blood work

[vwoman]

got a question about some labs that were done friday and again yesterday
wbc  3.4
rbc 3.21
hgb 9.1
hct 27.5
rdw 22.0
platelet count 65
amonia 111
our pcp sent us to the er due to these counts and they said that due to the hep c and cirrhosis that we can expect these levels to be all over the place
my husband had 8 units of blood 2 units of plasma from 12/24-12/25 his spleen was also enlarged and he had a variseal bleed grade the varises  with his platelet level so low they said they would only do another blood transfusion if his platelets drop to 50 norm is 150 to 400
are we just getting the run around or is he at risk for another bleed i dont think he will make it thorugh another bleed and i am petrified as he isnt making enough rbc or wbc to fight anything that may come along
he has gotten a really bad eye infection the eye dr said it was pink eye but he has now had it for a week and half and doesnt seem to be getting any better
we go see the liver center to see if he can even start interferon but i am afraid with these blood counts he is too sick to even begin tx
any advice

[jmjm530]

Your husband has to be properly evaluated by liver specialist who are called hepatologists. I assume that is who you will be see at liver Center but if not specifically ask to see one. Hope things work out for both of you.

Jim

[vwoman]

we will be seeing a nurse practitioner as the dr was booked i just wanted to get him in and evaluated i had already sent them all his records to be revied by the drs  and it is hard to get an appointment there normal waiting time is a few weeks to a month they are fitting us in
just wanted to see if anyone else had low blood counts before begining tx or if that would hold us up on getting treatment he cant get on the transplant list until he has 6 months of sobriety in he is grade 2 stage 4 cirrhosis

[CoWriter]

Hep C treatment usually causes a drop in hemoglobin of about 2 grams.  That means that if his hemoglobin is 9, you can expect it to drop to about 7.  So he would need Procrit before he even starts the treatment.  

The FDA recently approved Eltrombopag, a medication that increases platelets.  It works well and has few side effects.  Obviously, the doctor is the only one that can tell you whether this would be an option for your husband.

Best of luck,

Co

[CoWriter]

Sorry....I forgot to give you the link....

"FDA Approves Promacta (eltrombopag), the First Oral Medication to Increase Platelet Production for People With Serious Blood Disorder"

http://www.drugs.com/newdrugs/fda-approves-promacta-eltrombopag-first-oral-increase-platelet-production-serious-blood-disorder-1188.html


Co