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2.5 year girl - wide fluctuations in platelet count?

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7 years 11 months ago #60979 by gshewakr
2.5 year girl - wide fluctuations in platelet count? was created by gshewakr
My daughter (2 years and 6 months) was diagnosed with ITP. At the time her platelet count was 24,000 and our doctors (pediatrician and hematologist) suggested a dose of IV gamma globulin. Within 24 hours, her platelet count was about 96,000; far from 'normal' but it made both my wife and I much more comfortable.

2 weeks later, her count dropped to 50,000. It's been about 2 weeks (total 4 weeks since her first diagnosis). We haven't done anything (wait and watch) but have noticed stray new bruises show up about once a week. They usually fade away themselves in about 48 hours. The most recent one was deep blue, very similar to a large one she had when she was first diagnosed.

My wife and I are confused about how much the platelets fluctuate before stabilizing at any level? What is a good interval between blood tests to keep an eye on her levels?

Thanks in advance!
  • Sandi
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  • Sandi Forum Moderator Diagnosed in 1998, currently in remission. Diagnosed with Lupus in 2006. Last Count - 344k - 6-9-18
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7 years 11 months ago #60980 by Sandi
Replied by Sandi on topic 2.5 year girl - wide fluctuations in platelet count?
Unless you get a count when the bruises show up and go away, it's hard to know how much platelets are fluctuating. I don't think they are going up and down in significant amounts. If the bruises go away after a few days, that's a good thing. A bad sign would be bruises that accumulate and keep getting worse. It can take weeks, months or years for counts to stabilize. Everyone is different.

How often you should get counts done is up to you and your doctor. Some people prefer to get counts weekly, every other week or once a month. Some people only go when symptoms warrant it. Some parents who watch and wait rarely get counts done because they choose not to treat so the actual count doesn't matter. It all depends on what you are comfortable doing.
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7 years 11 months ago #61204 by gshewakr
Replied by gshewakr on topic 2.5 year girl - wide fluctuations in platelet count?
We repeated a count after one month of no treatment and her count was 218,000 (from 50,000). During this one month we noticed few random small bruises that would come and go. Obviously a huge relief, but I noticed a small new bruise on her leg today (2 days after her blood test). Additionally, our Hematologist told us to repeat the test after a month.

Does even a small change of platelet count cause bruising? Or in other words, is bruising indicative of a low count, or a change (drop) in count?

Thanks!
  • Sandi
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  • Sandi Forum Moderator Diagnosed in 1998, currently in remission. Diagnosed with Lupus in 2006. Last Count - 344k - 6-9-18
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7 years 11 months ago #61221 by Sandi
Replied by Sandi on topic 2.5 year girl - wide fluctuations in platelet count?
A bruise does not always indicate a platelet drop. People without ITP bruise too. Is your daughter active? When my son was little he constantly had bruises all over his shins. Usually, spontaneous bruises from ITP do not appear unless counts are under 30k or 50k at the least.

Great news on the high counts! That is a very good sign! I really don't think this bruise is ITP-related but if you are worried about the new bruise, have a count done for your own peace of mind and to get an idea of what counts are when the bruise appears.
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