factor 5 results.....and 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.

[adgal]

I don't claim to know what that means, but take it step by step.  Try not to be too frightened, I bet when you get all the facts, its not too bad.  Its good they are taking good care of you, and it sounds like lots of experts are going to be monitoring you closely.  Lots of people have to be on meds, for all kinds of reasons, and they do just fine.  You will too.  Stay strong, and try not to get panicky.  It sounds like your in great hands.  Take care, keep us posted.

[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??

[adgal]

OMG, just what you needed right now.  I can't wait to hear the results on friday.  I just got my second set of beta/hcg's back, and feeling a whole lot better.  I do know your history, and as you know, I miscarried as well, so you bet we will get each other through this.  There are 4 of us so far in the Jan. mommie club, and we will take good care of each other.  I still think the last HPT you posted looked positive.  I sure hope so!!  Please let me know how your doing, and the results when you have them.  As always, your in my thoughts and prayers.

[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

[waitn838]

adgal -- thanks :)

we're going to be major supperters for each other and begin this journey...im here if you need anything...we all know my story...still waiting on that line to get darker and doc to confirm...then ill announce its official


cpatow -- wow...thank you for all the information...took me a bit to digest it but it makes sense...as for baby aspirin...i read its ok in low doses...regular aspirin is a big no no

[cpatow]

Hi,
So Factor 5 is a blood-clotting factor and if one of the five levels comes back at an abnormal level it can certainly cause clotting issues that can affect pregnancy. The treatment during pregnancy and after (not sure of the duration afterwards) is anti-coagulants, which means if you are found to test positive for Factor 5 you'll be giving yourself a shot of either Lovenox or Heparin during pregnancy...really no big deal as I've been doing this since almost day one, after having had a blood clot in my last pregnancy. I'm not positive for Factor 5 officially but was found to be marginally low for Protein S, which is one of the five factors, but because they tested me DURING pregnancy and women, I guess, are commonly lower for Protein S during pregnancy, they didn't consider it a positive reading.

Also, just my own opinion, but I would NOT take baby aspirin during pregnancy w/out consulting with your doctor first. Aspirin during pregnancy can cause Reye's Syndrome (spelling?) but I'm not sure of the dose or if baby aspirin falls into this category. The link below is something I saw on Babycenter related to your question on baby aspirin...bottom line is that it's best to talk to your doc and not take anything w/out his guidance, especially if you will soon be on an anticoagulant.

Best of luck!!
Christina



http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-take-aspirin-during-pregnancy_1357403.bc

Is it safe to take aspirin during pregnancy?


Expert Answers
Ann Linden, certified nurse-midwife
In most cases, no. While it's highly unlikely that taking a single dose of aspirin in early or mid-pregnancy will have a harmful affect, the drug can cause problems for both you and your baby if you take it regularly in normal adult doses while you're pregnant. So, except in a few cases, it's best to avoid aspirin altogether during this time.

Here's why: Studies have linked aspirin to various pregnancy complications. A few studies show that taking aspirin around the time of conception and in early pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. And some researchers believe that taking aspirin at adult doses during pregnancy might affect the baby's growth and may slightly increase the risk of a placental abruption.

Finally, taking full-dose aspirin later in pregnancy might delay labor and increase the risk of heart and related lung problems in your newborn and bleeding complications for you and your baby.

On the other hand, if you're already taking a prescribed dose of aspirin for a specific condition, you may need to continue taking it during pregnancy. (Check with your healthcare provider.)

In certain situations, your caregiver may advise you to start taking a small dose of aspirin each day, usually similar to the amount in one baby aspirin. Most experts believe low-dose aspirin therapy is safe during pregnancy.

For example, some experts recommend that pregnant women with a condition called antiphospholipid syndrome take a low dose of aspirin in addition to a drug called heparin. Antiphospholipid syndrome is diagnosed in women who have certain antibodies in their blood and who also have a history of blood clots or some types of pregnancy problems.

Some research shows that certain women at high risk for preeclampsia (including women with chronic hypertension, severe diabetes, or kidney disease, or who had severe preeclampsia in a prior pregnancy) may benefit from low-dose aspirin therapy, although not everyone agrees on who is a good candidate for this treatment, when it should begin, and what the optimal dose is.

So unless your healthcare provider prescribes it, you should avoid taking aspirin altogether, as well as other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen sodium (Aleve), and ketoprofen (Orudis), which can have similar effects.

Check the labels of all over-the-counter drugs to make sure they don't contain aspirin or other NSAIDs. Better yet, check with your caregiver or pharmacist. It can be hard to tell because some products list their ingredients under different names. Aspirin is sometimes called salicylate or acetylsalicylic acid, for example.

When you need to take something for pain relief while you're pregnant, acetaminophen (Tylenol) is considered safe to use as directed on the label.

[adgal]

I cann't say I know anything about it, but just wanted to send a note of support to you.  I am glad that they at least know, and can prevent it from happening again.  I know that doesn't take away the pain of your loss, but hopefully gives you a bit of piece of mind for the future.  Good luck to you, you deserve it!