Danger Level: High
What is it?
TTP is a life threatening disease in which the platelets (the cells in the blood responsible for blood clotting) are missing and the red blood cells are destroyed.
Who gets it?
It’s a rare disease: 1 person out of 4 million a year will have the disease. It usually affects men more than women (but not by much), and it usually happens in the ages of 30-40.
What causes it?
When a blood clot is formed, those platelets mentioned above aggregate together to seal the wound out of which blood is coming out. They do this with the help of many small molecules, one of them is VWF – or by its long name: Von-Willebrand Factor.
In TTP there is a problem with VWF – it’s getting larger and larger because the mechanism responsible for cutting it to its appropriate size is defective. That’s why platelets are aggregating like crazy and block blood vessels. This causes the destruction of normal blood cells and the other things mentioned below.
How does it feel?
5 things happen to you if you get TPP:
- Confusion, seizure and even coma: Because those platelets that block blood vessels won’t allow blood to go to your brain properly.
- Renal failure: Your kidneys will stop working, because blood won’t go to your kidneys as well.
- Fever
- The number of platelets goes down: Because they’re all clumped together
- Anemia: Which is loss of your red blood cells. It happens because they are destroyed when bumping into those clumps.
How is it discovered?
Whenever someone comes to the ER with those 5 things (or some of them), the doctor will quickly take some blood out and do 2 things:
- Look under the microscope: Where they will see those destroyed blood cells. They will look something like the picture below.
- Let the lab count it: The count will show that the number of platelets is down, and things that go up whenever blood is destroyed will go up.
You can see that some of the cells are round, but some are deformed. (Photo by Ed Uthman, MD, Some Rights Reserved)
How is it treated?
The best way to answer that: FAST! Without the proper treatment, there is about 100% chance of dying from TTP.
The treatment involves a process called plasmapharesis, in which blood is removed from the body and blood from a donor is returned back, this way taking out the elements in the blood that caused the disease.
What happens after treatment?
In 3 weeks up to 90% of people will be mostly disease free. But: The disease can come back in 1/3 of people in the months and years that follow. They should get their blood checked periodically!
The Bottom Line: How do I avoid it?
Unfortunately, there is really nothing you can do to avoid it. If you fear that you have TTP, according to the information above, you should go to the emergency department immediately.
What next?
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November 30th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
I have TTP and I never really got what it was. I get it now thank you for making this site. I feel better in a way because I know more about it now.
December 1st, 2009 at 7:18 am
You're welcome. Feel well
December 1st, 2009 at 3:18 pm
You're welcome. Feel well
December 22nd, 2009 at 9:51 pm
hi im jessica im 20 and i got pragnet and found out that i got ttp it was the most scaryest thing iv ever been thro im doing fine right now but im scard that the ttp will come back.
January 8th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
I just got home from a week stay in the hospital with ttp…it happened so quickly…i was fine and the next thing i cld not tlk….very confused…a week before i noticed that i was bruising for no reason….when i was in the hospital i was tld that a young woman had been in there for 3 months for this and they had almost lost her several times….she did not get the confusion but had memory lost…she is 27 and i am 58….I believe in healing and prayer and the drs said it is a miracle that i was able to leave the hospital after only a week….please take notice of these symptoms….act fast….i kn it says that 1 person out of 4 million cld get this…trust me…in the small area that i live in there had already been 3 people one who died that had this…just make yourself aware of what to look for…..
January 19th, 2010 at 12:36 am
My friends sister in law is in hosp with this now and its not looking good. she has the worst form of this terrible disease. She is to trial and new treatment which is yet to be released so its still in the trial form and comes with the most horendous side affects. the worse case is that she could wind up having leukemia the poor girl has 3 children in which the youngest is 12 wks old and the blood supply they have been giving her works for a little while but then she goes down hill, i believe she has been resussed. twiece. She is on dyalsis as her kidneys have failed and now she is on the donar list but won't receive anything til the disease has been treated cause all it will do is kill those kidneys off as well. All thos e that have walked away from this rare disease should thank their lucky stars as its not looking good at her for this young girl.
January 20th, 2010 at 2:44 am
i got ttp after geting pragnet it was like the worst thing that ever happend to me i was so weak and i was in the hospital for a month on bed rest then i had to re lurn how to walk its such a bad disorder and i wish the best for every one that has this or is going to go thro this blessed be
January 28th, 2010 at 5:28 am
Hi had a friend whom was in the same state, their last resort was Chemotherapy. Within 3 days her platelet levels were continually rising. She was fortunate to leave the hospital a week later from the first dose. She had been in hospital for three months in total.
January 29th, 2010 at 1:58 am
I was diagnose with TTP February of 2009. It was the hardest thing I had to go through. It came on all of a sudden. When I went in the hospital my platelet count was 9,000. I was very sick but with the help of plasmapharesis. I recovered fairly quickly. It's almost been a year since my recovery and I think my TTP is back. I am a little scared but I know that God will see me through it all.
February 15th, 2010 at 2:04 am
HEY my name is Nandi Springs i found out i ttp in sep.09 i had a relapse feb.10 im so scared that is ttp thing will take its toll on me but i believe that God is a healer and he will get me through this.
February 24th, 2010 at 7:29 am
How common is it that symptoms from Lupus would trigger TTP ? My young cousin passed from complications with Lupus and TTP? I too thank you for having this site and in reading the comments I see that many others appreciate you and have been affected by this disease.
March 3rd, 2010 at 7:22 am
Hi,
Sometimes autoimmune diseases such as lupus (We wrote about it here: http://www.diseaseaday.com/whole-body/systemic-...) can present as TTP. I'm sorry to hear about your cousin. TTP is indeed a horrible condition.
March 4th, 2010 at 3:10 pm
i just lost my best friend to ttp on monday. his first episode was 6 yrs ago at the age of 38. i'm so heartbroken…
March 10th, 2010 at 3:17 am
CAN TTP BE PASSED ON FROM PARENT TO CHILD
MY FATER DIED FROM TTP BACK IN THE 80' CAN I HAVE IT OR PASS IT ONTO MY CHILDREN
March 22nd, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Hi,
There is a rare kind of TTP called congenital or familial TTP which is genetic – meaning it can be passed on. Your father probably didn't have that kind since it affects mainly children.
The other type (Acquired or idiopathic TTP) is usually not genetic, so there is no reason (as far as known now) to be afraid of passing the disease to other generations.
April 28th, 2010 at 4:34 pm
My mother passed away from this horrifying disease in 2003. It is a cruel disease. She was life flighted to Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville where she was in a coma and on life support for 3 months, and was recessitated 3 times. She did come out of the coma and was in a hospital here for 4 months. She had plasma exchange daily, dyalisis 3 times a week, and chemo. She did survive only to relapse 2 months later and pass away, she was 64 and perfectly healthy up until the one day she had a seizure and went into a coma. The only thing we know that could have caused it was Plavix. Is this drug the only one known to cause TTP or are there others?
Also, my prayers are with the families of loved ones with this disease.
April 30th, 2010 at 6:12 am
Hi Pamela,
I'm very sorry about your mother. TTP is indeed a hard disease to deal with.
Regarding Plavix, it's one of the drugs not often connected with TTP. There are others more commonly associated with it. This includes some types of chemotherapy, as well as other drugs: cyclosporine, tacrolimus, quinine, ticlopidine, and less than those oral contraceptives and valacyclovir.
May 30th, 2010 at 2:41 am
Hello Pamela,
I feel your pain, I lost my daughter to this terrible disease may 25, 2006. The pain seem like it just happened. We took her to the hospital because she had stomach pains and in 48 hours she was gone. Had never bee n really ill before that so we don't really know what bought hers on. I'm doing a research for my school project on this disease with hopes that it will help me to understand what happened. My daughter has 4 children who are all grown now but the were 15, 17 18 and 23 years old, they are really struggling with life since their mom has been gone. So pray for us as we pray for you. join a support group or find ways of talking about it I'm on face book with several others who have lost a love one to Ttp.
you can also email anytime you need to talk.
May 30th, 2010 at 2:44 am
I read Roys' response to your question and I agree with him but because you know this happen don't live in fear with it but know the symptons and signs and most of all know your body and have good communication with your doctor.
July 28th, 2010 at 11:29 pm
my husband has TTP in2008 he had a seizure he was by amb to the er dr Todd told me he was going to die, he hid ttp 7 day later he was he stop breathing and 65 days later he was still in the hospital. his body hurt all over, very bad head ach , nurve pain ,the drs don't no what to do.
1/28/2009 it come back he stop breathing for 3 days he was in the hospital for 35 days he return 2 weeks later and stayed for3 weeks ,he went home with infused medicatiom for 1 month .because TTP my husbanb has high blood , blood sugar out of controle he has head ach pain body pain he burn on the in side his body is very weak TTP is still taking his body down. he cant remember, we try to go places and get very sick, he take his medication but TTP has stolen our life he is like a child in rage. crosbi@att.net 1 day change our life from riches to the clothes on our back.
August 22nd, 2010 at 10:29 am
In 1999 I was 18 years old, I should have gone to prom. I should have graduated but instead I spent 2 months hospitalized with TTP. It was the worse thing, I’ve ever had to go through. I had chemo, daily plasmapharesis, they experimented with high doses of steroids and finally after they took my spleen out I went into recession. Now, 11 years later I have a severely screwed up immune system. So, even though I survived a rare blood disease I’m haunted by it. If your reading this, I’m sorry if I sound like I’m having a pitty party. I’m not. Because, I can still be thankful I have my life and my family.
August 22nd, 2010 at 11:03 am
hi amy im jessica i went threw the same thing last year i was pragnet and i got the ttp from it i was so scard half the time but what kept me going was my family and my son now im in racession but im allso scard it might come back