Chemo not going well 4 my friend--questions (bleeding, treatment, blood, surgery)

[Skatergirl]

My friend has told me that she had spontaneous bleeding after chemo (for breast cancer) and her platelet count went from 450k to 20k. Her chemo has been reduced and she said if her platelet counts don't go up that she'll have to try another "toxic agent."

How often does something like this happen? What kind of alternatives are there for her?

[auntieannie68]

she is having a side effect--in this case(bleeding) i would recommend a consult at a teaching hospital noted for cancer therapy

[suzy_q2010]

Originally Posted by Skatergirl

My friend has told me that she had spontaneous bleeding after chemo (for breast cancer) and her platelet count went from 450k to 20k. Her chemo has been reduced and she said if her platelet counts don't go up that she'll have to try another "toxic agent."

How often does something like this happen? What kind of alternatives are there for her?

What kind of bleeding did she have and how much?

Thrombocytopenia --- low platelets --- is a common side effect of chemo.

The next round of medication may need to be delayed until the count comes up.

It is possible to give platelet transfusions, but those are not usually considered unless the platelet count goes down to about 10K or there is active bleeding or a need for surgery or a procedure with a risk of bleeding.

There are also medications that are growth factors for platelets.

At 20K, probably just take it easy, avoid strenuous activity, and wait for the count to come up on its own.

What does her oncologist say?

Edited to add: God bless platelet donors! My son used a bunch of them when he was on chemo for leukemia.

[gentlearts]

I wonder if she should be given Neulasta after each chemo treatment? It helps keep one's white count from getting too low. I did not have it after my first treatment and got an infection which set me back. After all subsequent treatments I got a shot of Neulasta, and things went better.

[songinthewind7]

I was given a shot of neulasta every couple of weeks to keep my blood count up.

[chele123]

There are always side effects with chemo; some worse than others. Sounds like her oncologist is on top of it. The other "toxic agents" would be another type of chemo, something less likely to cause low platelets.

[Roselvr]

Originally Posted by Skatergirl

My friend has told me that she had spontaneous bleeding after chemo (for breast cancer) and her platelet count went from 450k to 20k. Her chemo has been reduced and she said if her platelet counts don't go up that she'll have to try another "toxic agent."

How often does something like this happen? What kind of alternatives are there for her?

Google how to bring them up. There are certain vegetables that help it. I think theres a product called blood well from the health food store. If a cancer patient is going to take something natural; they need to let their oncologist know.

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I wonder if she should be given Neulasta after each chemo treatment? It helps keep one's white count from getting too low. I did not have it after my first treatment and got an infection which set me back. After all subsequent treatments I got a shot of Neulasta, and things went better.

Some doctors don't like to use it because it has side effects as well.
It seems like they like to see what a patients body does 1st before adding other things.