Can Eating Too Healthy Be Unhealthy for the Blood?

[Tom]

The easy bruising/bleeding are consistent with low platelets, but the other symptoms aren't matching the Leukemia I had. I think my condition produced not fully formed platelets called Blasts. I never heard of Oversized platelets before your post. Also pain developed in largest bones and all over. Night sweats was prob the most clear indication as it developed first and went on thruout. But there are more then one type of Leukemia and other blood disorders, so continue your investigation by all means.

 

[1ForAll]

My first thoughts are to get a referral to a hematologist and do a diagnostic genetics test. Right now, you have some evidence leaning in a particular direction, but it's still insufficient to come up with an answer. The diagnostic algorithm has not run its course yet.

That is great advice, too. Thanks.

 

[1ForAll]

The easy bruising/bleeding are consistent with low platelets, but the other symptoms aren't matching the Leukemia I had. I think my condition produced not fully formed platelets called Blasts. I never heard of Oversized platelets before your post. Also pain developed in largest bones and all over. Night sweats was prob the most clear indication as it developed first and went on thruout. But there are more then one type of Leukemia and other blood disorders, so continue your investigation by all means.

Agree. The majority of the leukemia symptoms, I do not have yet, and the other few mentioned symptoms could be explained by other things possibly.

One thing I did not mention is I am very smallish in size (height and weight). I did lose twenty pounds the last year, after the NP said my BMI was on higher end then, which my wife laughed at as I was only 130 lbs then. So, I'll see if gaining most of that weight back could help as well. Right now, I am on the very low end of the range for my height, if not five pounds below. That weight loss was explained though, as I ate just less calories daily the last year too which caused that.

Thus, besides seeing a hematologist specialist, which would include more blood testing, and besides having genetic testing, too, and that food/ supplement reduction at lest temporarily as mentioned, in case they were causes, I need to eat more and more variety, too, and have more iron as well, as I never tested for that and some sites said try more intake of iron (most of the foods I eat are low in that.)

By doing all of the mentioned, hopefully that helps, or at minimum I learn the specific cause.

 

[Tom]

Agree. The majority of the leukemia symptoms, I do not have yet, and the other few mentioned symptoms could be explained by other things possibly.

One thing I did not mention is I am very smallish in size (height and weight). I did lose twenty pounds the last year, after the NP said my BMI was on higher end then, which my wife laughed at as I was only 130 lbs then. So, I'll see if gaining most of that weight back could help as well. Right now, I am on the very low end of the range for my height, if not five pounds below. That weight loss was explained though, as I ate just less calories daily the last year too which caused that.

Thus, besides seeing a hematologist specialist, which would include more blood testing, and besides having genetic testing, too, and that food/ supplement reduction at lest temporarily as mentioned, in case they were causes, I need to eat more and more variety, too, and have more iron as well, as I never tested for that and some sites said try more intake of iron (most of the foods I eat are low in that.)

By doing all of the mentioned, hopefully that helps, or at minimum I learn the specific cause.

Yes, Neonatal RRT's suggestion to see a hemotologist specifically is definately a great idea.

 

[Au Naturel]

Thanks for that information. Yes, we are identical twins, so that confuses me more. He has never had platelets out of range, or gigantic platelets which the findings said, too, and he has yearly blood tests and checks out all his data meticulously. I did see several websites though that said extra virgin olive oil used over longer periods could cause reduced platelets as it acts as a mild blood anti-coagulation agent, and when combined with other such agents, which I think Niacin is one too, then that could reduce such even more. As well, two sites said mistakes occur sometimes in determining if clumped together enlarged platelets are actually giant platelets.

As for blood clotting, yes, that has been a problem for the past four to five years, during dental procedures and that skin removal surgery procedure where I had to return to the hospital as it would not stop bleeding after stitched up. Also, during a hernia surgery, I was severely bruised down in the groin region, which my medical provider could not explain, and that confused me then. Even shaving on the face area produces slightly more bleeding than usual. Things make sense now though, as that could be related as well. So, yes, I will get another medical opinion on this, even I have to pay out of my pocket as the current one misses everything.

Then I suspect the Giant Platelets could possibly be a misdiagnosis. Did you tell the original doctor that you had an identical twin who did not have it? That would be a red flag to any competent doctor. The thrombocytopenia diagnosis is probably correct.

 

[1ForAll]

Then I suspect the Giant Platelets could possibly be a misdiagnosis. Did you tell the original doctor that you had an identical twin who did not have it? That would be a red flag to any competent doctor. The thrombocytopenia diagnosis is probably correct.

No, I never directly told the medical provider I had an identical twin. They are not the type to ask such, so I instinctively do not bring up such. Next time I talk to them I will bring this up though. And I will discuss with them too the below short statements which I received from their office today through Patient Portal, after I requested the lab blood findings in writing from them, as she just verbally told me the stated below prior, with regards to my platelets.

Quoting that lab:

THROMBOCYTOPENIA WITH RARE GIANT PLATELETS. ADEQUATE LEUKOCYTES
WITH NORMAL MORPHOLOGY. ADEQUATE RED CELLS WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF
HEMOLYSIS.

So, a mix of good and bad news there, but at least no stated cause in writing yet, as I do not trust any medical information given by phone. If the above findings were correct, at least the lab did not mention the Bernard-Souliers Disease, like the NP told me by phone as suspected, when I asked her the possible cause, unless she left out sending me an additional part of the lab findings, for liability reasons if that condition was not confirmed. I doubt I have that anyways, as mentioned, and other causes seem more likely. So, we will see, the more tests and medical discussions I have over the next five to six weeks.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

No, I never directly told the medical provider I had an identical twin. They are not the type to ask such, so I instinctively do not bring up such. Next time I talk to them I will bring this up though And I will discuss with them too the below short statements which I received from their office today through Patient Portal, after I requested the lab blood findings in writing from them, as she just verbally told me the stated above prior, with regards to my platelets.

Quoting that lab:

THROMBOCYTOPENIA WITH RARE GIANT PLATELETS. ADEQUATE LEUKOCYTES
WITH NORMAL MORPHOLOGY. ADEQUATE RED CELLS WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF
HEMOLYSIS.

So, a mix of good and bad news there, but at least no stated cause in writing yet, as I do not trust any medical information given by phone. If the above findings were correct, at least the lab did not mention the Bernard-Souliers Disease, like the NP told me by phone as suspected, when I asked her the possible cause, unless she left out sending me an additional part of the lab findings, for liability reasons as it was that condition was not confirmed. I doubt I have that anyways, as mentioned, and other causes seem more likely. So, we will see, the more tests and medical discussions I have over the next five to six weeks.

You do what feels right. Your body your choice. But in my experience I have found that no matter how terrifying, that knowledge is power.

 

[1ForAll]

You do what feels right. Your body your choice. But in my experience I have found that no matter how terrifying, that knowledge is power.

Thanks. Yes, I agree there. I try to never worry about things I cannot control, but focus more on giving great efforts, learning from my mistakes, and making informed decisions, which are often based on acquiring knowledge using a variety of sources. Without knowledge, and then that appropriate following action, that can cause doubt, hesitancy, and more stress and duress for me, as I will feel I did not do all I could have done to prevent some mistake, harm, bad thing or wrong to occur. When we are confident in our decisions from our knowledge and great efforts, I find that this is calming to me, and brings me peace and strength.

 

[1ForAll]

Update: I retook my CBC Panel blood test yesterday to check if the low out of range platelet levels was due to my too limited daily calorie consumption (lack of iron, B12, folate, etc) and/or be because of too much daily mild anticoagulant supplements/foods (niacin, olive oil) that could have lowered my blood platelets about 5-6 weeks ago to 90,000 platelets per microliter (lower end of the range is supposed to be at least 140,000). My medical practitioner prior thought it was likely some genetic rare condition thing, but they could not determine the definite cause.

Anyway, after research, and after suspecting some nutritional deficiency or anti-coagulant food/supplement could be the cause, for the last five weeks I tried increasing my calories daily 25%, choosing foods too to increase my iron, b12 and folate. I also discontinued the niacin and olive oil for that period of time, wanting to see if some nutritional factor caused the thrombocytopenia and slight bruising/bleeding issues. I got the lab results back today, from the recent blood re-testing, and it went from 90,000 to 160,000 platelets per microliter, now in the normal range.

So, it's safe to say, one of those things I did solved the low platelet level problem. Now, I can learn my lessons there and focus on other things. Thanks for others' prior input on this matter too.