Low platelets/hemoglobin/white blood cells

ckdgedmom

Hi ladies,

Has anyone experienced very low platelets/hemoglobin/white blood cells after treatement?

My platelets strarted to dive after my 4th week of Cisplatin/radiation so they stopped the cisplatin but I continued radiation for 10 more treatments. During my last week of treatment my radiology oncologist started having me get regular blood draws to check my levels and they continued to dive. They gave me Neulasta last Friday and on Monday my hemoglobin had dropped to 5.4 so they admitted me to the hospital and transfused 4 bags of blood. I was feeling tired (I blamed my Astros fighting their way to the World Series championship) but did not expect having to be admitted to the hospital.  The blood raised my level to 8 and raised my platelets to around 40,000.

Any suggestions on how to get them to rise up to better levels?  I know stoppnig the cisplatin and finishing radiation should help and I am eating an iron rich diet but any other ideas?

I'm due to have abdominal surgery for a very large hernia I have in my abdomen (I look like I am pregnant with an alien baby) and need to have it ASAP for insurance and work purposes so I need to get those levels up...

If anyone has experienced this any suggestions are welcome...

and yay to my finishing radiation and my Astros (sorry if anyone is a Dodger or Yankee fan...)

xoxo

Anice

 

 

Lou Ann M

Low platelets

Are tough to deal with.  I have had trouble with platelets, Red and white cells That atarted after I had radiation to my pelvis.  Most of our blood is made in our larger bones and pelvic reaction does a job on those large bones that are there.  Nuelasta kept my white cells high enough so that it only effected getting chemo once.  My red cells dropped down to 4.2 and I had two blood transfusions.  My biggest problems was the platelets, and I had chemo postpone many times because of it.  Two oncologists told me The was not much you could do to help the platelets or red cells since it was chemo caused, just needed time.  One,told me,that if it worked , he would tell he,to eat liver and turnips.  I didn’t know if it helped, but I,did eat liver.

Hugs and prayers, Lou Ann

TeddyandBears_Mom

Anice, My white counts

Anice, My white counts dropped after the second round of chemo. I used Neulasta once and refused it after that. The side effects were hard on me. I stayed home most of the time to avoid getting sick.... My oncologist told me the same as LouAnn. Not much you can do to help them rise. It took a year for my counts to move back into the low normal range after I finished chemo and brachy. We are all different though. I hope you can get that surgery soon. It sounds very uncomfortable to carry that alien!!!!

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

Hummingbird6

Low WBC, platelets and RBC

Anice,

My white count became non-existent 10 days in to chemo (ANC 0.02), so I received neupogen (short acting rescue) and then neulasta (long acting growth factor)  injections for all the remaining cycles.  The injections caused fatugue and musculoskeletal discomfort, which for some reason claritin helps. Take it the day before the shot. 

The very low platelets and low RBC that accompanied the low WBC made bruising more of a problem, and worsened the fatigue, but they did slowly return to normal after a few weeks when I was finished with the 6 cycles. 

If your surgery can be postponed until your blood counts recover a bit, it should help with healing and lessen the chance of infection. Your surgical team may have specific recommendations.  

Judi

ckdgedmom

Thank you ladies!

Thank you Lou Ann, Cindi and Judi...it's good to hear that this is sort of "normal"...I feel so much better today than I did earlier in the week...I had labs done yesterday to check my levels but I don't know how they turned out.  I'm trying to rest as much as possible this weekend because next week is a crazy week at work. 

Again thank you ladies...this forum is so very helpful and a great place of support

xoxo

Anice