Autoimmune disease and thrombocytopenia
Hello, I am reaching out to see if anyone else has experience with an autoimmune disease that includes thrombocytopenia. I’m 5’ 4” - 115 lbs and 56 years old. I’ve been an avid athlete all my life and eat a very well-balanced diet. At age 49 I had a heart attack. It seems my blood is either too thin or too thick and my trigger is a change in the weather or stress. I’ve never been able to tolerate birth-control/estrogen. I have three children. My hormones have reached havoc on me throughout the years. I have regular visits to the oncologist for bloodwork to Monitor my platelet count. I believe my father now passed on at age 92 had an autoimmune disease. I wish to discover more for my children and what more I can do as I age. One of my daughters has epilepsy. We finally better understand my issues and how to treat and I’m happy to say I’m extremely healthy and feel terrific.
Is there any new information on auto immune disease and thrombocytopenia and what I need to do to manage my health as I age?
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Autoimmune Diseases Support Group.
Congratulations, @marymanning! I'm so happy to hear that Ollie came into the world safe and sound. Is Ollie your first grandson?
I'm sure your daughter is ready for food and sleep. I am so glad that you kept in touch with Connect.
Will your daughter continue her treatment for the blood disorder now?
Jubilation! Welcome to the world, Ollie.
Mary, little does Ollie know that he has a whole online community rooting for him. Best wishes to you, your daughter and to her growing family.
Yea!! Ill bet everyone is relieved even all his aunties on Connect!
We are so thankful to the good Lord for bringing them through delivery safely. My daughter sent this message earlier this morning: I got to finally see Ollie a little after midnight. The NICU doctor saw me there with Issac and came over to meet with us. His first platelet draw was 202,000 and his second at 11:00pm was 199,000, which is normal and to her indicated my treatment worked. She was also making the decision to move him out of the NICU and into their step down NICU to continue to monitor his breathing and labs. She anticipates him being moved in with us maybe sometime today or tomorrow morning and/or fully discharged from the hospital to home if I’m ready to be discharged!! SO, we will be looking forward to them coming home. So blessed that this treatment worked even though last week was a very nerve-wracking one with her migraine headaches, high blood pressure (203/102), rapid pulse rate (150), vomiting, extreme fatigue, and being very, very hot. But, that is all over, they are doing fine, and let's pray for continued good health for both of them.
Katie just called to say that the NICU doctor just talked to them -- Ollie's platelet count dropped 70,000. They are going to re-test at 11:00 tonight, so she is hopeful it will come back up. Also, she has reached out to a group on Facebook who are mothers who have had the same condition to see if any of their children went through this and what the result was.
Hello again @marymanning,
It is so good of you to keep Connect updated on Katie and Ollie. I'm sorry to hear that his platelets hafe dropped but optimistic that they will go up again when re-tested.
How are you doing with all of this stress?
His platelet count at 11:00 last night had come back up to 180,000 -- so they are looking forward to him being discharged from the NICU and into her room sometime today. She is still very sore -- mostly on her left side -- said she has heavy bruising but her doctor said that is because Ollie had gotten "wedged" and they had to do a lot of pushing to get him out. She told Katie that if she had continued with trying to deliver him naturally that he would have broken his clavicle during birth. So, all is well. . .right now.
Yes, @marymanning, it does appear that all went according to what was best for both Katie and Ollie. He must be a real fighter to have come through such a tough birth! I'm so glad that he and his mom will be together in the same room soon so they can bond and get to know each other.
Katie was discharged yesterday at 4:00 -- still very sore and walking slowly. Ollie was jaundiced so he was not able to be released. We're hoping he can come home today. They are heading over to the hospital soon so they can give him his morning feeding.
@marymanning
That is great that Katie is able to be home. I trust that Ollie will be better soon. I'll look forward to hearing that they are all together at home soon!