# IUI Platelet levels too low



## minkymoo (Aug 15, 2005)

Hello

I'm about to start some iui treatment, but have been told that the clinic will not treat me as my platelet levels are too low. They are at 125 (they should be between 150 and 400)
Do you know if there is anything I could take to increase them?
Thanks in advance for your help!

Minkymoo
x


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## CathE (Mar 11, 2005)

Hi Minkymoo,
It seems a bit mean not to do iui with a low platelet count. I guess they are concerned with you bleeding but it's hardly that invasive to cause bleeding I wouldn't have thought. I've not heard of any drugs that increase platelets, only a platelet transfusion. Are you on any drugs that could lower your count such as asprin? Maybe you should speak to you gp.  I know that people who are at risk from bleeding during operations are sometimes given vitamin k injections  but I don't know if that would be appropriate with fertility issues.
Hope you get this resolved soon.
Love Cath x


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## penny353 (Feb 14, 2005)

Minkymoo

Sorry to hear that it seems crazy..I hve a medical condition called hyperspleenism and so my spleen eats up all my platelets and mine are falling slowly, lowest are 75 best is 90 and I've had ICSI and 3 FET, although I was strangely ill after EC which may have been blood loss around ovaries but never confirmed...but I can't see that iui would be a preoblem myself, and sadly there is nothing you can take for it...wishing you luck
Penny+


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## bunless (Mar 2, 2005)

Hi I have ITP (which causes intermittant low platelet levels) and apart from having extra monitoring while I was having treatment it didn't affect my ICSI at all. After I got pregnant my platelets went up & I ended up needed anticoagulants for a different issue.

I would ask the clinic to explain _in detail_ their reasoning - there is no bleeding risk with a level of 125 (my lowest has been 40 something and I'm usually around 90, I bruise easily & that's it). When I've had procedures that can caused bleeding the only concern is that my platelets are >50 and I get extra fluids.

There isn't anything you can do about it (in my case it may be immune related so I try and slow down & make sure I'm eating/sleeping properly etc) - have you had your platelets measured before? You may just have lower than average platelet levels or they may be normal next time they are tested. It really has never been an issue for me (e.g. with a 6 week period of treatment last year I had levels of 78/130/440).

Layla


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## minkymoo (Aug 15, 2005)

Dear Layla, Cath and Penny

Thanks so much for your replies and words of encouragement.
We've missed the slot for this month to start treatment, but I'm having another blood test next week, so we should know the result before AF comes along. So hopefully we'll be able to get started early February.
If after the blood test, they are still low, I'll go and speak to the clinic to ask them for their reasons for not proceeding with the iui.

I saw my gp last week, but she told me there is nothing I can do to increase my platelets, and yet they are not low enough to consider a platelet transfusion.

I've read that eating fresh pineapple is meant to be good for increasing levels, so we've got a fridge full of them at the moment!!
Lots of luck to everyone else out there!!


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