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Strange platelet and HVC blood test readings!!!
I was diagnosed with ITP (platelet disorder) 4 years ago. I was diagnosed with HVC this summer and started txt 1 month ago. I just got 2nd week blood results back and my platetes are 117, which are higher than they have been since I've been tested over 4 years ago. I was always in the 40-50s range except when I had gamma globulin infusions in order to have high enough plateletes for a biopsy. Has anyone else had their plateletes rise during tx? I have read in the forum that they have decreased if anything! This caused me a lot of distress when I decided to treat and now I'm flummoxed (but a good flummox).
Kathy; often when a post goes unanswered here, it’s not that your being ignored; usually no one has any answers for you.
I know from my own HCV treatment experiences that platelets are not static; the results tend to bounce around somewhat. How that applies to ITP is beyond me, however. What does your doctor say about this?
Bill
I know from my own HCV treatment experiences that platelets are not static; the results tend to bounce around somewhat. How that applies to ITP is beyond me, however. What does your doctor say about this?
Bill
My doctor (hepatologist) is pretty much MIA. He and his office's incompetence is incredible. I don't think he even looks at the blood test results. When I mentioned it to the PA she wasn't interested. I'm going to contact my hemotologist and see what he has to say about it. I have an appointment at a teaching college to see another hepatologist in January. If he is even a little better I'll switch. Thanks for the response!
Kathy ~
if your on treatment, weirf platelettes happen, Ever lab I get I get some serious weird sounding, things back, tear drops, a few others I can't remember.
My GI told me yesterday there are no numbers by them, si it is ok, So now I am going to do some more research, You are so smart to advocate for your self!
Deb
if your on treatment, weirf platelettes happen, Ever lab I get I get some serious weird sounding, things back, tear drops, a few others I can't remember.
My GI told me yesterday there are no numbers by them, si it is ok, So now I am going to do some more research, You are so smart to advocate for your self!
Deb
Thanks Deb. I think that I'm in a small minority (if there is anyone else at all) with the ITP HCV double whammy!
Kathy, Back in 2003 I was found to have low platelets and sent to a Hemotoligist who dianosed ITP. I had all kinds of test run(including bone marrow biopsy) He never tested me for Hep C even though low platelets is a symptom. Three years later my new primary care Dr. thought that my liver enzymes were a little high and sent off a hep c test and it was positive. My liver specialist thinks that I never had ITP (an autoimmune disease) I was misdianosed. I would question whether you really have ITP now that they know you have hep c. Did you have a liver biopsy? When I finally got one I was already stage 3. Take care now, -Libby
Thank you so much for responding. I also had a bunch of tests run including a bone marrow biopsy. I wasn't tested for C either then. My biopsy registered stage 2. What confuses me is that the forum people talk about low platelets from the interferon, but my platelets have gone up considerably on the treatment. I thought low platelets were a symptom of the interferon not having C.
Yes, treatment can lower your platelets. ( or cause low wbc or rbc) Also , low platelets is a sign of liver damage. Alot of your clotting factors are made or stored in the liver. When I started treatment my platelets were at 88thousand and went as low as 38 thousand. My platelet count had been between 30 and 80 thousand for the last few years before treatment. It's good that they caught your hep c while you are still at stage 2 and that you are treating now. Take care, -Libby
I've been posting this since I found it...may be a good read:
http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/NewsUpdates_pdf/Advocate%202009/advocate0409.pdf
I've heard platelets can go down because of the HCV so platelets going up on treatment could mean treatment is working...that's just my hypothesis.
As someone with TTP, a rarer form of it's cousin, ITP, if you had the bone marrow test than the ITP diagnosis is probably a solid one...but could be caused by the HCV.
It's all a vicious circle...but it may clear up if the HCV goes away from treatment.
http://www.hcvadvocate.org/news/NewsUpdates_pdf/Advocate%202009/advocate0409.pdf
I've heard platelets can go down because of the HCV so platelets going up on treatment could mean treatment is working...that's just my hypothesis.
As someone with TTP, a rarer form of it's cousin, ITP, if you had the bone marrow test than the ITP diagnosis is probably a solid one...but could be caused by the HCV.
It's all a vicious circle...but it may clear up if the HCV goes away from treatment.
You can't go by one test. There is too much room for laboratory error. Good luck with your treatment.
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