Replied by Baldwin (Portland, Oregon, Usa) on 06/10/2010
Hello Dal,
ITP can be very scary. I went through this with a young child (3 1/2 - 5 yrs old). He was treated with a number of products in a hospital setting: IVIG, Winrho and Steroids. After nearly a year and a half, I put him on a very high end Vitamin C made from sodium ascorbate and ascorbic acid (100% natural fruit chew - 500mg) His recovery followed that month. He has maintained normal platelet levels since. There is not significant medical evidence to support the Vit C therapy and it does not help all cases, but it did coincide with our child's recovery.
I found the Platelet Disorder Support Association (PDSA.org) to be particularly helpful. They explain all the treatment options including natural therapies. Also, check out the link to the UK website for additional info.
Best wishes on your journey.Replied by Tom (Regina, Sk) on 10/18/2010
Dal & Baldwin:
That reference to Vitamin C seeming to make the difference is interesting, since it is known that HIGH doses of it do chelate heavy metals out of the body. A urine test can be had, btw, called a urine porphyry test that will detect the amount being passed thru and pulled out via the kidneys of course.
A good personal health questionnaire by any alternative practitioner would ask you, among other things:
Details of diet and stress
How old when ITP hit?
Does occupation expose one to heavy metals breathing (dust), or handling?
Any/all vaccines received in lifetime, but especially just several months before ITP onset
Any amalgam fillings replaced or put in just months before
ITP onset?
Pauling's site:
Http://www.orthomolecular.org
Click on SEARCH of the big molecule in the center of main page. Enter "thrombocytopenia" in search box.
First in results list:
http://www.orthomolecular.org/library/jom/2003/pdf/2003-v18n02-p077.pdf
Page 3 excerpt:
Vaccines are a mixed blessing with regards to ITP. Vaccines decrease the incidence of the virus they protect against, yet they themselves have been linked to ITP. The most
Common vaccine implicated is the MMR vaccine. The incidence of MMR vaccine
Causing ITP is 1 in 20,000, while the rubella vaccine contributes to ITP in 1 in 3000. Vaccines present several potential problems to patients in that they are inactivated viruses, they introduce a foreign protein into the body, and they depress the immune system
For several days. Additionally, until recently,
All vaccines had been preserved with a small amount of thimerosal (mercury).
This article is from 2003, and written by an MD! So has your MD told you this about ITP?
Here is just one of many vaccine info supersites:
http://www.novaccine.com/vaccine-ingredients/
Any quick read will tell you that mercury has in fact NOT been removed now from all vaccines! Not by a long shot.
Also, note the distinction between the mercury found in fish (methylmercury), and that still put in many vaccines (ethylmercury):
http://www.novaccine.com/vaccine-ingredients/results.asp?sc=34
Since I am only trying to give you one possible starting point of many, and which might have to be overseen with tests and such by a practitioner, the idea is to get you onto something cheap and harmless so you don't waste time.
Here is just one search result for "heavy metal chelation nutrients":
http://www.freshstartatmc.com/heavy-metal-chelative-sauna-process-defined.html
They are not in any order, like price or effectiveness, and it's obviously up to you if you even wish to pursue this angle. The Dr. Hoang article above also touches on other possible remedies like TCM & Chi energy balancing.