Little Update

[jacobsmum24]

Hi everyone

Hope you are all doing well and coping through these strange times.

Just thought I would give you a quick update 16 months into my cirrhosis journey. My 6 monthly scan and check-up was cancelled last month dur to Covid but this week I managed to get bloods done by the nurse for the first time since January. Mostly all improved again since the last test and everything within the normal range now apart from platelets which have gone down. I am really pleased to be "normal" but did wonder why platelets have gone in the wrong direction. I asked the nurse and she said it was nothing to worry about and was because my spleen was holding on to too many platelets.

Anybody else have low platelets despite everything else being normal and was this permanent ? I don't think it's causing me any symptoms but guess being a bit competitive, would have liked a full page of green results !!

For anyone still struggling with elevated LFTs, stick in and they will eventually come down albeit not as fast as we would all like.

Take care folks

[Kristian]

See what your platelets are like next time. Sometimes they clump together a bit and the machine doesn't read them right. My last platelet count last year was a bit low, but my last one a month ago they were fine again, so just a bit of an anomaly in the series.

[Supportinghubby]

Hi Jabobsmum, I'm interested in your replies. My husband has relatively normal LFT blood test results but his platelets have steadily droped since his diagnosis almost 2 years ago.

His last result was 63 and he's due a tooth extraction so is having another blood test and having it done it done at the NHS Dental hospital rather than at our normal dentists. They need to check that his platelets haven't dropped below 50 before they do it. This is the only time that his platelets have caused any 'issue'. The hepatology dept don't seem concerned about it and, like you've said, it is likely caused by the spleen being enlarged and holding onto platelets.

I asked a question about this on here previously, you might be interested to the replies I got. Lots of people said it's to be expected and nothing to worry about. Hopefully yours will go up again.

healthunlocked.com/britishl...

[jacobsmum24 in reply to Supportinghubby]

That's interesting. Maybe its just par for the course but I was curious why all other values had improved and platelets have gone the opposite way. I think initially mine were 94, then went up to 125 back in January and now back down to 99. The liver nurse didn't seem at all concerned. My INR result was slightly improved which I thought would have meant higher platelets but not really sure I understand enough about my spleen !

How is your hubby doing now ? I think he is broadly similar to me. I have gone from decompensated to compensated, had 3 grade 2 varices but no bleeding so haven't been banded and beta blockers appear to be doing their job. I feel well enough most of the time but get odd random symptoms now and then. I also picked up some gallstones along the road but not particularly troublesome unless I eat something I really shouldn't. 😂😂

[Supportinghubby in reply to jacobsmum24]

You do sound very similar to my husband- they even picked up that he has gallstones too although he wouldn't have known!

He's doing really well thanks. It's a really busy time for him at work and he's worked through the last two weekends but has plenty of energy and is always doing jobs, he doesn't like to sit down for long! He's a very positive person, he might have symptoms he doesn't tell me about but on the whole it doesn't affect his life too much.

Waiting for an appointment for his endoscopy to see how his varices are doing and if he needs more banding.

Glad to see that you are doing well and long may that continue!

[ballie52]

I have had low platelet count for years after successfully treating Hep C 5yrs ago.

My platelet count never went back to normal but liver function tests are all good!

I think with stable cirrhosis it's still possible to have constant low platelet count..unless it's an extremely low count I don't think it's going to cause any significant problems.