Covid vaccine and platelets

[SashaM4]

Hi

Has anyone else had a problem with the Covid vaccine? I had debulking surgery in January of this year and my last chemo treatment was in early April. Whilst my platelets did go down following each dose of chemo, they always recovered before the next one. I had my second dose of AstraZenica the day before my last chemo and the platelets have never recovered - they are at a third of what they should be. My oncologist is puzzled by this and it means that I can't start any maintenance treatment - it was planned that I should start on Niraparib. Fortunately I feel reasonably well apart from low energy, but I did want to go on Niraparib to give me the best chance of avoiding a recurrence. Has anyone else had a problem with low platelets following the vaccine and did it resolve eventually?

Thanks for any advice

Carolyn

[Rankij11]

Hi I know mine went down after flu vac , but that’s documented as side effect . I’m not so certain about covid although I suspect it does . I had Pfizer. Hope they come back up soon

Jennifer

[SashaM4 in reply to Rankij11]

Thank you Jennifer - I hadn't heard that the flu jab also had this effect. Hopefully that is short term - I just had my flu jab!Carolyn

[Supermary]

No

My platelets did go down further after COVID vaccine but it was attributed to the chemo drug I was on not the vaccine

Drugs are cumulative

Blood recovered( not like before cancer of course) about three months later once the drug was fully out of my system

[SashaM4 in reply to Supermary]

Thanks Supermary

I think the oncologist had expected a similar experience to yours with the platelets recovering in 2 -3 months but it is now just over 7 months since my last chemotherapy and they are still a third of what they should be. The covid vaccine was a theory to explain the problem (though what could be done about it if the theory is correct, I don't know) but if others are not having the same issue, the mystery continues!

Thanks for letting me know your experience.

Carolyn