HEy there! I did have my hema check my platelet count and he didn't seem to concerned about it - thank goodness! I have my blood drawn every 2 weeks sonce I started on Imuran - just to make sure.....It is funny b/c I used to be so afraid, but am getting used to it......
They did check my blood sugar and it was "well within normal range" - my neuro thinks that my high dose of pred is what is casuing the shakes and reduced it to 40 mgs today - yay! Terrible stuff, prednisone!
I also talked to him about my weight gain (25 lbs so far) - he (neuro) said that it is low overall - doesn't feel that way to me! LOL
How are you? Are you OK?
Erin
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnnieB3
Erin, Please don't be scared. What was the range of normal for the lab who ran the platelet count?
Doctors look for other things than absolute platelet numbers. Have you spoken to your internist about your concerns? If you are really concerned, you can ask your internist to refer you to a hematologist. They are the ones who can tell you if it's a normal response to prednisone or some other drug or if there is something to worry about.
Since strokes do run in your family (was he a smoker?), then a hematologist can also do clotting tests like antiphospholipid syndrome that people with autoimmune diseases sometimes get. I'm sorry your Dad had a stroke. My Grandfather did, so I understand the worry. Has anyone actually looked at your platelets, red blood cells, white blood cells (peripheral blood smear)?
Hematologists can be very reassuring. And they can easily find anything odd that might be going on. That would be my best advice.
Here, read this:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/thr...SECTION=causes
Mrs. D. gave you the "scary" article.  I have had my platelets higher than normal a couple of times. Sometimes it's not a myeloproliferative disorder at all. You need more testing done to be sure what's going on.
Also, if you are worried about your heart, ask your primary doc for an ECG and maybe an echocardiogram (referral to a cardiologist). That way they can see if you have any risk factors or if your heart is okay.
Taking an aspirin would make any bleeding you are having worse. Don't take anything without figuring out what is going on first!!! It could make it worse and you don't want that.
In the meantime, try not to worry. Just get a good doctor to help you, okay? And maybe someone needs to explain all the lovely side effects of Prednisone to you better!!! Did you ever get your blood sugar checked?
Hang in there.
Annie |