Maybe it's not ITP

After spending the last year not at all conviced that my daughter has ITP and conviced that I have a bleeding disorder as well and the doctors not being very helpful and I think at times thinking I am stupid. I have finally been told today that I have low factor viii and therefore have a bleeding disorder (which I think is Von Willebrands disease). I need to wait for a refferral to see a haematologist to find out more information and more tests.

I'm not quite sure how I feel really. It is quite a scarry thought in someways that I have a lifelong bleeding disorder, but it is nice to know that something can now be done about the symptoms I have had. I am also quite excited as I feel I am one step closer to finding out what is wrong with my daughter. From what the haematologist has said in the past I think she will still say it is ITP, but to me it is too much of a coincidence for me to have a hereditory bleeding disorder, but for my daughter to have a totally different acquired bleeding disorder.

I think I need to get my others daughters tested too as they have always had lots of bruises and one of them has a blister at the back of her foot where her boots rubbed and 4 times in the last 24 hours it has started to bleed and there has been blood everywhere and I have struggled to stop the bleeding, which to me seems far too much blood for such a small thing.

Wow, thats a step forward.

The way I look at it, knowledge is nearly always a good thing, even if it might seem a bit scary at first. It seems unconnected, but who knows, it might explain some stuff that goes on with your daughter. Its good for your other kids to get tested too, because that might prevent problems later in their lives. And they can prepare if necessary.

Did it take a lot of effort to get tested and did you go via your GP? The last time my mum visited, she commented that she's had six really major heamorrages in her life - three resulted in her needing blood transfusions - and many less serious incidents. I've always known she was a bit prone to nosebleeds but had no idea about the more serious incidents. She has no idea whether or not she has a bleeding disorder but she is not aware of having ever been tested.

Ali