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Do Low Blood Platelets Cause Fatigue

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That Severe Fatigue That Children And Adolescents With Immune Thrombocytopenia Experience It May Have Nothing To Do With Low Platelets But May Improve With Certain Second

Low Platelets: Signs & Symptoms (Basics for Beginners)

Fatigue is a significant problem for youth with the rare blood disorder known as immune thrombocytopenia but doesnt appear to be linked to platelet levels, new research shows.1

Take Note

  • “Its important for us to think about ITP as any other autoimmune disorder. When its flaring, fatigue is associated.” — Michelle Sholzberg, MDCM, MSc, St. Michaels Hospital, Toronto

The study, published in a recent issue of the British Journal of Haematology, found that 54% of children and 62% of adolescents with ITP said they experienced moderate-to-severe fatigue, a degree thats comparable to, if not greater than, that for children with cancer, according to the researchers. They found that fatigue improves with ITP treatment, independent of outcomes like bleeding or platelet count.

Platelet counts dont reveal everything

Fatigue is known to be a frequent complaint for adults with ITP, but its impact on younger patients is less well-understood. The link between ITP and fatigue also is unclear it may not be entirely explained by the physiologic manifestations of the condition, but rather may also be associated with depression, anxiety, a decline in physical activity, and other intrinsic aspects of the disease.

Improvements are shown on second-line therapy

ITP and fatigue go hand in hand

Its important, she continues, for us to think about ITP as any other autoimmune disorder. When its flaring, fatigue is associated.

Addressing a paradigm shift

Early Warning Signs Of Leukemia

Leukemia symptoms often vary depending on the type of leukemia diagnosed. Some symptoms, like night sweats, fever, fatigue and achiness, resemble flu-like symptoms. Unlike symptoms of the flu, which generally subside as you get better, leukemia symptoms generally last longer than two weeks, and may include sudden weight loss, bone and joint pain and easy bleeding or bruising. Other early warning signs of leukemia include:

  • Fever, chills
  • Petechiae
  • Unintended weight loss

Chronic myelogenous leukemia may not cause noticeable symptoms. However, when it does cause symptoms, they may include:

  • Unintended weight loss
  • Night sweats
  • Fever Pain or fullness below the left ribs

Because some conditions occur as side effects of the disease, the following may be signs of leukemia:

Anemia: A low red blood cell count. Red blood cells carry oxygen around the body. This condition may contribute to weakness, fatigue or shortness of breath.

Leukopenia: A low white blood cell count. A decrease in the production of functional leukocytes weakens the body’s immune defense, which may make you more prone to infections.

Thrombocytopenia: A low blood platelet count. Platelets are the blood cells responsible for blood clotting. A shortage of blood platelets may lead to easy bruising or bleeding.

When leukemia results in thrombocytopenia, symptoms may include bleeding from the gums and nose. In women, thrombocytopenia can result in heavy or abnormally long menstruation.

What Can Cause A Low Platelet Count

There are several common causes, including:

Chemotherapy. Some types of cancer medications, such as chemotherapy, damage bone marrow. This is the tissue inside your bones where your body makes platelets. A low platelet count from chemotherapy is usually temporary. It is rare that chemotherapy permanently damages bone marrow cells.

Radiation therapy. Radiation therapy does not usually cause a low platelet count. But your platelet levels may go down if you receive a large amount of radiation therapy to your pelvis or if you have radiation therapy and chemotherapy at the same time.

Antibodies. Your body makes proteins called antibodies. They destroy substances that may harm you, such as bacteria and viruses. But sometimes the body makes antibodies that destroy healthy platelets.

Specific types of cancer. Certain cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma can lower your platelet count. The abnormal cells in these cancers can crowd out healthy cells in the bone marrow, where platelets are made.Less common causes of a low platelet count include:

Cancer that spreads to the bone. Some cancers that spreads to the bone may cause a low platelet count. The cancer cells in the bones can make it difficult for the bone marrow inside of bones to make platelets.

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Can Low Platelet Count Cause Fatigue

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What Is The Prognosis For People With Thrombocytopenia

Causes Of Low Platelet Count or Thrombocytopenia, Its ...

A low platelet count increases your risk of hemorrhage or severe bleeding. Excessive bleeding whether internal or external can be life-threatening. Many people with thrombocytopenia have mild to moderate symptoms. Platelet levels often go up when you treat the underlying cause or change medications.

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How Is Thrombocytopenia Diagnosed

Thrombocytopenia or Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia, which refers to low platelet count without any known cause, can be diagnosed in a number of ways.

ITP is suspected when a patient comes in with specific complaints and shows no history of any other disorders or substance use that would otherwise cause such a problem.

The doctor may use a number of diagnostic means to diagnose Thrombocytopenia, some of which are given below.

The doctor may ask some questions regarding what symptoms, most importantly any bleeding you may have noticed.

They may ask when did you first see them, or if anything makes them better or worse, information about any medications and supplements you may be taking.

They may also want to know if you have had any shots in the last month or a blood transfusion, or used drugs with a needle?

Some questions may feel scary but you have to try to answer them as honestly as you can so a diagnosis can be made.

They may also want to know if you have any family history of excessive bleeding and other blood-related disorders.

The doctor may also check for signs of bleeding, both internal and external, and palpate your stomach to see if your spleen seems big.

There are some tests to check for low platelet levels as well:

· CBC . This test aims to measure the total number of your red and white blood cells as well as platelets.

· Blood smear is a test used to see how your platelets look under a microscope.

Questions To Ask Your Health Care Team

  • Is a low platelet count a possible side effect for me?

  • Will I have regular tests to check for a low platelet count? How, and how often?

  • What signs of a low platelet count should I look out for?

  • If I experience signs of a low platelet count, should I tell the doctor right away?

  • What should I do to protect myself if I have a low platelet count?

  • How long should I follow these precautions?

  • When should I call the doctor if I start bleeding? What else should I do?

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Symptoms Caused By Low Numbers Of Blood Cells

Many signs and symptoms of AML are the result of a shortage of normal blood cells, which happens when the leukemia cells crowd out the normal blood-making cells in the bone marrow. As a result, people don’t have enough normal red blood cells, white blood cells, and blood platelets. These shortages show up on blood tests, and they can also cause symptoms.

What Could Lead To Low Platelets And Painful Joints

Low Platelets: Causes, conditions and treatment

Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!

Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!

HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.

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How Is A Low Platelet Count Treated

During chemotherapy. If you have a low platelet count during chemotherapy, your doctor may decide to adjust your treatment. You might get a lower dose of chemotherapy or wait longer between treatment cycles. Your doctor may prescribe a drug called oprelvekin . It helps prevent an extremely low platelet count.

Before surgery. If you are preparing for surgery and have a low platelet count, you may need to wait until your platelet counts are normal again to have the operation. This lowers the risk of heavy bleeding.

When platelet counts are very low, you may receive a transfusion. A transfusion of platelet cells into your blood can help prevent heavy or unexpected bleeding. However, this is a temporary treatment. The platelets from a transfusion only last about 3 days. If you have many transfusions, the platelets do not usually last as long each time.

Bleeding In The Mouth And Gums:

Mouth and gum bleeding can also develop in individuals with a high platelet count disorder. A person suffering from Thrombocytosis may find the bleeding unusual considering that it only happens in severe cases of the medical condition.

Bleeding in the mouth can lead to potentially deadly complications when not identified and treated in time, especially in cases of thrombocytosis where infection is a potential risk. High platelet count is not an uncommon disease that should be treated with proper care and attention.

This only list the common signs and symptoms associated with thrombocythemia or high platelet count in the blood. The above mentioned conditions potentially occur either as a direct or indirect result of developing high platelet levels, or probably due to another underlying medical condition. However, these are considerably the prime symptoms noticeable in people with high platelet count disorder.

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What Causes Thrombocytopenia

In rare instances, thrombocytopenia is inherited, or passed from parent to child. More commonly, certain disorders, conditions and medications cause a low platelet count. These include:

  • Alcohol use disorder and alcoholism.
  • Autoimmune disease which causes ITP. ITP is sometimes associated with other autoimmune conditions such as lupus.

When To Call The Doctor

Low white cell count and low platelet count causes ...
  • Bleeding that does not stop after applying pressure for 15 minutes.
  • Bleeding from the rectum, blood in the stool, or black stools.
  • Blood in the urine or dark colored urine.
  • A change in your vision.
  • Persistent headache, blurred vision, or a change in your level of consciousness such as decreased attention span, excessive sleepiness, confusion, or difficulty being awakened.

*If you have a major injury or start spontaneous bleeding, go immediately to the nearest emergency room.

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When Should I Seek Medical Care For Thrombocytopenia

If thrombocytopenia is detected on routine blood work, it is generally addressed and investigated by the physician who orders the test. In people with known thrombocytopenia, follow-up care is decided based on the diagnosis and the severity. However, if a person has one or more of the above-listed symptoms, they should seek a healthcare professional as thrombocytopenia may quickly worsen and become serious in some individuals.

People with thrombocytopenia are, in general, initially cared for by an internist or a family practice physician. Sometimes, consultation with a doctor who specializes in blood disorders is helpful for a more thorough investigation or treatment, but others may require additional help.

Bruising From Low Platelets

People with low platelets have a variety of symptoms including excessive bleeding and easy bruising. Low platelets can be managed by avoiding situations that might cause bleeding. The condition usually gets better once the cause is understood and the patient gets treatment. Low platelets, or thrombocytopenia, are a common side effect of blood .

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Low Platelet Count Bruising

Your bruises indicated that you had a dangerously low platelet count. Treatment centers on getting the immune system to stop its antibody production. Prednisone, one of the cortisone drugs .Low Platelet Count Bruising Gray Platelet Syndrome. Gray platelet syndrome is a bleeding disorder associated with abnormal platelets, which are small blood cells involved in blood clotting. People with this condition tend to bruise easily and have.A low platelet count makes you bruise easilyone of the telltale symptoms of blood cancers. If you have symptoms of blood cancer, see your doctor immediately. Treatment may include chemotherapy, radiation, and bone marrow transplantation.

Treatment For Low Platelet Count

Platelets & Blood Clotting | Biology | FuseSchool

Low platelet count is not something that should be taken lightly or ignored, and if you find that you are suffering from this condition you need to make sure you get treatment right away.

First, the doctor will need to figure out exactly why you are suffering from low platelet counts.

If the cause for the low platelet count is an infection they will likely give you supplements to raise the number of platelets along with the antibiotics and other medication that you are taking.

There are other treatments as well, one is Corticosteroids.

Corticosteroids usually include Dexamethasone or prednisone and are typically prescribed to raise a patients platelet count.

The patient has to take it once a day and it usually comes in the form of a pill or tablet.

With this medication, an increase or at the very least, normalized, the platelet count is generally seen within 2 weeks of prescribing the medicine, especially with high-dose dexamethasone.

However, the dosage will likely be reduced gradually over the next 4 to 8 weeks.

In some cases, this treatment may have to be repeated, but in most cases, once the platelet count is normal, the patient just gets better eventually as energy levels come back to normal.

IVIG or Intravenous Immuno-globulin is another effective treatment, especially if the platelet count does not come up with prednisone or if the person is not able to tolerate steroids.

Surgery is one of the less taken options for a low platelet count.

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How Is A Low Platelet Count Diagnosed

You will have regular blood tests when you have cancer to monitor your overall health. One test is called a platelet count. It checks the number of platelets in your blood, and shows if the count is low. A platelet count can be done as part of a blood test called a complete blood count.You may have a platelet count test done more often if you have certain types of cancer or treatments that may cause blood or bone marrow problems.

Do Platelets Affect Inr

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Warfarin therapy is generally not suggested as there has been an association between warfarin and an increased risk of microvascular thrombosis during HIT. If warfarin is used, treatment should be delayed until the platelet count is at least 150,000/L.

One may also ask, what is the dangerous level of platelets? Dangerous internal bleeding can occur when your platelet count falls below 10,000 platelets per microliter. Though rare, severe thrombocytopenia can cause bleeding into the brain, which can be fatal.

Accordingly, do blood thinners affect platelet count?

There are two types of drug-induced thrombocytopenia: immune and nonimmune. Heparin, a blood thinner, is the most common cause of drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia. If a medicine prevents your bone marrow from making enough platelets, the condition is called drug-induced nonimmune thrombocytopenia.

What are the symptoms of low INR?

Symptoms may include partial or total paralysis, inability to speak or swallow, sudden and severe headache, vision changes, loss of coordination or difficulty walking, confusion, facial drooping, dizziness, nausea or vomiting.

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What Are The Reasons For High Platelets

The possible causes of high platelet count. When it comes to the causes of high platelet count, in some cases it can be some underlying condition, such as inflammation, infection, surgery or injury, or, in the worst cases, this condition can be caused by some disease of the blood or bone marrow, such as anemia or cancer.

What Does Low Platelet Count Mean Definitions And Meaning Of Low Platelets

What Is Thrombocytopenia (Low Platelet Count)? Treatment ...

Low platelet count is medically known as Thrombocytopenia.

It causes fatigue, among other things, which makes you feel like not doing anything.

Symptoms and signs of thrombocytopenia may also be bleeding and not clotting in time after getting hurt.

Thrombocytopenia or low platelet count is when there is lower than a normal number of platelets in the blood.

Thrombocytopenia can be an inherited or acquired condition and can occur in situations such as when there is the use of certain drugs.

The Causes of thrombocytopenia can be divided into three broad groups depending on how it happens:

· Diminished production

· Increased destruction

· Sequestration

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How To Treat Thrombocytopenia

The treatment you will receive for thrombocytopenia ultimately depends on the severity and cause of the condition.

If there is no excessive bleeding and platelet counts are not dangerously lowor are still within a safe realmtreatment may consist of little more than monitoring the situation.

Your doctor may schedule some follow-up tests and ask you to pay attention to new bruises or markings. You will be asked to alert them if you notice changes prior to your follow up.

In more severe cases where bleeding is heavier and platelet counts are lower, thrombocytopenia is treated with medicine.

Doctor’s Notes On Thrombocytopenia

Thrombocytopenia is a condition where there is an abnormally low level of platelets in the bloodstream. Signs and symptoms of thrombocytopenia usually include some aspect of increased bleeding. For example, signs and symptoms include

  • easy bleeding,
  • pinpoint hemorrhages to the skin or elsewhere,
  • nosebleeds,

Other signs and symptoms may include enlargement of the spleen, fatigue, anemia, and/or jaundice.

There are three major causes of thrombocytopenia and are as follows: impaired production of platelets increased destruction of platelets and sequestration of platelets in the spleen. These three major causes also have underlying causes

  • impaired production of platelets, for example, can be due to problems with the bone marrow where platelets are synthesized.
  • Consumption or destruction of platelets can occur with certain medications , transfusion reactions, rheumatologic conditions like systemic lupus erythematosus, immune destruction , and
  • other causes like vasculitis, , chemotherapy, hemolytic uremic syndrome or the HEELP syndrome in pregnant women. If the spleen enlarges for any reason , it can remove abnormal amounts of platelets from the blood.

Other causes can be related to dilution and some rare genetic conditions.

What are the treatments for thrombocytopenia?

  • Medications like corticosteroids
  • Splenectomy to reduce or stop loss of blood cells and platelets
  • Plasma exchange to remove harmful compounds in patients plasma

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