low platelet count

betina61
betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I just came from dr. office for the routine blood work, and my platelet count was 39 they want me to go back in 3 day for another blood work to see if they go up, I was told if the count is less than 100, I will not be able to get my treatment next week that make me feel a little depressed, because I would like to finish this a.s.a.p., I would like to know if this has happened to anyone of you guys,I was told that this is not uncomnon, and the platelets could bounce back to normal in a matter of days. PLEASE answer me. Knowing me I will be anxious until next lab work, I have been feeling so good that I thought that I was super woman, and something like this,make me feel very vulnerable. I am such a chicken.

Comments

  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #2
    Dear Betina,

    I have been on this board since April of this year. I remember reading many posts with similar situation as you are in. So, I think that this is very common situation. It is in your interests to have blood count back to normal before you continue your treatment. Otherwise, it is very dangerous for your body. So, be glad that they told you to wait. I know you want to finish as soon as possible, but your body has its limitations and it is telling you: "oh, stop, I need rest, can not take any more...". So, just be patient and do what your body needs.

    Do something for youself, whatever you like to do.

    Hugs and God Bless,
    Eleonora
  • Patrusha
    Patrusha Member Posts: 487
    #3
    Hi betina!

    I know how you feel about the possiblity of having a treatment "postponed." I was postponed recently because of low white cell counts and my doctor assured me that it would not affect the ability of the chemo plan to do its work. Stinks, though, that it pushes us back a week from being done with this whole thing, but I think it happens to most people at least once or twice during treatment.

    I was able to go through with my second treatment on Friday, at a reduced dose. Did fab over the weekend, even helped a friend celebrate her birthday, but kinda dragging today.... hang in there, chemo buddy!
  • vinny3
    vinny3 Member Posts: 928 Member
    #4
    It is hard when the treatment is delayed as that delays the endpoint. However I have several times asked my onc to go 3 weeks between treatments so that I can enjoy some activity ( like vacation) and she said that should not affect the results. I have 6 to go and may do that a few more times.

    ****
  • lfondots63
    lfondots63 Member Posts: 818 Member
    #5
    Hi Betina,

    Eleonora is right. This happens sometimes to people. My platelets were low once also so I had to skip a treatment. Think of it as an extra vacation. I'm sure that you feel a little better so it will give your body time to feel even better. Try to continue to eat healthy. Don't forget lots of good protein to help your immune system. (Eggs, Chicken, fish, nuts) Try to drink some juice too. V8 has a juice with fruit and veggies called Infusion. Right now I don't have time to juice the right way so I buy this to supplement. Tastes great and makes me feel better when I drink it. HUGS and know that most of us have been through this. We all want it over quickly but sometimes our body doesn't co-operate.

    Lisa F.
  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    #6
    AuthorUnknown said:

    Dear Betina,

    I have been on this board since April of this year. I remember reading many posts with similar situation as you are in. So, I think that this is very common situation. It is in your interests to have blood count back to normal before you continue your treatment. Otherwise, it is very dangerous for your body. So, be glad that they told you to wait. I know you want to finish as soon as possible, but your body has its limitations and it is telling you: "oh, stop, I need rest, can not take any more...". So, just be patient and do what your body needs.

    Do something for youself, whatever you like to do.

    Hugs and God Bless,
    Eleonora

    Thank you Eleonora for your advice, and by the way how do you feel on your own situation,I hope that everything looks brighter for you.
  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    #7
    AuthorUnknown said:

    Dear Betina,

    I have been on this board since April of this year. I remember reading many posts with similar situation as you are in. So, I think that this is very common situation. It is in your interests to have blood count back to normal before you continue your treatment. Otherwise, it is very dangerous for your body. So, be glad that they told you to wait. I know you want to finish as soon as possible, but your body has its limitations and it is telling you: "oh, stop, I need rest, can not take any more...". So, just be patient and do what your body needs.

    Do something for youself, whatever you like to do.

    Hugs and God Bless,
    Eleonora

    Thank you Eleonora for your advice, and by the way how do you feel on your own situation,I hope that everything looks brighter for you.
  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    #8
    Patrusha said:

    Hi betina!

    I know how you feel about the possiblity of having a treatment "postponed." I was postponed recently because of low white cell counts and my doctor assured me that it would not affect the ability of the chemo plan to do its work. Stinks, though, that it pushes us back a week from being done with this whole thing, but I think it happens to most people at least once or twice during treatment.

    I was able to go through with my second treatment on Friday, at a reduced dose. Did fab over the weekend, even helped a friend celebrate her birthday, but kinda dragging today.... hang in there, chemo buddy!

    Hola chemo buddy!I was thinking about you for the last few days because I was wondering about your delayed treatment, I am glad that is again back on track and is good to know that you were told that the delay will not affect the treament. Hugs
  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #9
    betina61 said:

    Thank you Eleonora for your advice, and by the way how do you feel on your own situation,I hope that everything looks brighter for you.

    Hi Betina,

    Thank You very much for asking. It is very nice of you. I still feel depressed but not so much like last week. I have applied for unemployment and found out that I am eligible to receive it. It should start coming next week, so it will be helpful. I called St. Vincent de Paul society - they said they would help, but I did not hear from them so far. I am still looking for a job, unsuccessfuly so far. Mother had CT scan on Thursday and I am now waiting for the oncologist to call me with the results. I am scared, of course.
    The man is gone and I now see much clearly that I am much better off wihout him. He made me very depressed. I don't want to get sick like my mother.

    So, overall I am a little better, but not on my feet yet.

    Thanks again, and let's pray for each other.

    Hugs, Eleonora
  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    #10
    vinny3 said:

    It is hard when the treatment is delayed as that delays the endpoint. However I have several times asked my onc to go 3 weeks between treatments so that I can enjoy some activity ( like vacation) and she said that should not affect the results. I have 6 to go and may do that a few more times.

    ****

    It gives me some peace of mind knowing that the delay will not affect treament,I was so down that I left the office and didn't ask any question. Thanks for answering me.
  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    #11
    lfondots63 said:

    Hi Betina,

    Eleonora is right. This happens sometimes to people. My platelets were low once also so I had to skip a treatment. Think of it as an extra vacation. I'm sure that you feel a little better so it will give your body time to feel even better. Try to continue to eat healthy. Don't forget lots of good protein to help your immune system. (Eggs, Chicken, fish, nuts) Try to drink some juice too. V8 has a juice with fruit and veggies called Infusion. Right now I don't have time to juice the right way so I buy this to supplement. Tastes great and makes me feel better when I drink it. HUGS and know that most of us have been through this. We all want it over quickly but sometimes our body doesn't co-operate.

    Lisa F.

    Hi Lisa, thank you for all your advices, I am going to buy today the V8 Infusion I hope I like it because I am a little bit picky for food, I don't like vegetables and fruits, and this could be great for me.Hugs
  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #12
    betina61 said:

    Hi Lisa, thank you for all your advices, I am going to buy today the V8 Infusion I hope I like it because I am a little bit picky for food, I don't like vegetables and fruits, and this could be great for me.Hugs

    Betina,
    It might be a good time to review your diet. Vegetables and fruits are very important to human body. They bring all necessary vitamins. Especially with cancer it is necessary to have them in your diet. And the more the better. They create alkaline environment which is very hostile to cancer cells. That is why some people who have cancer switched to entire vegetarian diet. Meat products create acidic environment and it is paradise to cancer cells.
    Maybe you can start eating them little by little and increase their intake with the time.

    The purpose of chemo is to kill cancer cells, so if you could kill them with natural vegetables and fruits, would not it be better (in addition to chemo in your case)?

    There was time when I could not stand brokoli, but now I don't mind. You can teach yourself to eat what you need to eat.

    I hope this helps.
  • mum-of-four
    mum-of-four Member Posts: 22
    #13
    Hi Betina

    I finally had my last treatment (12th) last week and I was supposed to have finished at beg July (if it had gone to plan) I have lost count the amount of times I was sent home and yes I was feeling great too!

    I decided to enjoy the extra week, rested as much as poss, ate as well as I could and tried not to worry.

    One time they asked me to come back the next day and it had come up overnight, so it is possible (this only happened once though)

    Additionally, every treatment you go through is knocking you down a bit more as it is cumulative

    Be careful if platelets are low as you will bruise very easily (my husband accidentally kicked me in bed and I had a bruise!) I had trouble with my WBC being low at other times, so I made sure I stayed away from anyone who may have had the slightest sniffle.

    Could I also add, that I thought I would never see the day that I got to the end of my treatment, but it finally happened last week and you will get there too.

    Good luck
  • nudgie
    nudgie Member Posts: 1,478 Member
    #14
    I understand your concern. I started my chemo treatment on 18 August and will have my 4th on 29 Sept. I created a spreadsheet to keep track of my counts before each chemo treatment. I check my counts and discuss with my Ono Dr before receiving my treatment to make sure that this treatment will not make my counts go too low. This is one area I take very seriously. Also discuss your counts with Dr before to see what he/she feels or if you feel it's too low request to skip a treatment to make sure your body is ready
  • jerseysue
    jerseysue Member Posts: 624 Member
    #15
    I also had low counts and treatment was stopped for a week. Then I started getting shots to help with my white blood count. So this is very common. I would also take advantage of the week off and have yourself something cold to drink. I went for a slurpee (sugar free of course)!
  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    #16
    nudgie said:

    I understand your concern. I started my chemo treatment on 18 August and will have my 4th on 29 Sept. I created a spreadsheet to keep track of my counts before each chemo treatment. I check my counts and discuss with my Ono Dr before receiving my treatment to make sure that this treatment will not make my counts go too low. This is one area I take very seriously. Also discuss your counts with Dr before to see what he/she feels or if you feel it's too low request to skip a treatment to make sure your body is ready

    Hi Nudgie,do you communicate with your DR. by phone, via e-mail? because where I go, they first do the lab work and after that you wait and see the chemo nurse, and they give you the results, so is very good that you could have that closer contact with your Dr as you do.
  • betina61
    betina61 Member Posts: 642 Member
    #17
    jerseysue said:

    I also had low counts and treatment was stopped for a week. Then I started getting shots to help with my white blood count. So this is very common. I would also take advantage of the week off and have yourself something cold to drink. I went for a slurpee (sugar free of course)!

    That would be a good idea, I could have the caramel frozen yougurt, that I love.

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