low platelet count

[bigmistake82]

Does anyone know  if MS can cause a drop in your platelet count?

[bigmistake82]

Good morning everyone,

I saw a hematologist last month for complete blood work, and everything was normal except for my platelets being low on 3 consecutive CBC tests and my IGA level being slightly elevated at 421.  The last CBC test I did (about 3 weeks ago) my platelets were back in normal range at 187, but I still feel like crap.  

I was prescribed levaquin and cipro for what my Dr thought could be an infection even though my white blood cell count has always been in normal range.  That was back in late October, early November.  My first blood test with platelets was in early December.  

I've let my Dr's know about all my supplements and they don't seem to be concerned about any of them.

I'm going back to the hematologist next week for a follow up.  I'm also seeing an MS specialist for the first time next Thursday.  

[jenphilly]

Bigmistake -

From your profile, it looks like you're not Dx yet?   But are you taking any medications for anything?

MS on its own won't cause the platelet drop, but lots of meds will and if you're system is comprimised to begin with, you can end up with the more unusual side effects of meds.  A very strong antibiotic can just turn everything upside down.  Before my spinal tap confirmed it was MS, my neuro was positive we were dealing with CNS lyme and put me on rocephin.  My system went haywire with the side effects that show up in like .003 percent of patients!    

Have you talked to your doctor about everything you're taking, even OTC meds and supplements.   I'm a big believer in supplements, but even those can cause serious problems in a comprimised body....

If you're doctor is shrugging it off, I would suggest looking for a hematology specialist who might have more indepth knowledge of what might be causing your platelets to bottom out.

Good luck!

Jen

[summerluvr]

if your platelet count is falling then you need to have more thorough blood tests including a Complete Blood Count an differentials and ask for a referal to a hematologist (blood specialist)

[Mummy76]

Have you been tested for leukemia?

[doublevision1]

Autoimmune disease simply means any condition in which an immune response is inappropriately triggered and targets normal, healthy substances and tissues.   Many autoimmune diseases have been identified and can affect almost any part of the body, including the brain (eg MS), nerves, muscles (eg ALS), skin (eg scleroderma), joints (eg rheumatoid arthritis), glands (eg Addison's, Grave's), the digestive tract (eg diabetes, Celiac), lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, etc.


As others pointed out, MS is a disease of the central nervous system, hence why bruising is not a feature of the disease.

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura - ITP - is an autoimmune disease causing a low platelet count.  One of the symptoms is excessive bruising.  This condition is unrelated to MS.

[LisaJF]

Welcome to the forums btw.

Lupus or known as SLE can cause your platelets to drop (at least one of the symptoms or criteria for diagnosis of SLE).  Other laboratory tests should be considered if one is to rule out Lupus/SLE: ANA, antidsDNA, CRP, etc etc. (if your doctor may suspect this or want to rule it out).  Joint pain (2 or more joints -- like arthritis), weight loss, rash across the bridge of your nose (malar rash), oral ulcers, and other symptoms that go with this disease.

MS does not cause thrombocytopenia even though it is considered an autoimmune disease.

I'm not sure what you've been going through.  I would have to look up past posts in order to get a handle on where you are.

Again, welcome to the forums!

Lisa

[jujuminx]

Yes, it is an autoimmune disease but the only autoimmune disease I know of that is even close to MS that can mess with platelet counts is Lupus.

Ok, we all work on our issues differently but if you have an opportunity, ck out the health pages.

I have no medical background by the way so everything I say should be taken with that in mind.

Julie

[bigmistake82]

thanks for the advice, but asking questions has been like therapy for me in dealing with whatever it is I'm dealing with.  

Isn't MS also considered an auto immune disease?  I've read that auto immune disorders can cause a drop in platelets.

[jujuminx]

No, MS is a neurological disease, it doesn't effect your platelet count. There are no blood tests that you can take (yet) that will help the dr dx you with MS.

Have you read the Health pages to the right of your screen? Really, there are a lot of good things to read about MS there if you are concerned about it.

The best advice I got when I first posted in this forum was from Lulu and Quix, and that advice was to stop worrying and speculating until the dr completed the tests.

Why was it so good? B/c it got me away from obsessing about the the possiblibily of having MS and and focusing on getting a correct dx for what ever it was that I had, MS or not.

I realize we all process things differently, and forgive me if I don't remember exactly where you are in your testing (I do know you haven't been dx yet) but I think you will do a lot better with all of this if you let the process work itself out.

You may wall be doing  a lot of research on something you don't have. Just my two cents.

Julie