Platelet problems

[Ellie F]

Wondered if anybody has any information or advice.I completed 6 rounds of taxotere and herceptin in August this year having neulasta after each round.
Since then I have had 3 weekly herceptin. My white blood cell count has remained low(around 3) but today the onc was concerned that my platelet count is dropping (128 down to 113). She is reviewing this in 3 weeks and wants to take a bone marrow sample if no improvement.
She said my bone marrow could be stressed ( nothing to how stressed I was when she said it could indicate bone mets!)and I may need to see a haemotologist.My last scans 8 weeks ago were normal and she found nothing on clinical exam.

Any info, experience or advice would be very welcome.
Ellie

[WolverineFan]

Hi Ellie,

My platelets dropped under 100 towards the end of my treatment. My lowest platelet count was 76. It took five weeks after having my last chemo before they rebounded and were back in normal range. I go back in for bloodwork this next Tuesday and am curious if they remained in normal range, because during my treatments of Carboplatin and Taxotere, they were all over the board. Sorry, I couldn't be of more help, but I think your onc is doing the right thing to closely monitor this and to have your bone marrow checked. Please keep us posted. In the mean time, I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Hayley

[Becky]

Explore the use of Melatonin. I know there are many positive studies on its use in boosting platelet counts.

[chrisy]

This won't help your question, Ellie, but I think looking at a trend on the platelets is important - your system is still not back to full strength after the chemo. But if things progressively get worse, you want to get it checked out.

I'm dealing with dropping platelets - pretty sure they are drug related to the TDM1 and it's just catching up with me now. I've started taking little bits of melatonin on the basis that Becky notes, too soon to see if that will make a difference.

But, in your case as you don't have a good "excuse" such as current chemo, I'd focus on figuring out the cause...

[Unregistered]

Hi Ellie, my plates. have been super low on my Xel/Ty regimen, I would not worry about it. They have been so low for almost a year now I wondered if I should be riding my motorcycle! :) Of course, I do ride! :)
So now I have been off Xeloda for 2 months and my counts are finally climbing back up, so you may be just suffering from cell death from the chemo.
Take care, Beth

[Unregistered]

Even before BC I have had platelet problems: something called ITP... anyway, another very effective "home remedy" is taking DHEA... can be bought at any health food place, WAlgreens. It is an enzyme and has stimulated platelet growth for many of my fellow ITP folks.. without BC... best to you all...

[Ellie F]

Thanks to you all for your replies.My her2 sisters always come through on dark days.
I will explore the options suggested and hope before I go back in 3 weeks that my wimpy platelets have improved!
Ellie

[Chelee]

Hi Ellie, Unfortunetly I don't have any answers for you but I can sure say I feel for you. I totally understand the stress things like this cause. When we live in cancerland it always seems to be something!

The one encouraging thing in your post is you said that eight wks ago the scans were all clear. So hopefully when you get your labs again next time things will be back to normal. Hopefully it was a fluke. I just hate that you have to wait all that time to find out anything. (Waiting is so hard.) I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers as I always do. Hang in there. Sending lots of positive energy your way.

Chelee

[Pam P]

I recently had a similar experience. I'd been on taxol.carbo and my platelets took a dive. For a few weeks they were under 100. The lowest around 80 I think. But then after a month or so they bounced back up for a more normanl range - I think the last lab was around 200. You're likely seeing a brief dip in the count caused by effects of chemo and hopefully will see a better number at your next visit.