What happens when you are low on platelets?

My last post was about my platelet transfusion, but I want to take the time to talk a bit more about platelets. Platelets are a type of blood cell that helps your blood clot so you don't bleed out. People with a low platelets have bruises that seem to appear out of nowhere. A couple of months before I was diagnosed I noticed that I had a bunch of bruises on my legs. I thought maybe I was kicking the wall in my sleep or bumping into things without realizing. It turns out that my platelet count was only 10% of the normal level. I've heard cases where people who don't know they have leukemia will go to the dentist and their gums won't stop bleeding. When they go to the doctor's to have it checked out that's when they are diagnosed with leukemia. Bleeding gums and bruising are a few signs that you may be low on platelets - doesn't necessarily mean you have leukemia.


Platelet cells only live for a couple of days. Even if you get a platelet transfusion, you might be low again in just a few days. I always know when I am low on platelets because when I the area where I give myself shots on my stomach gets very bruised from the needles. Here are some pictures from a blood draw just 2 days after my platelet transfusion. (I usually get my blood drawn from the catheter in my chest, but the oncology clinic was closed on Sunday so I went to the regular lab and they drew blood from my arm.) I couldn't believe how black the bruise was. I knew right away that I was low on platelets again and I actually had to get another transfusion the next day. Luckily there were no allergic reactions this time. :D

Before I got sick, I had no idea what platelets were (I missed that part in high school biology I guess). I've come to learn that you can actually donate your platelets similar to how you donate blood. Because platelets only live for about 5 days, there is always a need for platelet donations. To learn more, please visit the Red Cross website or contact your local blood center.