Platelet count down

Bstrange
Bstrange Member Posts: 87
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
I went for my Last chemo today. My blood work was fine, except my PTL (platelet) is 106 and should be between 150-400.
Next to my result of 106 there are initials in bold prink URI. I thought that mean upper respiratory infection. So I was wondering if it means I am more susceptible to catching something. Should I self quarantine myself?

My small clinic I usually go to had to be gutted to get the broken radiation machine out..(Not to bright contractor) Anyway, I have to go the the main clinic and it's huge and I feel like a number. Although they said they would call me back with an answer, I think I'll find out quicker through my friends, online.

God Bless You All,
Barbara

Comments

  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980 Member
    #2
    I'm guessing URI = urinalysis
    I'm just guessing, but perhaps URI means they want to do urinalysis on you as a follow-up test.

    My platelets got way down in the 50's during chemo. I'm not sure low platelets affect your immunity as much as they make you bruise very easily and have trouble stopping bleeding if you cut yourself. You also need to be careful not to lift anything heavy or strain, as you can have internal bleeding if you tear something inside when your platelets are down. But 109 isn't all that bad; you shouldn't be too vulnerable with platelets that close to normal.
  • ladyjogger31
    ladyjogger31 Member Posts: 289
    #3
    Counts
    Hi Barb,
    My platelets have been as low as 55 and that's a reason to have some concern. You don't want to be around anyone that is sick , or go into crowded areas. 109 isn't that bad but is still low. They will be back up in a week. If I had to go out I made sure and have a hand sanitizer on me and as soon as I got home washed my hands.I just got my first shot of Neulasta, I never needed one before and I have been on non- stop chemo for 14 month and just now my counts have been really bad.
    Hugs and Prayers, Terry
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #4
    Platelet counts
    Hi Barbara,

    With platelets you just have to be careful about cutting yourself, over 100 is great. The URI usually stands for upper resporatory infectioin but they should have told you that and given you somethign for it and isn't linked to platelet count. What you want to watch is the whitebloodcount WBC and Absolute Neutrophils this is what tells you where your immune system is at.

    Think of platelets this way, you have to be about 12 or 15 before they even give you a transfusion. I am in the 40's a lot and just need to be careful and not have Toby jumping up and down on my lap. Hugs N Prayers Bonnie

    PS I will be watching to see what the clinic says, maybe it was the lab techs initials. :-)
  • Bstrange
    Bstrange Member Posts: 87
    #5
    Thank you
    I finally got through to my nurse an she said the URI is just an alert so they know they are down. Not to worry. Thank you Lord.
    B
  • christianchickcher
    christianchickcher Member Posts: 26
    #6
    ladyjogger31 said:

    Counts
    Hi Barb,
    My platelets have been as low as 55 and that's a reason to have some concern. You don't want to be around anyone that is sick , or go into crowded areas. 109 isn't that bad but is still low. They will be back up in a week. If I had to go out I made sure and have a hand sanitizer on me and as soon as I got home washed my hands.I just got my first shot of Neulasta, I never needed one before and I have been on non- stop chemo for 14 month and just now my counts have been really bad.
    Hugs and Prayers, Terry

    Neulasta
    I found it interesting that you only had neulasta as needed. My cancer center will be giving me a shot with each round to prevent low counts. Is this normal?
  • lindaprocopio
    lindaprocopio Member Posts: 1,980 Member
    #7
    CHRISTIANCHICKCHER: Neulasta: "as you need it", or "every time"
    My oncologist explained that, because my chemo rounds were 3 weeks apart, as long as I recovered each time before the next round was due, I would get Neulasta only when I needed it. He said that Neulasta can cause bone pain if your white count isn't really low when you get it, because the Neulasta-induced multiplying white cells can be crowded inside the enclosed space of your bones, causing the pain. But if you get Neulasta when your white count is really low, you probably won't get any bone pain (and I didn't have any bone pain when I got the only Neulasta shot I needed after my 6th round). But when people are getting chemo rounds very close together or at levels expected to really beat down your white count, he prescribes Neulasta after every round. Because you have a long commute to the hospital, you can probably have the oncology staff show you how to self-administer the shot. I know lots of people who give themselves the Neulasta shot the next day. I was personally too chicken to do it, but if I had to have a lot of shots I think I could learn to do it. It doesn't take any level of special skill, just the guts to do it yourself.

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