TOPIC:

Hi,
I was diagnosed with Gestational thrombocytopenia while pregnant with my son 14 years ago (my platelets at the time were 73 the lowest they have ever been). Apparently my count never went up to normal levels because during a routine cbc about 6 years ago I was diagnosed with ITP. My levels now run any where between 100 (the lowest of recent)-130s so very mild thrombocytopenia.
Of note I have a history 2 old strokes
and a cartoid artery brain aneurysm both found after an ER visit. I have been a baby aspirin for about 4 years now. Long story short back in October while on the mini pill ( for very heavy periods) I experienced a TIA(mini stroke). After discharge my ob ( a very good friend) decided it would be unsafe for me to ever get pregnant again. I then had a bilateral tubal ligation and a endometrial ablation. Since my surgery I've had two additional TIAs, needless to say my neurologist and hematologist are both very concerned. Together they have decided to add plavix to my aspirin regimen. I'm very scared to have a stroke but also of the bleeding risk associated with both meds. In the er on Thursday ( my last er visit) my platelets were 108 so a little lower than my usual but still stable. Should I be this nervous? Has anyone experienced anything similar to this?

Lots of people reading your post but no replies - and that's probably because no one knows.
A count 100-130 is great. But those old strokes - I have no idea what to say about them . Your hematologist I'm assuming is keeping track of your platelet count with you on Plavix and aspirin? I was diagnosed in 1989 and never had an aspirin (or anything else except tylenol) from then until February 2019 when I had to take 2 baby aspirin a day for 30 days after knee replacement - my experience, my count went up to something like 220 [too lazy to look at my records] while taking it. My hematologist had me get a count 2 weeks into the aspirin and then after it was over. Then again in November 2019 I started it again when my other knee was replaced, again my count went up while on the baby aspirin [197 k?] and back down after off it.

I can't tell you whether to be nervous or anything else - do you have a good relationship with your hematologist and neurologist? Have you related your fears to them. And most important are your doctors communicating with each other? And I'm just curious - with 2 old strokes, brain aneurysm and 2 more TIAs are you seeing a neurologist for this or a cardiologist?

Bluetiful4u, did your hematologist test you for 'Lupus anticoagulant', aka 'antiphospholipid antibodies' ?
Here is the Wiki article on it:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lupus_anticoagulant

Those antibodies would explain the unusual clotting. Don't know much more about it myself. Perhaps if this is the cause they might have a different treatment plan, I dunno.