factor 5 results....more waiting

[waitn838]

so i just called my docs office to see if my factor 5 bloodwork results were in....they are...so here i am waiting for the nurse to call me again....GRRRR

i have no idea what factor 5 is...how it affects my pregnancy.....when im not pregnant....anything....

i do know that one of my levels was "low" and considered abnormal (no idea what that means either)

all i know is my doc said she is pretty confident the cause of my loss last month was due to a blood clot that burst...and i DONT want to go through that again....ever

so ladies...if you have any knowledge about factor 5 can you help understand it? i started taking baby aspirin yesterday because my friend told me with blood clotting issues it doesnt hurt.

[rachie204]

sorry sweetie i have never heard of it....

[mh2968]

I found this website.  Maybe it will help.

http://www.fvleiden.org/

[LosingMyMindInGA]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factor_V_Leiden  

check this out...this is pretty much what i can find when i google factor 5 bloodwork
i think it's a condition of some sort they were testing for.  Hope this helps.

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Factor V may have had to do with the blood clot as part of that link states something about hypercoagulability.  

[LosingMyMindInGA]

looks like we were on the same train of thought :)

[waitn838]

thanks ladies...my doc is not the greatest in explaining anything

if indeed im preg (waiting on that line to get darker) then ill be going to a high risk OB...i have an appt set for may 7th

[MomNpain]

I'll try to explain this the best I can without confusing you. My aunt had problems with this as well and was put on baby asprin (which I see you have, too) and never had another problem. To be short and simple: You have a protein in your body that acts as an anti-coagulant...factor 5 (otherwise known as factor v) is a gene that destroys the anticoagulant protein and therefore makes it even harder for your blood not to clot. This is only my understanding of what my aunt has told me. From what she said, this condition isn't very common, either. It can cause stroke and heart attack, too.

Im so glad you finally have some answers. Baby dust and good luck to you...keep on that baby asprin and keep us updated!

[loismwallace]

That is so awesome that you are finally getting somewhere with your testing. Good luck to you and keep us posted when the nurse calls back.

[waitn838]

thanks for helping me understand this a bit better....

my latest test is posted on my profile...it looks like the line is getting darker...but very slooooooowly

i started taking the baby aspirin on my own before the doc told me to....do you think thats bad? should i have waited for my doc to tell me to do that?

[waitn838]

the transmission of my results were lost....this is actually sort of amusing

the nurse called and said there is something wrong and if i dont hear back from them by friday to call...umm...im going to office friday to find out if im preg or not....this doc office drives me crazy

[ftogirl]

My brother has Factor V (five) Leiden.  It's a genetic condition that causes your blood to clot more easily than the average person like MomNPain said.  The way he found out he has it is because he started getting clots in his legs and got phlebitis (lots of clots and vericose veins, etc. in the legs).  He takes aspirin daily and really needs to wear compression stockings but he doesn't.  When you're pregnant the best I can understand it, they will give you aspirin and monitor you for any clots.  In general, you're supposed to make sure to move around ever so often if traveling for long periods or if you work standing or sitting all day so that the blood doesn't have too long to pool in your legs.  Or at least that's what was recommended for him but he also has the phlebitis because of the factor V, so the blood pooling in the legs is more of a problem for him.
As far as going ahead and taking the baby aspirin, I'm normally someone that would say don't do anything until you talk to the doctor.  But on the other hand, if I were in your shoes and thought I might be pregnant I might do the same- I'm not sure.  If it turns out you don't have the disorder, taking the aspirin could pose an unnecessary risk to the baby.  There are pros and cons either way.  Best of wishes to you!!

[Diane1003]

I don't have Factor V, but do have some kind of blood clotting issue - something with a chromosome or something that my dr's office really can't explain what it is other than the treatment is to take baby aspirin.  I had two early term miscarriages - had positive home tests but started bleeding by the time I had a dr appointment to verify the pregnancies...  So - in blood work they found this clotting issue - told me to take baby aspirin and three months later - BFP.  Now I'm 29 weeks pregnant - I wish you the same success!

[waitn838]

just got the call from my docs nurse

i dont think this is good...she told me i tested positve for the "single mutation" gene...i have no clue what that means

but i have to get in to see a hemotologist asap and she already called one and is waiting to call me with my appt...

as for me being preg....she said its going to be more complicated but there will be a team helping me and ill def be a very high risk with more doctors involved...

ok...now im scared...i have no clue what this means

and she mentioned ill have to go on meds for the rest of my life....OMG...what is going on??

[Brown Eyed Gurl]

OMG is right I think I'd call back and tell them to explain in detail what all that **** can mean...

[Michele, Katy, TX]

I agree w/ Brown Eyed Gurl.

But why was this not a problem with your healthy pregnancy is what I don't understand.

I will keep you in my prayers and look for your update.....

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Well in researching "single gene mutation" on the internet there are a TON Of things that pop up.  I think you need to find out more specifically WHAT gene.  Finding that out will get you closer to a) the treatment if there is any and b) what complications can be for you a fetus if you are or become pregnant.  I agree with Brown Eyed Gurl, you really need to call your doctor back and ask her what specifically the "single mutation" gene means.  What gene is this referring to.  What is the NAME of the test they ran that gave the positive for this.  Have they told you when you will see the hemotologist?

[LosingMyMindInGA]

Ok i just googled "factor v and single gene mutation"  here are some of the links i got:

http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/127/10/895

http://www.geneclinics.org/profiles/factor-v-leiden/details.html   this one looks like it has a good bit of info on the pregnancy aspect

If you google what i did a whole ton of stuff pops up on it.

I think they gene mutation thing comes in by it being a mutation of the gene coding that affects the coagulation factor V.  

It's all rather confusing.  perhaps this helps or i could be way off, but atleast it's a start :)

[waitn838]

thanks all...i keep you all posted as i learn more about this

[tares]

I have Factor 5 Leiden and am in week 30 of my second pregnancy.  My first pregnancy I didn't know I had factor 5 and I ended up developing severe pre-eclampsia in my 26th week and delivering.  My daughter was 1 lb 5 oz and stayed in the hospital for 3 months.  Today she is a healthy 6 year old.  With my second pregnancy I was seeing the high-risk doctors who discovered that I had the factor 5.  I was placed on baby asprin at about 6 weeks and refused to take the blood thiners.  The experts at yale new haven hospital had mixed opinions on my choice.  There is no evidence that it helps and yet no eviden it harms a developing child.  I am now 30 weeks and have a 3 lb 10 oz boy and everything has been going just fine.  The only suggestion that the doctors make is that maybe my daughter is a carrier of the factor 5 and my son is not.  But many people go through life and sucessful pregancies without evenknowing that they have factor 5.  Do not worry.  Everything will work out.  Good luck.