Low Platelets :(

[Babee_Bugs]

My platelets are falling, as of the 2nd april there were 92...

Im booked in for a C-section in 15days time and basically ive been told there borderline for what the aneathetist will allow for a spinal... any lower i will need a General. I was told last week that my Fundal height was 2weeks smaller and so today i had a growth scan and shes measuring small, she was spot on following the 50th percentile at 21 weeks and now she is below

Ive stupidly read up on the risks of a general as apposed to a spinal, and now im worrying like mad ...

Ive got an appointment tomorrow with the consultant to discuss the scan i had today etc, im seriously thinking of asking them if it would be wise to deliver baby now whilst my Platelets are still high enough to qualify for a spinal as its safest for us both, rather than wait another 15days for them to go wayyyyyy low and need a general, which will put us both at risk....

Anyone been in a similar situation etc??? i really need some advice plz

 

[laila 44]

Have u been diagnosed with pre eclampsia? That what it sounds like...be careful with low platelets as u can be at risk for severe haemorrhaging during birth

 

[Babee_Bugs]

last week i was possible pre-eclampsia, as my BP had shot up and i felt unwell with heart palpitations etc etc... But my urine was clear and BP came down eventually after monitoring me for the night... So there ruled that out and said my iron was low and that explained why the room was spinning and i felt sick etc... so im now on 210mg of iron tablets 3x a day.

ive had a ECG and a 24hour Heart monitor on my heart and im getting a echo tomorrow.

also with the low platelets im absolutely crapping myself, as i had a ruptured aneurysm coiled in my brain 3 years ago now and im not allowed to push due to this and also if my blood is not clotting propperally then my aneurysm might start leaking again

im gonna see what the consultant says today and if they dont suggest delivery now whilst its still safe to have a spinal i will be saying myself. Apparently from things ive read, low platelets can be just down to being pregnant, so onced baby is delivered your platelets tend to rise back up.. But if not some patients need a platelet transfusion :/

Im soooooooo worried

 

[Katteh]

I've got low platelets too, I had them in my first pregnancy also. I was told the cut off for spinal/epidural is about 50, so maybe it'll be worth getting a second opinion?

Mine were 110 at delivery with my daughter and I had her at a birth centre and the doctors had no concerns at all x

 

[Babee_Bugs]

Consultant has changed my section date and has brought it 1 week earlier, to hopefully avoid having to go down the route of needing a General.

So now having baby at 38weeks on the 16th

 

[ladyfrankee]

I have ITP which means my platelets are very low also, im 28 weeks and my platelet count 2 weeks ago was 28 so i am currently on steroids to boost my count with a plan for immunoglobulin transfusions at approx 35 weeks in time for delivery, im under the care of a haemotologist and obstetrician team, a long as ur care providers are all aware of your issues and work togethor you will be fine, where i live the cut off for epidural is a count of 100, this is because of the risk of internal bleeding on your spinal chord at the needle placement site which could result in damage to your spinal chord, they will happily deliver your baby with a count of 50 or above but be prepared for heavy blood loss as i had this in my last pregnancy, but as i said as long as your counts stay above 50 you will be ok but wont be able to have an epidural or spinal, as you are booked in for a section i would imagine they will be keeping a close eye on your blood count up until delivery and will give you any treatment if needed xx

 

[Babee_Bugs]

wow thats really low!!!

See i have no choice in the matter of having a C-section or vaginal... It has to be a section, due to the 2 previous sections and also i had a ruptured brain aneurysm that was coiled a few years back. (I would love to give a vaginal birth a go! consultants, neurologist and midwife wont allow it)

There mentioned about giving me blood products to up the Platelets but most aneathetists wont do a spinal even with blood products, and giving blood products theres a risk with that "apparently"... but depending how low there get too after birth, there may need to give me some, as there dont want me to hemmorage/put pressure on my aneurysm :/

So the best there could sort of come up with was to deliver at 38weeks on the hope that my platelets havent dropped too low to still be eligible for a spinal :/ Ive got my pre op bloods being done on the 12th so i wont know till then, if im having a spinal or a general section ... But if there left the section till the 23rd (2weeks time) then it was pretty certain i would need the general... just gotta pray there havent gone too low

 

[ladyfrankee]

It must be different hhere in scotland, i saw my anaesthetist when i was about 8 weeks and he said he would happily give the spinal/epidural with a count over 100, have they said anything to you about observing the babys platelets after the birth? I know with me that they plan on testing the babys blood on day 1 and day 5 as apparently in some rare cases the baby can be born with low platelets, i find it really frustrating cos my obstetrician team seem to think they know more about my blood disorder than my haemotologist :-/ i find myself constantly going between the 2 with conflicting advice, just keep at your care team and make sure you are comfortable with everything they are doing and that you are kept informed, worst case is you'll need the immunoglobulin transfusions. Which to be honest are not that bad and will give ur platelets a huge boost for your birth, i would imagine you might have to see a haemotologist after your birth for a while until your counts stabilise, it may just be something pregnancy related and hopefully will disappear after you have had your bundle xx