hello :) about 5 yrs ago I ignored bruises I would get for no reason until I had one so big on the left side of my stomach it scared me and I went to the ER that night. I was later told (after 2 bone marrows) that I had ITP. They had tried EVERYTHING... they would get my count up to 150-200 then the next morning my nose would bled and my count was ZERO! it was horrible... the Hematologists were baffeled. this went on for months. they didn't want to remove my spleen BUT had NO CHOICE. after my spleen was removed my count was up and down for a few months so they put me on Promacta. it has been about 3 years and no sign of my ITP returning.... but it is NOT gauranteed it will not return! Kim

thans kim

meant thanks KIm

Hi - I got ITP when I was 13 and went through a year of every treatment and nothing worked. They took my spleen out at 14 yrs old and I went right into remission. I had one relapse when I had my daughter for 6 months and have been in remission ever since.

I had a splenectomy in 1999 and it took a few months after but I stabilized to a safe point. Since then I've had recurrences with low platelets but far less than before my surgery. I had an "open" splenectomy where they make a 12 inch incision and remove the spleen, hospital and recuperation are usually longer with this type of surgery. My 15 year old daughter had a laparoscopic splenectomy a bit over a year ago after almost a year and a half of prednisone tapers, pushes, ivig, platelets and cellcept. She was miserable after all the steroids and after her less invasive surgery she has done well since however she has had very high platelet counts, last month 450,000 so her hematologist watches to make sure she doesn't get too high and in danger of clotting. I know how hard it is to watch your child suffer through this, it is very scary and I'm sorry. Making the choice to have my daughter's spleen removed was also scary and I do worry about her immune system now and we make sure to have all vaccines for prevention and she takes a prophylactic antibiotic. Everybody is different in term of how they will respond and I understand and hope my experience just gives you an idea of what can happen. I do know that I am so happy my daughter's was done less invasive and she didn't complain about pain at the sight, she has 3 small incisions as opposed to a long 12 inch scar. Good luck and I will pray for your son and you. God bless. Teresa