Low platelets

[WiltonT]

Just had a phone call from my GP surgery asking if I could make a routine appointment as my bloods have came back ok! I made the appointment for next Monday and once off the phone I began to question what this means. I phoned back and spoke to the same lady who then says its just because your platelets are a bit low! One minute they are fine and then she says they are not. Have to wait until tomorrow afternoon for a telephone appointment for someone to explain this to me. Sorry for my ignorance but  I was just diagnosed on Dec 30th and really new to this. Can someone please advise me if this is normal or should I be concerned? Thanks T x

[helixhelix]

It is probably that they are just a teeny, tiny fraction low. So it gets flagged up as needing a repeat test or something similar to double check as can sometimes just be an issue with the sample.   If it was dangerously low you would be told to do something more urgently.  I can't remember what meds you are on, but for example you'd be told not to take them.    Try to look on it as a positive as it means someone is actually looking at your monitoring information.  

It is quite common that the information provided by the surgery receptionists is not hugely well informed and it often turns out that you've been panicked over nothing hugely serious. 

PS: just looked up that you're person on MTX with sore throat - so may all be tied up with that.  So do question your doc on Monday about whether a reaction to MTX.  

[WiltonT in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you, hopefully that's all it turns out to be. I feel as though I'm just getting somewhere with the methotrexate and would hate to have to stop it now xx

[nomoreheels]

It's certainly confusing & sometimes can be unnecessarily concerning when receptionists know a little about something if you get my meaning. Really she should just have asked you to make an appointment to discuss your blood test results, that's all that our receptionists are requested to say & should say. When my bloods are slightly out of my normal levels it's my nurse who rings me, the one who's taken the bloods & it's usually the day after they've been taken or the day after that, depending on how busy the lab is. I discuss the result with her & if necessary I've just needed to stop MTX that week & have a retest the following week. It can happen for no apparent reason, sometimes it's just a blip, other times I've been harbouring an infection I wasn't even aware. One thing though it shows that someone is actually monitoring you! Oh & don't be daft it's not ignorance, you're reasonably newly diagnosed & we all learnt as you are learning bit by bit & this is the first time you've had a call to discuss an abnormal result (& abnormal doesn't necessarily mean bad!). Let us know how you get on.

[WiltonT in reply to nomoreheels]

Thank you x

[JacquiThomas999]

I also panicked when I had a slightly raised blood tests, but the Rheummy Nurse wasn't worried, she ran the tests 2 weeks later and they were fine. This awful disease we have got sends us into panic mode, and has loads of twists and turns. This site helps with all the experienced people on it who have been here longer than I have. I hope it goes okay.