H. Pylori and thrombocytopenia
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2015 12:32 pm
Does anyone know if there if a co-relation between h. pylori infection and thrombocytopenia?
My platelet counts has been progressively dropping over the last 2 years. The last count was 106K (Normal lower limit is 150K). My count is always under the lower limit. My hematologist reckons it is related to h. pylori infection. So, he referred me to a gastroenterologist.
I was diagnosed with h. pylori about 8 months ago and was first treated with Nexium HP7 by my GP. Seven weeks after the treatment my platelet count went up to 178K. However, UBT confirms that the treatment did not eradicate the h. pylori bacteria.
So I went to the gastroenterologist that my hematologist referred me to. He treated with the quadruple therapy and then an endoscopy confirms still infected with h. pylori with intestinal metaplasia. My platelet count went down again to 148K.
Now I'm on the Salvage therapy. Don't know if this will cure me! If it doesn't, I don't know what else is left for me except frustration.
I believe a successful treatment plan depends on how experienced your gastroenterologist is. I don't think mine was a good one. He should have done the endoscopy first to find out the strain of the bacteria before putting me on those heavy antibiotics. I guess he was over-confident that the quadruple therapy will cure me. But he could have at least send the biopsy sample for culture when he did the endoscopy afterwards! Now I am on this heavy salvage therapy and due for another unnecessary endoscopy in December. Simply frustrating!
My platelet counts has been progressively dropping over the last 2 years. The last count was 106K (Normal lower limit is 150K). My count is always under the lower limit. My hematologist reckons it is related to h. pylori infection. So, he referred me to a gastroenterologist.
I was diagnosed with h. pylori about 8 months ago and was first treated with Nexium HP7 by my GP. Seven weeks after the treatment my platelet count went up to 178K. However, UBT confirms that the treatment did not eradicate the h. pylori bacteria.
So I went to the gastroenterologist that my hematologist referred me to. He treated with the quadruple therapy and then an endoscopy confirms still infected with h. pylori with intestinal metaplasia. My platelet count went down again to 148K.
Now I'm on the Salvage therapy. Don't know if this will cure me! If it doesn't, I don't know what else is left for me except frustration.
I believe a successful treatment plan depends on how experienced your gastroenterologist is. I don't think mine was a good one. He should have done the endoscopy first to find out the strain of the bacteria before putting me on those heavy antibiotics. I guess he was over-confident that the quadruple therapy will cure me. But he could have at least send the biopsy sample for culture when he did the endoscopy afterwards! Now I am on this heavy salvage therapy and due for another unnecessary endoscopy in December. Simply frustrating!