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ITP x Covid Vaccine

lottie296 profile image
22 Replies

Hello all,

I wanted to see if anyone else developed thrombocytopenia after taking the 1st dose of the vaccine back in 2021? I took AstraZeneca and I developed ITP after taking it and I’d love to connect with others who this has also happened too. I have had 4x flare ups since taking it all linked to viral infections and taking the booster and have been given steroids each time which do bring my platelets back up.

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22 Replies
Calliecookins profile image
Calliecookins

My hematologist told me she had a few patients who had gotten ITP after taking the Covid vaccines. Personally, I got Covid at the beginning of the pandemic.

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to Calliecookins

Yes I’ve heard there’s been a few with me being one of them!

Melgallagher76 profile image
Melgallagher76 in reply to lottie296

Hi my husband has it and we think it was from the covid vaccine but don’t know how you tell for sure. He was diagnosed over a year ago and still has to have a weekly injection because his platelets are still low. We can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. It doesn’t feel like he’s going to get better

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to Melgallagher76

So sorry to hear this! Mine was definitely linked to the Covid vaccine only because I was having a routine blood test and had a blood test before the Covid vaccine thankfully and that showed normal level of platelets (as previously always has) then had a blood test a couple of weeks after the vaccine and my platelets had plummeted so after many checks they resulted tht it was due to the vaccine sadly! I’ve had ITP for 2 years now

Nicebaps profile image
Nicebaps

I've had ITP since 2011 and my most recent COVID booster brought my platelets down significantly. All the other COVID vaccines had very little impact on my platelets.

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to Nicebaps

Ah interesting, thanks for letting me know! I got ITP initially from my first dose of AstraZeneca, then had Pfizer as my 2nd and didn’t have any effect, then my booster Pfizer did bring my platelets down significantly too - so now I’m not to get any more Covid vaccines

Stateofdesign profile image
Stateofdesign

Not COVID vaccine, but I was diagnosed with ITP 6 weeks after the flu vaccine. I’m not an antivaxxer, but there are for sure a non-zero amount of vaccine injuries, and I consider myself one of them. FWIW, I decided to get the Pfizer COVID vax and 1 booster and it didn’t affect my counts.

Still treatment resistant, still relying on monthly IVIG infusions to keep my numbers above critical.

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to Stateofdesign

I’m sorry to hear this, I hope you’re doing all okay! Thanks so much for sharing

Slothlike1 profile image
Slothlike1

I was diagnosed before the vaccine. Also, my platelet count doesn't appear to be influenced by any of the jabs.

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to Slothlike1

That’s good news that yours hasn’t been affected by any jabs!

hiltonhead profile image
hiltonhead

I am in the U.S.. and I also developed ITP one week after my first Covid shot. My shot was from Pfizer. One week after the shot I was admitted to the hospital with a platelet count of 3,000. Since then I have been on continuous steroids and I tried the NPlate shot but my count was to erratic so my fb Oct or switched me to a pill called Promacta and my count has been stable to date. One side effect of Promacta is the possibility of developing thyroid problems within the first six months of taking the drug. I did develop hypothyroidism and I am now on medication for that condition. I have files for compensation from the US government but my case is still in review.

I wish you good health and good platelets counts

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to hiltonhead

I’m so sorry to hear this and to hear that you now have another condition due to the other medication! Wishing you good health and improvement and also best of luck with the compensation too - keep me in the loop how that goes! Here in the UK you have to be classed as 60% disabled to claim insurance therefore I can’t do so

Jan2010 profile image
Jan2010

I've gotten all the Covid vaccinations and it didn't cause any problems with my current ITP. With me my platelets actually went up on the Maderna one.

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to Jan2010

That’s such great news they didn’t affect it and even went up!

janran profile image
janran

I had already been diagnosed with ITP for several years, when I had the AstraZeneca vaccination. Two weeks later my platelets had crashed to 5. I was reluctant to have another one but was persuaded that I should try. I then had two Pfizer boosters and had no problems with either. My count stayed roughly the same after each one. I also no longer have a flu jab as this reduces my count significantly too. I respond well to steroids and have a short course to boost my count. This usually keeps my levels steady for about 12 months.

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to janran

So sorry to hear your platelets plummeted when you had the vaccine! Glad you had no other problems when having the next lot of vaccines! Hoping that’ll be the case for me if I did need any future vaccines too

BeccaUnit profile image
BeccaUnit

Yes, I crashed immediately after the second shot. It was one of the easiest flares to recover from, but still -

Always remember ANY vaccine can set your ITP off. Stay close to your pcp after any vaccination and follow up with CBC tests in the 4-6 weeks after administration.

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to BeccaUnit

Totally! This post was only to highlight that I didn’t have ITP before and then once I had the vaccine I developed ITP sadly! But definitely worth noting to keep an eye out for future vaccines!

Metalgod profile image
Metalgod

I had itp before covid and caught covid and my platlets crashed I was on eltromopag they increased my dosage and my platlet count rose again I have had 4 courses of the covid jab each time my platelets have dropped but then risen after a few weeks

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to Metalgod

Crazy how the vaccine can crash your platelets too! But glad that your platelets rise again after a few weeks!

Embro profile image
Embro

Hi. My husband had normal platelets until he had the Covid vaccine. Steroids worked but only temporarily. They tried Eltrombopag but that worked too well so had to stop. Platelets going slowly up. Were 24 now six month later they are 48. He has no symptoms at all - only discovered due to routine blood test. Hoping the trend will continue but nerve wracking each time he gets his results.

lottie296 profile image
lottie296 in reply to Embro

Ah interesting thanks for sharing! When you say that Eltrombopag worked too well was it that it increased his platelets too high? They are thinking of putting me on a daily pill or have weekly jabs (not too sure what the medicine is called yet as they’re still deliberating) but good to know your husbands experiences thanks for sharing!

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