posted
I was reading something the other day that mentioned possible link between purpura and lyme.
when I googled "lyme purpura", I found an article about lyme and purpura and mentioned a possible link to brain aneurysm.
My younger brother is in a nursing home due to a ruptured brain aneurysm.
He had purpura as a toddler
Should I press to get him tested for lyme?
-------------------- One day closer to being cured..... Posts: 104 | From Wisconsin | Registered: Jan 2014
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joalo
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Member # 12752
posted
Buried on page two.
-------------------- Sick since January 1985. Misdiagnosed for 20 years. Tested CDC positive October 2005. Treating since April 2006. Posts: 3228 | From Somewhere west of the Mississippi | Registered: Aug 2007
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posted
Lyme and the co-infections are known to lower blood counts. It's called thrombocytopenia when your platelet levels are lower than normal.
You have red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Your platelets are what clot your blood.
If your counts go too low you can potentially not be able to stop bleeding. For whatever reason your mucosal orifices are more prone to spontaneous bleeding. Your nose, mouth, anus, eyes.
You're also at increased risk of bleeding into your skin with petechia or purpura and internal hemorrhages are also a risk when your platelets drop too low.
I think the effect on blood levels is at least one reason why lyme and co's are linked to purpura and brain hemorrhage.
But at the same time, since these tick born diseases like to hit us from every angle imaginable I wouldn't be surprised if people with Lyme had any number of increased risk factors.
The intracranial pressure, migraines, headaches alone feels like it would be enough to do it.
I myself have had migraines with nosebleeds.
I was initially only diagnosed with a low platelet condition called ITP or immune thrombocytopenia purpura. It's an autoimmune disease that supposedly only effects your platelet levels.
After a pretty bad migraine nose bleed I went straight to my hematologist and had my platelet counts tested and they were actually higher than usual. Not within normal range but not low enough to cause that.
(And as probably is the case when your misdiagnosed I was just sent on my merry way without any further inquiry.)
The test for ITP is very common as it's only a CBC or complete blood count. If your platelets come up low for at least 6 months your slapped with that diagnosis and, in my case at least, ignored.
Dr's definitely should have been monitoring your brothers platelets given his health issues so I guess it would have come up if they were off.
I have no faith in the competence of Dr.'s though so it's something to be mindful of.
I honestly think anyone with any kind of illness should be tested for Lyme.
Posts: 154 | From Boston | Registered: May 2014
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GretaM
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Member # 40917
posted
Fascinating info samlyme.
I learned so much from your post. Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
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