can hep cause your platelets to drop

My mom has hep and started her tx 3 weeks ago. She takes the shots on fridays and pills every day.Well she got a call from her dr today saying not to take the shot anymore her platelets are way low,now she has to see a specialist for that. Thats how they found out she had hep when she was in the hospital they saw she had low platelets and did testing and found the hep. Sorry im rambling im just realy concerned for my mom. Any ideas on what causes this?

[FlGuy]

Having hepc can cause platelets to be low. On top of that, the meds taken for treatment can casue them to go lower.  The trick is to consult with a doctor who has experience in treating hep-c.  Even if in the low range of normal, or lower than that, safe treatment with peg and ribabvirin can continue. Not sure if you know your Mom's platelet levels.  Before I started treatment my platelets were about 115 (sometimes expressed as 115,000) which is below the low end of normal.  During treatment my platelets have bounced around and have roughly settled at about 65 (sometimes espressed as 65,000).  The 3 docs that I work with have all agreed that no action will take place until they approach 30 (sometimes expressed as 30,000).  At that point (25-30) we have decided that we will modify doses.  But, since I'm 37 weeks into treatment and hovering around th 60's, I won't get that low.  Some doc's (in my opinion) overreact to low platelets when careful monitoring of the patient and her blood counts coould actually allow treatment to continue without significant risk.  The specialist that your mom will see is probably be a hematologist who will have a good handle on the effects of meds on platelets and other blood indicators.  Good luck.  Try to get into see the specialist as soon a you can so that any interruption in takeing the meds might be brief.

[Upbeat]

Yes  Hep c will cause you platelets to drop.

                                                                                                        Ron