I couldn’t ask for a better warning sign of an ITP flare than petechiae
The little red spots tend to appear on the arms, legs, and face
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While most of the U.S. was battling snow and ice recently, I was out on our dock in Florida, soaking up the sun, my skin bathed in warm, crisp light.
I had closed my eyes and tipped my head back when I felt something crawling on my arm. Relief washed over me when I saw it was just a ladybug, but then I noticed my arm was covered in petechiae, little red dots on my skin that are caused by one of my rare diseases.
I extended both of my arms in front of me to inspect my newest medical oddity, and there it was — both arms and my hands covered in red spots. And then I saw my legs were covered, too.
In 2018, after a bout of extreme fatigue, abnormal bruising, and nosebleeds, I was diagnosed with a rare disease called immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). The condition causes my immune system to attack and destroy blood platelets. This can be lethal if the platelet count becomes too low, which could leave me at risk of excessive bleeding if I get injured, blood clots, and several comorbidities.
Skin issues
One of the strange symptoms of ITP is petechiae — harmless, little, flat red spots. They can occur anywhere, but typically appear on the arms, legs, and face. They don’t stand out as much as chickenpox, but they can be annoying. For me, it can be a sign of stress on my body, or of an impending ITP flare. I didn’t know it then, but I was about to have a flare.
I instinctively rubbed the skin on my outstretched leg, as if to soothe it. The tiny spots didn’t hurt or itch — this kind of symptom never does for me, thankfully — but I was concerned about my platelet count and hemoglobin levels. I later had those checked when I was treated for atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome, my primary rare disease.
I also live with lupus, another rare chronic illness, which means I’m always dealing with skin issues. Strange rashes, itchy skin, and the butterfly rash are common lupus symptoms. So I was no stranger to weird skin stuff when I developed ITP.
Petechiae are annoying, but I try to think of them as a neat and easy warning sign. Most symptoms of my rare diseases occur suddenly and dangerously close to the brink of deadly flares. But this one is painless, doesn’t itch, and doesn’t cause any major issues. So, as warning signs go, I really couldn’t ask for a better one. This last round of petechiae accurately warned me of an imminent ITP flare, so I was able to quickly begin treatment and avoid getting sicker.
Note: Bleeding Disorders News is strictly a news and information website about the syndrome. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Bleeding Disorders News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to bleeding disorders.Â
