3 replies to this topic

[JoshLee]

Hi All,

      Hope everyone is having a good new year so far . I haven't been around as much, but I am still here! I have a question about petechiae. I am taking 100 mg sprycel and it seems like I am always getting petechiae, but lately it has been a little more frequent and no matter how many times I get them, it still scares me a little. I usually get them on my feet or ankles and sometimes I'll get them on my shoulders where I've been carrying something. Right now I have a few on my palm. They usually just disappear, but when should one worry about them and when are they okay to let go? Does anyone else get them on sprycel? Last CBC showed PLT at 163 and that was 2.5 weeks ago. Thanks, Josh

[Trey]

Petechiae are often a combination of lower levels of platelets plus the TKI can make the platelets less functional, i.e., more slippery.  TKI drugs can also lead to blood vessels being more "fragile", so the small ends of capillaries break under the skin and form a small clot.  They are not much of a concern unless you notice that you bleed too easily.

[hannibellemo]

Josh,

I don't worry about them much. I used to get them quite a bit on my hands when I started Sprycel (and still do very occasionally). My platelet count has always been in the normal range on Sprycel, albeit on the low end. I think they tend to come about more because our platelets just don't function as well as they used to.

Pat

[Pin]

Is this petechiae? I always just assumed that it was my skin being too thin - I get it from abrasions too - mostly on my hands (usually from catching a ball etc.)