Hi every one has anyone on,here dealing with low platlets I went to see my R for the first time and he ask me when I was in the hospital did the talk too me about removing my spleen that did not sit good with I’m really scard u guys keep me in your prays i think i would not let them do that to me i need my spleen to live
Andre, you are in my prayers.
Why would they want to remove your spleen?
Trisha
low platlest
I too face the possibility of spleen removal- for low red blood cells. You actually CAN live without your spleen and sometimes this surgery is like the magic bullet so may be worth considering
Poobie
Thanks for sharing this! I hope this helps you Andre? Any surgery is not to be taken lightly, and I understand your fears. Hopefully this will be a little reassuring for you : ) You are never alone here Andre.
Trisha
Hello Andre,
Your rheumo as mentioned your spleen being removed due to it getting to big through storing to many platelets and once removed your body adjusts back, i hope you find the info on this link helpful besides the other link for thrombocytopenia as the info will help you understand your condition alot more.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/22527-treatments-low-blood-platel...
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/thrombocytopenia.htm
Thinking of you Terri
I’ve had low platelets forever it seems! Do you know your count?
Generally they only remove your spleen when it becomes enlarged (this can happen when it filters out the damaged platelets that your immune system has attacked). They had that talk with me too but it was more of an “FYI at some point we may have to do this”. Have they said yours is enlarged? I have never had to have mine removed though. They check it periodically by pressing on it during an exam, You can definitely live without your spleen. I have a friend who ruptured hers in a bad car accident about 10 years ago and had it removed. No major issues after removal.
My counts are at 132 currently (normal is 150-400) and have been as low as 60. So my ITP is mild. Generally, once they’ve run the battery of tests to determine if your blood clots enough, they don’t do anything except monitoring them unless they are below 50 (but they don’t like to see them drop below 100 when you are pregnant). Then they just treat any symptoms (ie: I have a Mirena IUD to stop my periods).
Hope that’s helpful!
Andre,
Sorry to hear about your issues with low platelets and possible splenectomy. Prayers going up for you. I have had 2 family members that have had spleen removed for other reasons and both had their lives extended and were saved by it for a time. My uncle lost his due to a trauma and lived for years after, and my aunt had cancer and hers became enlarged. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Tennesse had hers taken out and she went from days to live to months. With rupture untreated she would have died immediately. So, enlarged/inflammed is not good. Make sure you are careful about bleeding issues. Low platelets equals poor clotting--so be careful shaving, running with scissors (joke), etc. Take care. Karla
Actually does not have to be enlarged before removal - thay can take it out to prevent premature destruction of blood cells which occurs in the spleen My spleen is absolutely normal but when drug and chemotherapy wasn't working spleenectomy was a consideration.
prayers are with you....i also have had low counts..stress seems to set mine off or working too many hours and just got too tired, pushed my body too hard. i stay okay as long as i watch it. Maybe this can give you bit of hope.
Hi,
I was in the hospital with low platelet count of 25 and my R doctor used steroids to get it back on course. I'm doing good but they never mention anything about my spleen. I hope this helps........BLESSING!!!!!
You are lucky that you responded to steroids In my case I didn't so went on to IVIG infusions- that also didn't control it well and was up for chemotherapy- if the first dose didn't work spleenectomy was the next step Fortunately my counts have come back up to near normal- after 2 years! Last time I had this it took 8 years for my counts to normalize.
OMG I'm glad it has I see this disease can be very serious. I just recently been diagnois with it about 3 months ago and so far I have had several episodes but not as bad..........I'll be praying for us all to have a wonderful pain free week.......................BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Interesting Poobie! Perhaps they never mentioned that to me because I’ve never been that low. I’ve been fairly lucky when it comes to my counts. With the exception of the birth of my kids, they never been a cause for alarm just monitoring. With my second daughter they had difficulty stopping the bleeding after she was born (my count was 60ish). That prompted them to do a tubiligation (which I wanted anyways!). I had a long “remission” period (almost 10 years) but it’s back to bouncing around now although it hasn’t dropped below 100 so it’s still mild.
Ok we have to keep a close eye on our account..............take care and I pray you have a pain free week...........talk to you soon!!!!!!
Blessings,
Carol
I found out at the age of 40 that I was born without a spleen so you can live a healthy life without it. I am told it is very rare to be born without it and it certainly explains why my immune system was so low and why I caught ever thing coming and going. My lupus went undetected for about 7 years and I have been doctoring for about 1 1/2 yrs and because I am spleenless they have yet to find a drug to treat my lupus. She says it is difficult to treat someone and lower the immune system of someone without a spleen. I just hope we find the right medicine soon. Best wishes to you.
allman304
So nice of you to share your experience on this. I pray the doc can find a med for you and thanks for adding this, I have never heard of someone being born without a spleen.
love, Trisha