Low Platlets, What Does This Mean?

I had my weekly doctor's visit yesterday afternoon and she told me that my blood platlets have dropped to 95 and if they reach 50, then she'll have to cut my interferon in half.  Won't this affect my chances of clearing the virus?  I've been noticing a lot more black and blues on my legs but then I've always been an easy bruiser.  

She also told me my viral load before I stared treatement, it was 27,400,000, is that considered out of the ordinary or is it about average for genotype 1?

Thanks!
Linda

[FlGuy]

27 Million is in the high range. But, any is too many.  Have you had a viral load test since treatment started? You will likely see a big decrease.
The interferon decreases platelets for most people.  More aggressive doc will not take interferon decreasing actions until platelets drop to about 25-30.  Dosage reductions, either peg or riba, can adversely affect the progress of treatment.  It's better to avoid reductions for any reason (platelets, white cell issues, red cell issues).  When it comes to rescue drugs, they exist for the red and white issues but there is non approved for HCV for platelets.  There is one in trial (eltrompombag sp?) for the treatment of thrombocytopenia (low platelets).  You might try to negotiate the 50 level to a lower number with the doc.

[LindaC1207]

Thank you, I will try to negotiate it with her, I want to give the meds every opportunity to do what they're suppose to.  I asked her what my viral load was now but she said that she doesn't check that every blood test, she only checks at specific milestones.  I would be interested to see if it's lower though, I may ask her next time if she can check for me.  She said that they've had better responses with higher viral loads, not sure why and she couldn't give me a definitive answer when I asked her.

She's a young GI but the good news is she's had 100% response in those she's treated to date, which isn't a lot but I like her track record, I like her too and that's important.  

Linda

[FlGuy]

Most docs work tretment on a schedule; for routine labs (CBC's) and viral loads. She might test VL (for example) at weeks 12, 24, 36 with the complelte blood counts a little more often. I'd guess that you are still eraly in treatment and that you started with relatively low platelets?  Many people proceed successfully with platelets bouncing between 40 and 60 without any harm. It seems that platelets bounce and then hover. So, it does not mean that the downward trend will continue the entire course of treatment. Some have continued with full doses even with platelets as low as 20-25.