Low Platelets count.

[tropicsurvivor]

I am cll patient , formerly treated with FR. ( two years ago).

I am experienced some low platelets count. When reached 56 K, the doctor decided to put me on corticosteroides, Calcort 30 mg (Deflazacort), for 10 days (30 mg daily), and wait 30 days for 2nd round.

Can anybody give some advise on this matter. Is this treatment the right one?. My WBC are around 20 K.

How many days do I need to wait before my platelets count is increased?

Thanks in advance. God bless you all.

[AussieNeil Administrator]

Your doctor has determined that your low platelet count is due to ITP, an autoimmune disease where we develop antibodies that incorrectly target our body, in this case marking your platelets for destruction. Steroids are the first line treatment in such cases (which are more common in CLL patients). If that fails to work, Rituximab monotherapy could be tried (though it may be less effective in your case due to your recent treatment with Rituximab in FR). If drug treatments don't work, then a splenectomy may prove successful, with Dr Brian Koffman and Quarry both having that done.

Neil

[MsLockYourPosts Passed Volunteer in reply to AussieNeil]

IVIG ( gamma globulin) is also used to treat ITP. The thinking is to preserve the spleen if possible, but sometimes removal, if other treatments have not helped, is needed.

[tropicsurvivor in reply to AussieNeil]

Dear Neil, good day and thanks for your answer.

I recently changed Doctor, I found a Lymphoma specialist in Mexico.

My new doctor said that my issue is a typical CLL condition, and he has treated patient on/off for several years.

He said to me that with this round of steroides, the situation should be back to some level of acceptable figures. The thing is to try to avoid chemotherapy again, or to extend as much as possible, since my WBC are not too high yet. (around 20 K).

He put me on 10 days steroides, one month off, and after another 10 days, to be monitored with hemograme.

I hope I can keep going, because I need to go back to work, since my previous doctor kept me at home, doing nothing, just waiting for next hemograme, which was affecting my quality of life.

I thank you very much for your insights.