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hunny
25-08-06, 10:58
Hiya

My midwife has called to say i need to have blood tests redone as my platelet count is low
It started off fine at the start of my pregnancy but it had come down to a really low level now(at 35 weeks)im now 37 weeks

I am terrified because i googled and im petrified ive got leukaemia
Ive had sore burning hands and feet for almost a year and pain etc and im scared they havnt picked it up,also im having hair loss

iVE NEVER BEEN SO TERRIFIED
Ive got a heart monitor on today so God knows what that will show as well
Hunny xx[V]

Paddington
25-08-06, 11:27
Ah Hunny all i can offer is reassurance ,i am sure if you were really ill they would be a bit quicker to get you in hospital seeing as you are pregnant[many congrats by the way!]Thatis the problem with googling ,it tells you things that simply are not the case!I think us with health anxiety tend to fit our symptoms to what we read!Why dont you phone up the midwife and tell her how frightened you are ?Whythe heartmoniter hunny,do you have palpitations or somthing,ooh the main bug bear with panic disorders that one!Take it easy and rest ,here if you want otalk ,love mary rose.xxxxxxxxxxxx

we are all in the same boat and can guide each other ashore

**whenwillthisend**
25-08-06, 12:25
hi hunny i remember when i was at your stage of pregnancy with my last baby, my platelet and RBC count was slightly low...i saw the results for myself and there every result which was out of the normal limits was marked in red...my midwife wasnt concerned (wasnt a very good midwife though-didnt get on with her)
so your baby is taking a lot from you at this stage and you are probably a little run down..im sure your next test will be fine
take care

mjh74
25-08-06, 18:06
I wish I were pregnant and could blame that on something. I have had a second blood test today and have a low platelet count. The GP said it should be something around 300 to 400, mine was 61 the first test and 56 the second. I have to start tests on Tuesday :(

Jem27
25-08-06, 19:43
Hun please please calm down ((((hugs))))

Firstly if you had leaukemia seriously you would be dead by now, it effects you within weeks not years.

Secondly your pregnant and low platlets, anaemia etc... is very very common.

Thirdly DO NOT GOOGLE!!!, hehe. Honestly you won't have leaukemia, you have had your bloods tested, if you had leaukemia your full blood count would not be normal at all. My son had a full blood count in June, he had been run down for months and had large glands in his neck, the dr was actually testing for leaukemia and a blood count picks this up.

You are fine, its just a pregnancy thing. If your worried about your hands mention it to your DR but a fbc picks up anything nasty I promise.

hunny
26-08-06, 09:49
Thanks for your replies

Mary Rose - yes,i have the good old palps/ectopics etc,thats why ive had the 24 hour tape

Thanks fr trying to be reassuring but ive read up ad theres no way the count should have dropped as much as mine[V]

I cant cope with this,its all too much[V]

Hunny x

carly123
26-08-06, 10:57
Oh hunny
If you are really that worried, you must talk to a health professional. With it bein bank hol weekend why don't you try NHS Direct- explain everything especially that you are worried and panicky about it - Im sure they can offer some reassurance.
Meanwhile please don't 'look it up' any more. I'll have a little look for you and get back to you.
Stay calm cos if you get in a panic it will make you feel ill then you'll think you ARE ill!
I'll get back to you

love Carlyxx

carly123
26-08-06, 12:17
Ok hunny
I couldn't find any serious or life-threatening cause of burning hands and feet however, interestingly, I found it is a withdrawal symptom of some antidepressants(?)
i lost hair in all 3 of my pregnancies - most markedly after they were born (so don't panic if it gets worse then!)
As for the low platelets, it seems there is a lot of conflicting advice. However the general advice seems to be that there is no real worry until they fall below 80, and many of the sites I found say you are not in 'danger' unless they are below 20. All said it is very normal for levels to drop towards the end of pregnancy.
Even in a worst case scenario, if there is a serious drop, there is treatment. I also found a very reassuring site discussing women who had had problem-free home births despite worries about low platelet levels.
I really hope you can find some reassurance and peace of mind,

Love Carlyxx

**whenwillthisend**
26-08-06, 12:23
hunny have you put into google" low platelet count during pregnancy"
it will be more specific to you (sorry if you have already done this)
take care

Penelopepitstop
28-08-06, 22:03
Hi there...I know pregnancy is horrible when you have health anxiety but you have to remember that it's so so rare not to survive giving birth. Things seem to go wrong all the time but that's what the tests are for - so that you can receive the best care and pick these things up early. I found this information:

I experience thrombocytopaenia of pregnancy, which affects about 5-7% of women. It has no other symptoms apart from low platelet levels. Platelet counts are lower than normal by the end of pregnancy and return to normal levels soon after birth. No-one knows why it happens and it is not passed to the baby. It is usually quite mild (platelets remain above a count of 50 and prevent no real threat to mother either).

Low platelets alone, as long as they are not really really low (below 20) seem to present no cause for concern to the experts, but can worry some health professionals!

Penny x

hunny
28-08-06, 22:13
Thanks you all so much,especially those who have looked things up for me

Jem.....does that mean that the whole thing would be out then?What i mean is would the red and white cells be out of the normal range as well?
I did try to ask my Drs this,but they wont say anything until my tests are back later this week
Thanks
Hunny x

clickaway
28-08-06, 22:29
Hi Hunny,

I'm sure you will be fine. Pregnancy does bring on a range of temporary problems, which then right themselves.

Hugs,



Ray


http://www.anxietyrelease.org.uk/

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance.
~Mark Sanders and Tia Sillers

jackie
29-08-06, 10:18
HUNNY PLEASE TRY YOUR HARDEST NOT TO WORRY< EVERYTHING GOES HAYWIRE IN PREGNANCY< AND THE DIFFERENCE IS THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PRECIOUS BABY INSODE YOU THEY ARE EXTRA EXTRA CAREFUL> THIS IS OK FOR THOSE WITHOUT HEALTH ANXETY BUT NOT FOR US AS WE THEN WORRY OURSELVES SICK

PLEASE ACCEPT THAT YOU ARE IN VERY CAPABLE CARE AND THEY WILL KEEP YOU BOTH SAFE

JACKIE

hunny
29-08-06, 10:39
Hiya
Thanks to you all

My heart tests came back ok,i have sinus arrythmia and sinus tachycardia which they dont seem worried about,so thats fine
Its just these bloods!!
Thanks again for all your kind words
Hunny x