got labs and having nose bleeds

hello all and hope all are well. 50/72 and counting down. I had my labs come back and my rbc are 3.4 wbc 3.7 all else normal. I know the rbc is lower than normal. I have been having chronic nose bleeds for about a month. I did just get over? upper resp. infection. The bleeds aren't running down my face but are there everytime I blow my nose, also the red purple bags under the eyes are bad. is this okay? thanks :)shelly

[SandyBreeze]

Shelly -  Hello.  I am not treating and feel odd about answering but will offer what I can anyway.  The only way to feel more comfortable is for me to start doing so!

Treatment would be the biggest culprit of the purpleness and/or bagginess under the eyes, I would suspect.  Do you rub your eyes?  The skin is more sensitive there and it could cause bruising more easily (especially during your treatment, I would think).  If you didn't have that before treatment and you haven't added an animal, or anything such as that it could not be the infamous allergy shiners.  If so, that is something to talk with your doctor about and be allergy tested.

Another thing to consider if your anemic, which I understands comes with treatment, ia the more paleness of your skin may accentuate the purpleness?

We are advised during our business traveling, little tricks in looking well and vibrant for our presentations, (besides sleep) is drink a lot of water, avoiding dehydration.  Believe it or not, as it seems to contradict itself, dehydration causes puffiness and edema (WATER storage!).

With your nose, may be you're already doing so, but I would suggest blowing very gently and NOT holding either nostril.  Just holding and pressing the other nostril while blowing in your treatment condition could possibly be breaking very tiny capillaries - just some thoughts.

Breeze

[aquarius64]

hello. i don't know much but i do know that both of my daughters suffer nose bleeds in the winter, continuously. not huge ones but frequently. the dry winter air and running heaters is probably the culprit, but i could be wrong.

[aquarius64]

oh, i forgot, my kids doc said to put a little bit of vaseline on a qtip an gently rub inside of nose at night. it does seem to help.

[honey11]

I would say for being on week 50,,,your labs look great! Mine was running so much lower during my tx so that is all good.  I got some nose bleeds also and think because the interferon dries you out so much,

[nygirl7]

Nosebleeds seems to be a very common side effect. I think it's not only our white blood cells or WHATEVER it is but...the meds dehydrate us SO VERY MUCH that I know my mouth and nose were CONSTANTLY completely out of water...the mouth I could suck on ice or pops or something but it's almost impossible to put ice cubes up your nose ;) (Just kidding)

I think a good idea to try would be using a saline nose spray to keep moisturizing the skin. Maybe that could help a little bit?

[Bill1954]

Shelly-- platelets are a component in our blood that are responsible for clotting. For instance, people with low platelet counts may experience persistent bleeding, and also notice a tendency toward bruising under the skin. Not to sound like an alarmist, but the endpoint for extremely low platelets can result in death due to uncontrollable internal hemorrhaging. (For instance, low platelets might be a contraindication for percutaneous needle biopsy.) If you have your labs available, take a look for your platelet count (sometimes listed as PLTS), and see what yours are compared to the reference range. Let us know how things progress,

Bill

[Bill1954]

Very likely that dry skin, as mentioned above is the culprit. However, IFN Tx is documented to suppress platelets (a condition known as thrombocytopenia) in a small percentage of the treating population, and at this time is difficult to manage without dose reduction. As usual,

[ChrisDDD]

I'm sorry you're having this problem.  I'm not a doctor, but I can tell you what we've been through.  I have always suffered from nosebleeds, and as my middle daughter got older, she did as well.  We both went to an ear, nose and throat doctor who identified tiny broken capillaries.  He cauterized (burned) those, and that was the end of the nosebleeds.  It's painless and simple.

During my last round of treatment, I had a horrific nosebleed that was so bad I was considering going to the emergency room.  It was pouring out of my nose and down my throat so fast I couldn't help but swallow it, leading to nausea.  Yech!  It finally stopped, but the doctor's opinion when I called about it was what everyone here has said, deydration.  So he advised moisture, moisture, moisture, drink water!  We put a humidifier in the bedroom from then on, and no more nosebleeds.  I also found out at that time I had high blood pressure.  Is your blood pressure okay?  I agree with others here that since the treatment causes anemia, your blood is thinner and doesn't clot as well.  Good luck!

[bobbyullc]

are you still having fatigue ect from tx . i am 8 mo post tx and have half of the energy as before?

[bobbyullc]

i never got a nose bleed from getting my labs? do they throw them at you? probably not related.

[orphanedhawk]

I started getting nose bleed and my platelets plummetted at around the same time. I'm now taking what's called super K, vitamin K and my platelets doubled. However, I'm not claiming your nose bleeds are also due to low platelets but I'd definitly check them, if I were you.

[wyntre9]

I remember you're in the northeast, right?  The dry winter air can irritate your nasal passages and cause inflamation (inflammation).  Someone mentioned OTC saline spray, like Oceanspray, or AYR.  You can also make your own with baking soda, salt and water.

Sinucleanse puts out a premixed powder that you can use, as well.  Just dissolve in water and spray each nostril every couple of hours.

if it's really bad, you can do nasal irrigation with a neti pot or even an ear syringe.  (Sinucleanse also had a kit that comes with the pot and about 50 packages of solution for about $8.)

I do the irrigation 2x per day, more when it's really dry or I feel too congested. (which is most of the time).

[northstar]

Me too! I work at having energy. I used to just be a fireball. Now, I could lay around all day, everyday, if I didn't have things I have to do.
Tx did a number on me.
Are you suffering from other symptoms? Joint pains, yellowing skin.

[frecklesmom]

i suffered lots of nosebleeds and blamed the illness and low platelets ,actually when i quit smoking bleeds cleared up,they tell you to try not to blow your nose if you have liver dx

[wyntre9]

"they tell you to try not to blow your nose if you have liver dx'

For real?  Why not?

[northstar]

lots of nosebleeds!
I counted 6 major nosebleeds in one day.
It was also a day when I was under tons of pressure with the job.
As far as the eyes go,........I suppose there could be lots of reasons for that. We dont sleep much on tx, and when we do its cr@ppy sleep. At least it was for me. Tx took its toll on my body big time. I feel like Ive aged many years. I just look tired all the time, and Im 6 months post tx now.
Hang in there.

[frecklesmom]

i think (though i have trouble doing that these days)it has to do with breaking open little blood vessels i'll try to find that out exactly in some professionals words,someone like myself with low platelets is in danger of bleeding with no effort put forth,ithink if they are at 40,000 they tell you dont wrestle(effort/exertion)

[wyntre9]

I'd REALLY be interested to know if you can find out as I generally blow my nose a dozen times a day on average!

[stangshelly]

no they didn't throw my labs at me lmao;)  I caled to see if platlets were okay and well wi the normal range. I know this tx plus winter time here in neast has put a toll on me. dr. stated probably from dry heat,plus getting over upper resp infection and the freakin weather around here changes so much. Long sleeve to winter jackets and gloves to short sleeves ugh! It was in 40's yesterday and now snowing this am. Trying real hard to hang in there but feel as if I am fading away at times. My skin is so white I look like a zombie! My bags under eyes look like ****! My hair is so thin I just hope this is all worth the effort in the end.
I have lost so much of myself over the past year and worry that I won't come back. I am scared of the future and what it will bring. don't mean to whine but getting sick and tired of this ****. I want to feel and look normal again, will that happen? I have my doubts.I try so hard to remain active and run out of energy so fast it really makes me angry. I push myself to near drop over exhaustion doing little things I took for granted before. I just want to be able to do things and have to face the harsh reality that I can't now.  
I hope all are well thanks for the advise :)shelly

[wyntre9]

" My skin is so white I look like a zombie!"

I'm starting to get that pasty pillsbury doughboy look too.  I only look in the mirror now when absolutely necessary coz I scare myself.  LOL

"I am scared of the future and what it will bring. don't mean to whine but getting sick and tired of this ****.
I try so hard to remain active and run out of energy so fast it really makes me angry."

Ya gotta try and remember it's not you, it's the meds.  I'm only at week 11, but when i think of what I used to do pre-TX compared to what I can do now, it's shocking.  If I honestly thought it would be like this forever . . . .
But it WON'T.  And it WON'T be like that for YOU, either.

"I just want to be able to do things and have to face the harsh reality that I can't now."

It will get better.  You have 20 or so weeks to go, right?  You can do it.  Try watching a funny movie.  Did you see Little Miss Sunshine?  It's a riot.

Hang in there, Shelly.

[stangshelly]

thanks for the pep talk, needed it. I have 22 weeks left and just getting tired. I won't give up but there are times I get really frustrated with myself. I used to be the supermom, always on the go take care of husband with head injury, 2 dogs,cat,18 year old,work fulltime,school part time,workout etc. I can't do a 1/4 of this now! I know things will get better but I am impatient. thanks again:)shelly

[wyntre9]

Ya know, I'm coming to the conclusion that my body needs the time to heal, deserves the time to heal, and shouldn't be prevented from healing.

Our poor bodies.

The abuse they take.

I'm trying to think of it as a cherished friend who's ill and needs to recuperate. (my body, that is).

Hope today is better.