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Debfife
Hey, just wanted to fill you in because I figured you'd be interested on this L&D.
At 34 wks my platelets started to drop again, which is how my HELLP started the first time (normally it's the pre-e symptoms first with the BP and proteinuria). My BP was still low in the 100/60 range and my urine was clear of any protein though, so they just kept drawing my blood to keep an eye on my platelets. They got down to 120k at 37 wks, but I was delivering at 38 so they figured I'd be in the clear.
I went for preadmission testing the day before my scheduled C and they of course drew labs there. I went in for my section the next morning. As they were about to wheel me back for my surgery, the anesthesiologist came in to inform me that my platelets the day before were only 94k. Since their cut-off is 90k, they had to postpone my surgery and redraw my blood work for repeat labs to be sure I was over 90k. If not, then I would have to have general anesthesia again (and my BP had gone up into the 120/90 range, which is still within normal limits; however, it was elevated in comparison to my norm).
My platelet count came back at 80k and I was so, so upset thinking I wouldn't be awake to see this baby born either, which was so important to me! As luck would have it, I guess you'd say, the anesthesiologist had a 1-week old at home and HIS wife had a platelet count of 119k at her preadmission testing. Since he's a staff physician they of course went the extra mile for him when they were re-drawing her blood work the day of her surgery to be sure she was still above 90k....but the Hematology Dept told him that the automated count is less accurate and always lower than a manual count, so they offered to do a manual count of his wife's platelets. Seeing how upset I was and knowing what it was like first-hand, the anesthesiologist called down to Hematology and insisted they do a manual count for me. Instead of 80k and general anesthesia, it came back at 114k and I was awake to see my son born!
Still not a HELLP diagnosis and none of the physical complications, but the scare of having to go through any of that again was enough! In the end I'm well and LJ is perfect!
Re: Debfife