Platelets too low...any idea how to get em higher?

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steveandnat
steveandnat Member Posts: 886
in Colorectal Cancer #1
I'm scheduled to get treatment every two weeks but over the past six months or so my platelet counts have been below 100,000 (the number the onc says they have to be above to get treatment). They tried giving nulasta shot or numega (get confused which is for platelets and which is for red white blood) but i had bad reaaction and he doesn't want to risk the shots. so now i just have to let my body do it's thing. so far the longest it has been is 3 weeks but i'm wondering if there is anything else i could do to build up my platelets after treatment?

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  • Buckwirth
    Buckwirth Member Posts: 1,258 Member
    #2
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    Iron and Protein
    Eat iron rich foods (spinach comes to mind), and see if your oncologist (new one, I hope) can prescribe an iron supplement (there are some script supplements that are pretty powerful).

    If you are not already doing it, you might want to think about a protein supplement. Taking in extra probably is what kept (and keeps) my blood counts high despite chemo.
  • lisa42
    lisa42 Member Posts: 3,625 Member
    #3
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    what helped mine
    I can't guarantee results, but I'll share what helped up my platelet count. I've been taking chlorella and spirulina. They have helped normalize my red blood counts and my platelets. I don't know if it's coincidence or not, but ever since I started on these supplements, my platelet count has been in the completely normal range. My onc and the nurses are amazed and comment on it every time I get bloodwork results back. My onc said to keep doing what I'm doing because my counts are great. I did have problems with too low of platelet counts prior to that- had to skip a treatment or two and have my chemo dose lowered. When I started the supplements of chlorella and spirulina, he upped the dose again, but was worried that my platelets would drop again. They didn't and they continue to be in the normal range. Can't hurt, may help- I'd try them if I were you!

    Lisa
  • John23
    John23 Member Posts: 2,122 Member
    #4
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    steveandnat -

    Re:
    "i'm wondering if there is anything else i could do to build up my
    platelets after treatment?"

    Yes there is. You can make an appointment with a TCM practitioner
    and have him prescribe some herbal broths to quickly build up
    your blood count.
    TCM and Blood platelets

    "Help, is where you look for it"

    Stay well!

    John
  • laurettas
    laurettas Member Posts: 372
    #5
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    Meat
    Both times my husband has been on chemo, we ate a lot of protein, particularly meat. When he was young and on ten months of horrible chemo, we ate beef liver once or twice a week. That was so fun since I was pregnant at the time--Yuck! However, only one time did a treatment have to be postponed for a week and then one time he missed the second half of a treatment due to low counts. We aren't eating the liver now but eat plenty of our home-grown meat and after four months on FOLFOX and now FOLFIRI, his counts are still in the normal range.
  • tanstaafl
    tanstaafl Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #6
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    PSK + other beta glucans
    PSK (Japan) a mushroom extract, or here in the US a similar version, JHS' Coriolus Versicolor extract, with ~40% beta glucans has worked for my wife on mild oral chemo (a 5FU derivative + LV); best performance on an empty stomach. PSK uses a mechanism independent the neumega shots. Since absorption depends on macrophages in the gut, the 5 grams/day of L-glutamine that she takes for gastric repair may be an important success factor. Mushrooms have helped keep her platelets 220,000-250,000 when on 3 grams of PSK plus about 1 gram total of 4 other mushroom extracts, her platelets nosedive to ca 160-180,000 if she slacks off too much.

    This extract may parallel or overlap with some TCM mushroom extracts. Changes in WBC, RBC and platelets may differ with various extracts. We're currently starting to try out Biothera's 80% beta glucan extract. We've used various mushroom extracts, ca 6 grams a day to drive her WBC as high as 9 once, at the expense of RBC. She also drinks a milk whey protein + heavy vitamins shake.
  • steveandnat
    steveandnat Member Posts: 886
    #7
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    Thanks for all the
    Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll try some of them. I actually have had cravings for liver and onions and drove about 30 miles to a little restuarant that makes good liver. Sometimes i will make chicken liver at home. Thanks again.
  • Livingbyfaith
    Livingbyfaith Member Posts: 55
    #8
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    Our oncologist said nothing
    Our oncologist said nothing really can be done however suggested red grape juice.
  • laurettas
    laurettas Member Posts: 372
    #9
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    steveandnat said:

    Thanks for all the
    Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll try some of them. I actually have had cravings for liver and onions and drove about 30 miles to a little restuarant that makes good liver. Sometimes i will make chicken liver at home. Thanks again.

    Wrong organ
    This is an interesting article about a possible treatment for crc:

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110913152929.htm

    Guess we'll have to stop eating liver and start eating heart--that's OK it is almost butchering season on the farm! We'll have an abundance soon!
  • ladyfsgf
    ladyfsgf Member Posts: 3
    #10
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    platelets

    I have thrombocytopenia (low platelets) for about 20+yrs-probably caused from tegritol-for seizures-after 6months of tegritol med>heart stopped in recovery(about 1994).  Was put on tegritol for dizzy spells in spring/summer-surgery was in fall.  In 2/2014 diagnosed w/breast cancer>lumpectomy>chemo radiation>11/2014.  Had a reaction to an iron prescription last summer.  Antibiotics, ibuprofen, aspirin and other meds deplete platelets.  I bleed easily.  Started taking chlorella (about 4days ago), have been taking vitamins/supplements for years.  Can't take reishi mushrooms-High doses of reishi mushroom might increase the risk of bleeding in people with thrombocytopenia.  Also have some sleeping issues.  Any suggestion?

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