wisdom I didn’t want to be lost. But never give up hope because miracles happen every day. Sending you a huge hug!