Re: Platelets not responding

From: Laura Jaros@hotmail.com
Date: 26 Oct 2004
Time: 22:26:23 -0400
Remote Name: 24.15.165.75

Comments

I asked Caitlyns mother (8 year old diagnosed with AA 3 years ago) about your question. The following is her answer copied and pasted onto this forum................"It took Caitlyn's platelets 10 months before we didn't need anymore transfusions. It took 4 months before the white and red made any move. As our doctors told us, there is no right or wrong answer for the next step. We chose to up Caitlyn's cyclosporine drug. One doctor wanted to do the next ATG. As parents we made the decision that we thought would take a lesser toll on her body. She did get high blood pressure and kidney problems from it but we were able to control them with drugs. The side effects and hospitals stays for the ATG were far worse for Caitlyn. I guess everybody is different. We know a 10 year old boy in Downers Grove whose platelets were the first to respond. Strange... but everybody's body reacts differently. The medical books that I have read by Dr. Margolis in Milwaukee's Childrens Hospital say the next step is another ATG but wait 6 months. After speaking to him we found he was a very knowledgable doctor and very interested in Aplastic Anemia and Bone Marrow Transplants. In fact that 10 year old goes there for his doctors appointments after we told the parents how great he was"............Hope this helps. Laura