Dropping platelet count. Scared.

[puzzledlass]

So my boyfriends doctor called today and his platelets have dropped from 127 to 111 in the last month. Queue freak out on both of our parts. The doc said she could refer him to blood specialist but they would just monitor levels, so she is doing that instead with monthly blood tests. His other counts are fine...

I'm scared. So is he.

What if it's been dropping for so long it's now too late to treat what it is?

[Beckie4567]

Well what did doc say was the cause surely he suggested reasons why the levels have dropped . X

[puzzledlass]

Nope. Doc didn't.

[MyNameIsTerry]

How does he feel?

I had pneumonia many years ago and as I recovered from that I got up one day and could barely function. I thought it might be glandular fever so hard to my GP who did a blood test and found it was a low platelet count of which the cause would have been my recent illness.

So, had be been ill or rundown recently?

A couple of weeks later I was fine.

If your GP thought it was serious they would be doing a lot more than monitoring it so it sounds like they are seeing if it corrects itself and if not they will look at some form of treatment.

They may not know what had caused it or what may be the current cause bit that doesn't mean they should be open about the situation so push for information if you need it but would it be better for your partner to do that so that he can attempt to prevent your HA distorting things?

[puzzledlass]

I do need to let him manage this how he sees fit. It is hard because I'm all "ask questions!" But he's just rolling with it ya know. And I need to accept that and trust in him.

He's asthmatic and has had some bad coughs but not recently. I wouldn't think enough to cause them to drop in a month. Am not a doc tho.

I'm trying to keep calm.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I have asthma too.

If he's had chest infections, maybe there is a link but I would imagine given is blood related that many normal things such as diet could effect it.

The GP wouldn't take responsibility for it if it were more serious and would do a referral. So, I think you have to remember too.

It must be frustrating given your differing attitudes and I guess is a matter of meeting in the middle.

[puzzledlass]

Doc mentioned a referral but said they would just monitor at this stage too so no point referring.

---------- Post added at 17:47 ---------- Previous post was at 16:50 ----------

He's wondering if he should ask his Mum if there's a family thing but doesn't want to worry her.

---------- Post added at 17:54 ---------- Previous post was at 17:47 ----------

And then I saw this "Cancers from other organs can sometimes infiltrate (invade) the bone marrow and result in impaired production of platelets."

cries

[MyNameIsTerry]

But also remember that there are lots of causes like everything else ranging from the nothings to the more extreme.

I had it and I was fine 2 weeks later despite being so tired my eyes were blood red, struggling to eat breakfast before deciding to stay off and then spending ages trying to get up the stairs to bed.

My body had just taken a hammering prior to this but I had been recovering for several weeks and was due to go back to college that dash when it suddenly happened.

So, is not all the nasty stuff and could go away on is own. Besides, this like cancer mean red flags and his GP would refer him for tests if he presented as at risk.

[puzzledlass]

He asked his Mum about family history but she didn't know of anything. So scared cause all I can think of is worst.

[puzzledlass]

It could have been dropping for years and he would never have known. The fact it dropped from 127 to 111 in a month is a concern to me.

His GP isn't a blood expert so I doubt she would feel comfortable giving speculation on what it could be. Many doctors don't like to do that.

Next blood test is on 20th, if it's dropped even further I will freak out.

[Ange1]

A platelet count of 111 is still within the normal range and as others say there could be many reasons or none. My son has ITP idiopathic thrombocytopenia Since his early teens and at one stage his count was only 4. It has never been above 90 but is often around 40 when he is unwell. They don't know why it happens ( viral cause they think) but he lives a very normal life and has no underlying conditions going on. X

[puzzledlass]

Maybe the ranges change within country? Here the normal range is 150-400. Which is why they scheduled monthly test.

I'm pleased your son is living a normal life! How did they first discover his condition?

[Ange1]

He was constantly unwell with almost flu like symptoms,severe tiredness, headaches and pin point bruising everywhere. He had a type of glandular fever several years earlier and they think that somehow affected the immune system to turn on its own platelets. once his count was over about 90 he no longer had to go back for very regular checks. It's been about 20 years now and he has a pretty high stress job and a young family so is doing great. :) the docs did say it was common for some peoples counts to go down during a virus as the platelets are stored in the spleen which has a big involvement in the immune system so it makes sense their numbers may be affected when the body is fighting infection. X

[puzzledlass]

I don't get why his are steadily decreasing. Why could that even be

---------- Post added at 18:37 ---------- Previous post was at 17:49 ----------

Now I'm scared its acute myeloid leukaemia :,(

[Beckie4567]

Hey how are things how is your other half hope he's ok x