20 Things only people with ITP would understand

I'm just going to jump straight into this one!

1) Having ITP (immune thrombocytopenic purpura) means you have low platelets. The stuff that sticks together and clots the blood when you cut yourself

2) Petechiae are spots on your body that are caused by low platelets

3) Mysterious leg bruise is no longer a laughing joke about how clumsy you must be but now an actual cause for concern

4) No you cannot take aspirin or ibuprofen when you have a headache

5) Your platelets do not provide advanced notice of when they are going to go up or down

6) Not all treatments for ITP work for every ITP patient

7) Although some people go into remission there is no cure

8) Some of the conventional treatments have worse side effects than the condition itself

9) Your lifestyle has to change and you now need to be more aware of your body

10) Contact sports are a big no no

11) Fatigue is a real symptom

12) Constant heavy menstrual flow from ITP can lead to anemia

13) Yes you have to attend all your checkup appointments

14) People think you are overreacting but having ITP is a serious health concern

15) Travelling with ITP can be risky

16) Steroids make you fat

17) Having a too high platelet count can cause other concerns for your health

18) ITP is not cancer

19) You may have to have your spleen removed but that will not guarantee that you will no longer have ITP

20) Often you don't know how shitty you really feel until you have an increase in your platelets and you feel fabulous