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hi everybody! Im new here, but have spent the last week reading every single post in this thread!! so I feel like I know the regulars already. I so far have only had one m/c back in feb, a subsequent d&c march 1st, then got pregnant again- LMP april 21st. with the first m/c when I went into the hospital for the surgery they found my platelets were dangerously low (26K), and my ob sent me to a hematologist who ran all sorts of tests and found nothing, except my platelets normally tend to run lower than average. anyways- luckily my ob was still suspicious of somthing when I got pregnant again and deciced to do more tests. Found out I have the factor V mutation, APS, decreased Protein S function, elevated IGM antibodies, AND my platelets are dropping again! they started me on the lovenox right away 60mg/day due to the quadruple whammy of clotting issues and incr. risk for m/c. Im 11 1/2 weeks now and have been on the shots for 2 wks praying they got me started soon enough! My question is has anyone had any issues with their platelets/thrombocytopenia while pg and on the lovenox? I know it can be a side effect of blood thinners even though mine seems to be an independent thing. Ive heard the only tx is to go on prednisone and Im almost more afraid of the effects of the long term steroids than I am of the lovenox injections. does anyone have any insight here??? I would greatly appreciate it!

Kara

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Hi all,
I too am new and spent the last few days reading through this thread. I have one healthy son, born 9/14/05. I didn't have any issues with that pregnancy and have never had a miscarriage.

Due to my sister's pregnancy issues where she needed to go on lovenox and inject 2x per day, my OB ran the same blood test they did on her. It turned out that I was positive for two copies of 4g/5G as well as protein S deficient (norman range being 60-140 and I was 42) Well, I just went to the perinatologist yesterday and he wrote me a script for 40mg of lovenox once a day.

What I was wondering is if anyone is in the same boat as me. I searched for protein S deficient and nothing came up, the same held true for 4g/5g.

I am also wondering if this could be something that may resolve itself after pregnancy. My sister had her baby and is now just taking a baby asprine once per day.

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Kara-
They monitor platelets because of possible impact from the Lovenox (depends on how your body responds)- to date mine have been fine/no impact but I have only been on the shots 2 weeks~ so others may have more feedback

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Kara-
During both of my pregnancies my platelets dropped to dangerous levels. During the first pregnancy, that was actually what tipped off the doctor first that something was wrong, then my kidney and liver function went down hill really fast. I had a condition called HELLP syndrome--and part of that is the platelets being really low. During the second pregnancy it was the liver function that was the first thing that went wrong.
I don't intend to scare you or anyone else for that matter but please make sure your doctor monitors more than just you platlet levels.

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I should make sure that it is clear that in no way did the lovenox cause the HELLP syndrome to occur it was my clotting disorder that caused it. In fact during my first pregnancy it occured at 28 week and my little girl didn't make it. The second time the lovenox prevented it from occuring until 35 weeks and my son is here and healthy.

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Aimee D - I just called my insurance company Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and they said that I would be responsible for 30% of the drug b/c it is a tier 3 drug, whatever the heck that means.

You should just call them and see what they say.

****update****
my husband just dropped the scipt off at the pharmacy and asked the woman how much it would be and the woman ran it through and she said we would have to pay $50 copay per month. Now that is considerably less than that 30% they originally said when I called the insurance company. Now, we won't know for sure until we pick it up on Friday, but i'll keep you posted. I am hoping that the insurance lady just looked it up wrong. She really didn't sound like she knew what she was talking about, but like I said, we'll have to see.

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Hi everyone my name is scottanna im 21yrs old. I was diagnosed with factor V when i was 18yrs old. I am now pregnant with my first child i am 7weeks and a couple days. i have used lovenox before but never with pregnancy im just hoping everything goes well and with reading some of your postings helps to have a possative mind...

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annie and everyone else-

so I had to study this whole clotting cascade thing back in school, but once I passed boards it kinda got kicked out of my brain. anyways, Ive been scrambling to review how it all works and found a good website http://medinfo.ufl.edu/year2/coag/index1.html .... if you go through the pages some of the stuff is pretty deep, but alot is also in layterms. the best thing to look at is the pic called "regulation of the cascade." essentially all of our problems are due to something not flowing properly here to get normal clotting. protein S & C deficiencies are described well, so are APS and Factor 5 mutation (they call it "activated protein C resistance"). also 4g/5g normally inhibits plasminogen which is at the very bottom of the pic, so if left uninhibited it runs out of control making too many clots. "fibrin split products" are clots. hope this helps- especially for those of you that have a scientific mind like me and need an explaination for everything.

also, thanks jean for the heads-up on looking into HELLP syndrome. one of my friends sisters almost died from that earlier this year- seriously flat-lined due to multi organ failure. they had no idea she had low platelets and internal bleeding. luckily her and the baby are doing good now- but I had no idea this was a possibility or more likely for me due to the clotting disorders!

Kara

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[color=Orange][/color]
Hi,
I'm 10w3d and currently on 40 lovenox 2Xd w/ baby aspirin. The aspirin was prescribed when i m/c the second time. 1st 8w 2nd 11w. I have been giving shots since 7/3/07 for protein s definciency.
Hey,
i have two black bruises that are the size of softballs, they are very tender and i swear they have their own cramps. the others are the size of quarters. these look like regular bruises and don't really hurt. I have given all my shots in my stomach as taught, and the directions say. the black softballs are making me worried. Are anyone else's like this?
Mickey

[quote author=annie72 link=board=13;threadid=1981;start=675#37920 date=1184164900]
Hi all,
I too am new and spent the last few days reading through this thread. I have one healthy son, born 9/14/05. I didn't have any issues with that pregnancy and have never had a miscarriage.

Due to my sister's pregnancy issues where she needed to go on lovenox and inject 2x per day, my OB ran the same blood test they did on her. It turned out that I was positive for two copies of 4g/5G as well as protein S deficient (norman range being 60-140 and I was 42) Well, I just went to the perinatologist yesterday and he wrote me a script for 40mg of lovenox once a day.

What I was wondering is if anyone is in the same boat as me. I searched for protein S deficient and nothing came up, the same held true for 4g/5g.

I am also wondering if this could be something that may resolve itself after pregnancy. My sister had her baby and is now just taking a baby asprine once per day.


[/quote]

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Hello Ladies,

I'm currently 16wks. pregnant with my second child. Although my first pregnancy was completely normal and I have a beautiful 2.5 year old daughter this pregnancy is not going as I expected. After i had my daughter I went on birthcontrol. After gaining 20 pounds in 3 months I decided to go on the birthcontrol patch. Being 2 months on it was enough to give me a pulmonary embolism in 9/2005. The moment I found out I was pregnant I ended up being in the hospital at 8wks with a blood clot in my leg. They wanted to insert a filter in my stomach but didn't give the baby any chances of survival. My perinatologist ran all the necessary blood work on me to see if I had the clotting factor but I don't have it. Now, I'm on 40mg of Lovenox twice a day but here is my problem......I told the doctor that I've been having a lot of cramping for the last few days so he decided to do a transvaginal ultrasound....he found out that the cramps are really contractions. I just wanted to know if this is normal or a side effect of the medication? I'm terrified and don't know what to do or expect.....please help....

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Well it sounds as though your dr is doing everything i've heard of. if the cramping continues i would call again and ask what more to do. perhaps a med to stop them. the lovenox should have had nothing to do with this. if you begin to spot at all i would go straight to the hospital.

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[quote author=julia c link=board=13;threadid=1981;start=675#37791 date=1183946885]
Hi everyone,
Well I have great news. I had my baby on the 3 of July!!! I had a very healthy baby girl at 35 weeks. We planned to induce at 37 week but she had other plans. We named her Amelia Lynn. I switched over from lovenox to heparin at 34 weeks because I was dilating and stuff. I hated taking to heparin I tolerated the lovenox much better and was still a little concerned about HIT syndrome. I am sure we all remember the encouraging words of princessb. I am very thankful that I had my baby with no problems. I hope everyone here will as well.
julia c
[/quote]

Hi Julia,

Just wondering how did they know you were dialating at 34 weeks?

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FOR EVERYONE EXPERIENCING BRUISES!!

To say the least, its sucks! It is a normal side effect and even with some stinging from the mediciation. I have been on the medication 2x a day for 7-8mths or so. In the beginning the bruises were horrible I could even feel lumps under my skin from them, sometimes the became so big, like golf size. I have found that I do not bruise anymore, there are still the small marks from the insert of the needle but I no longer bruise. Im not sure if its because I have become a pro at giving them or because my body has gotten used to it. I will say that I put a great amount of pressure on the spot for a good 10-20 minutes, sometimes even longer. DONT RUB, just pressure, just like a nurse would have you hold gauze on a recent shot. This seems to have helped me. I still experience stinging from the medication on occassions, but have found the slower I insert the medicine the less sting. Since I am about ready to pop my stomach has gotten very tight and I now have moved to my sides where it is very tender. So unfortunaley there will probably always be some kinda pain. Just remember there is a reward in the end. Oh and bewarned, there will come a time when the baby starts to move everytime you give yourself a shot, its no big deal. It would freak me out cause he would literally kick me in the spot I was inserting the needle. I got through this by realizing how long a needle has to be to even reach the sac (google the type of needles they use for Amnio). GOod Luck!

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mrspfunk,
thanks for the info, it really helps put my mind at ease. i don't see my high risk until the 31st.

the last three days i've had a really sore back. from the the middle (under my bra) to the lower part (around my waiste). i have had no camping or spotting. i feel tight almost like stiff muscles in my lower abdomen. my m/s is also longer throuout the day and my headaches start in the am and last thoughout the day.

i hate to always complain but i need to to what's normal and what i should worry about. this pg is much different than my last two. and i really don't want it to end the same way. my u/s on the tenth looked really good. active! heartrate 188/min.
thanks for the feedback
mickey

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Hello everyone,

I haven't wrote in a long time, because I spent the majority of my pregnancy on bed rest and then the last couple of weeks in the hospital, but I have great news I delivered a baby girl on 6/30/07. She was born at 34 wks and is doing great.She came home on July 9,2007. She weight 4lbs12ozs and is a true miracle!!!!!!! I am finally needle free, and it feels great. I swithc to heparin around 30 weeks when I was admitted to the hospital, and now I'm just on baby asprin.

Miracles do come true, so just keep the faith!!!

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Ginamarie,
CONGRATS!!!
Mickey

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