Low platelets after Covid vaccine

[PhilReade]

Hi I was at the Christies hospital yesterday to see Professor Sommervaille I’m on 1500 mg daily for ET/PV my platelets have never been under 400 Since 2015 having had my Covid vaccine second one three weeks ago was shocked yesterday they was down to 356 has anyone had a drop in there platelets after the vaccine?

[Hidden]

That's interesting PhilReade. I am on 1500mg daily for ET. Same as you platelets never in the black, but had my bloods done last week and in the black but WBC down a bit unusual for me. I had vaccine 11 weeks prior to results. But had 2nd dose 6 days okay, have felt generally unwell since, still feel grotty today, wonder what happening now ? Will update when get next bloods done. Still a bit worried about vaccine effects on all in the future mmm

[PhilReade in reply to Hidden]

Hi thanks for the reply I’m hopeful on the vaccine but convinced it’s lowered my platelet count

[Dillyv50 in reply to Hidden]

Hi, I have ET jak 2 and noticed a drop in my platelets from 487 to 419 when I was tested 8 weeks after my first AZ vaccine. I felt pretty grotty, hence the blood test, and have now had my second vaccine. It will be interesting to see if they stay down.

[PhilReade in reply to Dillyv50]

Let me know the outcome seems quiet a few of us have had a reduction after the COVID vaccine

[cmc_ufl in reply to Dillyv50]

Did your platelets ever go back up with future tests?

[ggrana]

Hi ! I had same thing happen to me ! I’m also on 1500 mg of hydrx. My numbers dropped dramatically as well but my doctor doesn’t think vaccine can do that but I believe it did because my numbers never were as low either. My platelets usually are in the 800’s and dropped to low 500’s after vaccine.

[PhilReade in reply to ggrana]

Hi I’m sure the vaccine has lowered mine there always around 450 even on 1500mg daily

[cmc_ufl]

Do we know if this has been noted as a potential side effect of any specific vaccines? It would be helpful if those responding to this post could list which vaccine they received.

[PhilReade in reply to cmc_ufl]

Hi I had Astra Zeneca vaccine I’ve not reported it yet but will be doing

[Wyebird in reply to cmc_ufl]

I’ve had AZ my platelets dropped slightly after 1st jab. Don’t think I’m my cases it’s significant as I had increased my meds in order for that to happen about 6 weeks earlier. It’s been about 4 weeks since 2nd AZ jab and had blood test yesterday. I’ll keep you all posted as to my platelets count.

[PhilReade in reply to Wyebird]

Be interested to see how you go on there’s quite a few on here with them lowered

[Trocken]

Mine have continued to creep up, the rate of increase hasn’t changed / coincided with when I had the pvizer vaccines in Dec and March. It’s interesting to see that for a number of people the vaccine may have lowered their platelet count

[swimswam]

My platelets are always in the 600-700’s but we’re down to 500 this time. Was hoping it was because I have increased my Pegasys dose, and it was beginning to work better, now beginning to wonder if it was the AZ vaccine

[PhilReade in reply to swimswam]

I believe it’s the vaccine that’s the lowest mine have been since 2013 prior to hydroxycarbamide I’m back in 6 weeks will see if they creep back up

[Jocko]

Hi Phil,

Yes I think I also had a drop in my platelet count because of the vaccine.

I have been on Peg Interferon for 5 years now.

My count has gone from 1250 to a stable 150 to 160.

And because my counts are low I take 90mg of Peg every other week.

However I had my second jab (Astra) on Thursday - felt a bit rough on Friday and felt OK after that.

On the following Monday I had a scheduled blood test and my count had gone down to 98.

I had to repeat the blood test on the following Friday and it had gone up to 130 - still a bit low.

So I have been asked to take Peg every 3 weeks now.

Although it hasn't been confirmed as being the reason I believe it was as my life is pretty much - eat - sleep - work - repeat at this moment in time.

I was going to post something similar to you asking if anyone else had also had this - so I am glad you have sparked the conversation because it's very interesting to hear peoples responses.

All the best

Jocko

[PhilReade in reply to Jocko]

Wow yours definitely dropped low 130 is good now for you be interesting to see on next blood test what they are if they creep back to where they normally are for me and others on hereDefinitely something in the vaccine that must effect platelets

[Pumpkinmunchkin]

I know the risk that was being investigated for blood clots was because platelets were dropping due to johnson and johnson or AstraZeneca. Their make up is different than the mRNA moderna and Pfizer. For those with high platelets it isnt surprising there is a drop in platelets given this info.

[Annula]

Hi Phil - had both AZ shots now & no significant drop in platelet count. Much better that yours have gone down rather than up! - all very interesting - hope the scientists are taking note.. stay safe x

[mhos61]

Mine have remained within ‘my normal’ readings, no change. I have had both doses of AstraZeneca, and the latest full blood count was taken ten days after second shot of vaccine.

[Wyebird]

Amazing- nothing like that has happened for me. What did your heamo say?

[PhilReade]

He didn’t reference it to be honest

[Judypinner]

I have ET Jak2+. I have also experienced a drop in platelets . With no change to my drug regime. Seems to have happened after one dose of AZ. I felt so ill after it I have refused second dose of AZ. Regards to all. Keep safe. Judy

[PhilReade in reply to Judypinner]

The first dose gives side effects normally with Astra Zeneca vaccine and second is normally ok And Pfizer is opposite way round they say

[jillydabrat]

Now that’s strange because my platelets have bee constant since I was put on Hydroxy but my last tests they asked if I had had an infection because my platelet number had dropped. Now that you have mentioned it it was a week it so after my first vaccine. Will be interesting to see if many more experience the same.

[Ovidess in reply to jillydabrat]

What is the platelet/infection relationship? Is it always the same?

[jointpain]

Hi Phil, just posted a similar question, I've copied and pasted most of it here now as an answer to your post, so here goes. My wife's platelet count is normally around the 300 mark yet after her first vaccination her platelets were around 150 though that was about six weeks afterwards. Her platelets were 55 last week a couple of weeks after her second vaccination. The hematologist had been messing around with the doses of hydroxycarbamide since her massive GI bleed a month ago. Just makes it even more confusing that he did so, when after all the other bleeds he didn't change the dosage. Two days before the FBC she developed loads of bruises and a nosebleed. We are really getting to the end of our tether being nice to this consultant. We always have to ask for results of FBC as they are never volunteered, often it's a verbal couple of numbers, when in reality all information is what we want. not just the counts but kidney and liver numbers as they are both compromised.

[PhilReade in reply to jointpain]

Hi I’m the same I always have to ask for FBC numbers my liver function always shows increased bilirubin which concerns me but I’m always told it’s fine The platelets after the vaccine seem to be effecting a lot of us in lowering them some dramatically I wonder if they list this as a side effect eventually

[Anita53]

I have been waiting for people to comment on this and now people are saying that they have reduced counts. I posted a few days ago that my counts had dropped dramatically. I had my first Pfizer on 29th January and all my counts, reds, whites and platelets plummeted. My consultant took me off Pegasys immediately. I have PVand my counts had been perfect prior to the vaccination. I am quite relieved that other people Re having the same results. I hope that doesn't sound selfish!! After countless blood tests my counts are still very low.

[h2ogal]

ET, Jax2, hydroxy. My platelets also went down after the Pfizer vaccine, but are now going back up 6 months later. I had been able to cut my hydroxy during that time, but am now adding some back. Blood pressure is going crazy also.

[NJ-mama]

had two vaccines March/April 2021. October 2021 had yearly cancer recheck. They saw reduction in platelets but didn’t seem too concerned at that time. December 2021 got booster. October 2020 platelets were 167,000. October 2021 count was 86,000. April went to new doctor and found my count was now down to 58,000. Since then the lowest has been 33,000 and highest 69,000.Initial thought was radiation caused bone marrow issue. Nope, bone marrow biopsy negative. Started promacta two different doses. I’m a mystery!

[Ovidess]

My platelets were 735 in July. I had the covid booster and flu shots on two dates in September. My platelets were 823 then. In November they were 982 and continued to rise to 1198 before starting a decline in Feb/March while on Besremi. So no, the Moderna vaccine did not help my platelets go down.

On a related note, when I showed my Hema/Onc doctor a study (in Cancer Cell, 39, August 2021) about how blood cancer patients, as opposed to other cancer patients, were less likely to develop antibodies to Covid after the vaccine, he said we were less likely to develop antibodies to all sorts of things, and that it was a toss up for me to continue getting covid boosters (facing likely less protection from them plus a small risk of thrombotic complications) or to risk getting covid (facing some possible thrombotic complications.) At least I think that was his reasoning. Not very helpful in my decision making. I did notice that out of all the blood cancer patients studied, only one had PV, so not so apt perhaps for ET/PV patients as for those with further progression of disease??? I never did to my knowledge get covid, but I did get the flu a few months after the flu vaccine. So I'd be more likely to rashly claim that the two vaccines caused a dramatic rise in my platelets.