How can I increase blood platelets?

[GeorgeGlass]

How can I increase blood platelets? Mine have been low the last three months. This coincides with castration resistance setting in. Are there certain supplements that can raise the platelet count? What is the likely cause of the lower platelet count, which is normally about 130-140k for me. My recent tests have shown the count to be 100, 90, 86 and 110.

I was wondering if Vitamin K2 (could increase blood aggregation clumping and produce a harder to read number of platelets), or nattokinase supplements (reduces aggregation/clumping but maybe lower the count?) might have caused the lower amount but I have adjusted those intakes and don't see much of a chance in the test results.

[cesces]

Your doc has a whole sey of tools to do that.

Though given you are about to engage in an escalated battle with the pc, I would be cautious about unintended and undocumented interactions.

You should discuss with your medical oncologist.

[EdBacon]

Could be bone marrow invasion from the cancer. Prostate cancer in the bone marrow interferes with the processes, red cells and platelets are affected more than white cells. You can get a transfusion if it gets worse, but the best thing to do is try to treat the cancer.

[GeorgeGlass in reply to EdBacon]

This is what I'm worried about. Will have to get some scans and new treatments/pills.

[tango65 in reply to GeorgeGlass]

A PSMA PET/CT may show if there is bone marrow invasion.

If that is the case, perhaps is possible to have a biopsy and see if there are mutations which could be treated with PARP inhibitors, Keytruda, chemo with platinum compounds etc. It also may be useful to select clinical trials and have second opinions about the treatment.

[Hidden]

George, Jim does too, not too bad but still low. When I look it up it seems like this. Thrombocytopenia pupora??? I see these purple marks on his right arm that were not there a couple days ago. This stinks!!!!

[GeorgeGlass in reply to Hidden]

I thought there would be more comments on this topic. Surprising. I hope we can figure this stuff out.

[No_stone_unturned]

My platelets count is 343 and I’m also transitioning to Hormone resistance.

Not sure if this is helpful but I take a lot of supplements vit K included.

[GeorgeGlass]

I've asked three MOs so far. They never have an answer. I'm concerned that it might be what Ed Bacon said below.

[GeorgeGlass]

will be working this hard in the coming days weeks and months

[Grandpa4]

I do not like bone marrow invasion. All cell lines would be effected. Could be a side effect of one of your supplements. At this point the effect is minimal. We dont see bleeding until you get in 30,000 and really don’t see major problems until you get to 5000.

[Hidden in reply to Grandpa4]

did you mean until you get to 50000. When you say bleeding, does this mean your blood vessels start to break. A few weeks ago our oncologist, when asked about this said, oh I wouldn’t worry about these numbers… of course I will worry. They seem to be all over worked and in a hurry, this is awful!

[GeorgeGlass in reply to Hidden]

he means that if you get down to lower numbers like 30 or 5k

[Hidden in reply to GeorgeGlass]

thank you George!

[Grandpa4 in reply to Hidden]

You might see increased bruising when you get below 50,000 but spontaneous bleeding without trauma doesn’t usually happen until you get under 10,000. You have a lot of room.

[timotur]

My WBC/RBC/platelet counts were all 10-20% low after radiation/ADT. One year after stopping ADT, all but WBC recovered to normal levels. I ate beef liver 1x/wk, spinach, etc, and continued to exercise a lot to help blood counts recover.

[GeorgeGlass in reply to timotur]

why were you able to stop the adt? Did the adjuvant radiation suppress the cancer for the past year?

[timotur in reply to GeorgeGlass]

The tx plan was HDR-BT/IMRT and 18 months ADT. Two years after stopping ADT, PSA is undetectable.

[GeorgeGlass in reply to timotur]

Great news!

[shortPSADT]

I have had low platelets (around 90-100 K) most of my life and even underwent a bone marrow evaluation 40 years ago -- Dr. said it was "just me" and nothing to worry about.

Since then I've read that melatonin raises platelet counts somewhat. I've been using 3mg of melatonin nightly for the past two years and, believe it or not, my platelets count is now around 130K for the first time in my life. Still not in the normal range, but better.