Anyone have low platelets with little damage?

[foofighter]

Stage 2 or less? Or by chance has anybody heard of anyone that runs on low side that does not have Hep C (or any other illness)? I suppose a doc never really has a reason to check platelets unless you are ill.

I'm trying to get some old records to see if I have always been on the low side, but don't know if I will have any luck.

Thanks!

(Low platelets not caused by treatment drugs, that is. And say between 100-140, not scary Interferon low.)

[indyjo]

The endoscopy is to look for varices and evidence of portal hypertension. I'm scheduled now for a yearly endoscopy because they expect the varices to develop?  None found yet! My biopsies were several years apart. I also had a CT scan and ultrasound however those tests showed nothing. My spleen was enlarged to the point that my 1st doctor was alarmed and my platelet count is 50-60 vs your 111. I actually had a transfusion to bring my count up to 100 for a minor surgery. So I'm hoping for you that the scan you are having has good results. It pays to push for the tests as the docs want to attribute everthing to the virus. Good Luck!!

[merryBe]

I'd definitely get on the blood work, with an enlarged spleen (me too) it means your immune system is working hard to fight if not one then several things at once. eventually the body can't keep up.
the thing is, you wait much longer to treat and you may not be fully reversible. I'm hoping to be able to sit up and walk without pain again one day, trust me, you don't want to go there.

Blood disorders are many, too many to list. coming to mind, things other than autoimmune are like herpes, mono, lyme, all put a real tax. you can have these for years too and not know it.

How old are you, do you have blood sugar issues? are you aging prematurely. I'd have an IGF-1 to make sure you are repairing tissue (and that your pituitary is signaling your marrow to make more blood cells, and rule out as much as you can as fast as you can.
Get a good liver guy and a blood guy to, preferably that work at the same hospital so they can collaborate more closely.
sorry you went so long without a diagnosis, me too....several years. but now you're a foofighter so thats a plus!!!!

[foofighter]

Interesting! I was thinking that I should just try to come up with the money for another biopsy (before I learned more about Fibroscan). But it sounds like your second one still didn't give you a better picture. Were there very far apart timing wise?

My platelets were 111 in May of 06, and 122 in May of this year. My spleen is slightly enlarged, but no portal hypertension, veins or red palms. Just looked at my nails and they are a little white, but doc has never mentioned it, so I am probably just being paranoid. I have had a cat scan and ultrasound, but no endoscopy. Isn't that for esophageal varicies?

What I am hoping is that this upcoming scan done by the best of the best will give me a better idea of where I am at.

Thanks for your two cents!

[indyjo]

Good idea - the hematologist.

[indyjo]

I asked this very same question on this forum maybe 2 years ago? I had 2 biopsies which indicated stage 2. However my 1st doc stated that my enlarged spleen and low platelet count (50-60) indicated more extensive damage. My second doc stated that the platelet count was concerning but my endoscopy results were convincing. With the gastro portal hypertension, he stated that my damage was more likely to be 3-4. The endoscopy results scared the heck out of me. Am I still hoping that the docs are wrong? You betcha. Am I going to wait and hope?  No way.  I am doing 72 weeks after having failed 48. Have you had an endoscopy?  I also have spider veins, Terry's nails (toe nails), red palms, etc. What other sxs do you have?

[foofighter]

I have never treated, but I am trying to decide whether to begin. If I am a stage 2, I will wait. If I am a stage 4, I will treat. The docs don't think it is anything other than hep c related. I suppose there would be other signs to indicate another disease, but you never know. Maybe I should suggest to my hepatologist that he consider that it is something else causing the low levels,

The problem is docs disagree on the stage. So I am getting records together for a  scan to help determine whether I am a stage 2 (biopsy) or a stage 4 (other markers including platelets). In discussing the scan, it came up that the low platelets of course point to the 4 but if my old, old, years ago records show similar low levels, I may just be a person that runs low and that is what I am hoping for.

So while I wait for records to come in the mailbox, of course I would like to hear that there is someone else out there with low platelets (not due to Interferon) and is stage 2 or less.

[merryBe]

lots of things can cause low platelets, from lung disease to leukemias and on and on.
Obviously the treatment can make you low,
but I wouldn't be surprised if your old records showed below normal simply because you were fighting the disease before you went on tx. Since it's the interferon, and all the macrophages and laucocytes etc that cause a big fight and put strain on the marrow to replace the blood (the fallen fighting soldier cells) it wouldn't be abnormal at all. In fact, in may be why fatigue is an early symptom in this disease.
If you do suspect platelet anomalies you might take your labs to a hemotologist and get him to run them, and also for stickyness which is an early sigh of leukemia. this is highly treatable if caught early,
But to answer you question in one sentence, yes, lots of dideases tax our blood supply, hep c chief among them.
It would be good to know the health state of all the various components of your blood, particularly while on TX.