hi ladies, looking for some advise again. My sister has recently stopped halaven due to progrssion. She was supposed to start a new chemo last week but her platelets are too low. 68 last week and now down in the 50’s. She has not had any chmo for a month so i suspect that this is because of bone marrow involvement as she has extensive bone mets. She is worried sick, because whilst she is not having any chemo the cancer in her liver and pleural linings will be growning. Feel lost ,Need chemo to knock cancer cells back, but can’t have it due to low platelets. HELP !.has anybody had a platelet transfusion, or anything else to bring platelets up?. her platelets were no problem whilst on chemo.Thank you, best wishes and good luck on your treatments xx
bump xxx
Hi flo12
I’m sorry to hear your sister is having such a tough time right now, particularly with low platelets. I’m in a similar position, with my platelets down to 30+ a few months ago, but back up to 60 now. Still, extremely low (“normal” is 150-400) and matched by low Hb (red blood cells), hence my onc thinks I also have bone marrow “involvement” - a sad euphamism. BUT I had almost 9 years of stability with bone & liver mets - unusual, but there are several of us here on the forums who have had a similar long run.
I’ve asked my doctors about platelet transfusion, but - unlike whole blood transfusions - these only last a day or so, and so are only given if someone has low platelets AND is having a significant bleed, e.g. say after an accident. I’ve had a couple of transfusions (of whole blood), which have improved my Hb and therefore my energy, and presume this will be a pattern for as long as they continue to help me. I wonder if your sister might benefit from a similar transfusion?
My onc took me off my tablet chemo some months ago, as I had significant kidney problems and had been on the capecitabine for over 8 years - no one really knows the impact on us of long-term treatments. He’s not in any hurry to put me on any further chemo, for which I’m grateful, as I don’t want to spend whatever time I have left bald & feeling sick all the time. I’m on a very old hormonal drug - Megace - but don’t know if it’s doing any more than giving me a better appetite and swollen feet! Time will tell.
I’m sorry I can’t give you any further advice, and i do hope that your sister’s onc comes up with a treatment plan that she can tolerate and that gives her a good quality of life.
Marilyn xx