my mom has her platelets drop sometimes too they give her a platlet transfusion but is is just another symtom of MDS its like the disease feeds on blood.

Gordon hasn't had any transfusions yet. On his last visit to his Oncologist the doctor remarked that he was amazed he hasn't yet needed a transfusion, but he didn't know why. Gordon told him I've given him the Ojibwa tea since the beginning and the doctor told him to just keep doing it. Maybe now that the platelets are dropping I should increase his dose of the tea. I'm really about at the end of my rope for knowing what to do for him.

what is the plts count hon? numbers I mean lol

Joe has AFib (now has a defibrillator) also but was taking a 325 mg aspirin every day rather than coumadin. The MDS specialist told Joe to stop the aspirin when his platelets nosedived. Now he takes 81 mg every couple of days just to be on the safe side. After Procrit for a year (did not work), he was switched to Vidaza (after 5 rounds it was determined it was not working). I thought coumadin effected kidneys adversely but am not really sure.

Okay, his platelet count was 100. The sheet says normal reading is 150-410. Can't find a record of any count before this one. I'm sure his Oncologist must keep check.
Yes, they took Gordon off the aspirin after putting him on Coumadin. I do hope there is not a kidney effect from it, as he only has one (lost the other to cancer in 1991) and that is in stage four of failure. I don't know why the Cardio hasn't suggested a defibrillator, except that he has bleeding problems. No one has called yet about the platelets or the stool sample, so I guess no news is good news.

100 sounds good to us. Joe's was 36 last week and sometimes as low as 22. The specialist said no transfusion for platelets until count is 10 because body becomes immune to them and then transfusion won't work.

We are waiting to hear about the bone marrow biopsy 2 weeks ago.

Hi my husband also has low platelets, but his are now down to average 4 every week he has transfusions of platelets and blood, today he is having 1 platelet and 3 blood,and he is still able to do most of the things during the rest of the week,so do not feel too badly about the reading of 100.. they are just numbers keep the faith

Two weeks for the results for a bonemarrow is a long time. I can get preliminary results the next day. I would sure call my Dr. I would have a lot of questions regarding the drop in platelets also. What is the next step?

I know you can get some BMB results right away, but it takes my doc at least 2 weeks for him and he also compares previous bone marrow biopsy. My last BMB did not give a good sample so was more time consuming. I'm happy to wait as I know the report will be complete.

I fly from Illinois to Texas once a month for treatment, so that is why we get the preliminary repot so fast. That way mr Dr. Knows if the treatment is still working. I then get final results later like you do. I should have explained that. How are you doing? We are all going through this together. Prayers are here for you.

Hello Susan, this disease is different for all of us. Can't imagine flying once a month for treatment but one does what has to be done to beat this disease.
25 June: began 5 days of Dacogen
3 July: 2 units of blood
10 July: 1 bag of platelets and 2 units of blood
This was my first platelets infusion. It had dropped to 6
and was 32 one hour after transfusion.
12 July: Went in for blood work the HGB was finally up to 11 but the white blood count was down and platelets were down to 16.
13 July: Had another platelets infusion.
16 July: Will have another Blood work up so will see what happens.
23 July: Supposed to begin Cycle 2 of Dacogen. Just a wait and see
situation.

I think Dacogen is harder on the body. Will see what happens with blood word tomorrow.

I know we all act differently to chemo. A lot of people have trouble with Vidaza, but I have had no side effects at all. I sure hope things get better for you and you can tolerate the chemo. I never knew there were so many blood failure disorders.

Nothing significant today, HGB was 11 which was great. White blood count and Platelet counts still low.

I kinda informed the Doc I had plans for the weekend and I planned to go to the ball park. It's breast cancer awareness night at our local ball club, they honor survivors on the field and release pink balloons into the night sky in memory. I told him I would be careful and I may not stay for the whole game but I was going. He was okay with it.

The ball players are in Pink shirts and pink bats. They auction them off after the game. I really had planned this and had hopes of a blood transfusion to bring the HGB up which it did. We are in a wait and see situation if I begin Cycle 2 of Dacogen on Monday.