Thread: Keeping Faith
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Old Tue Feb 12, 2013, 02:23 PM
Lisa V Lisa V is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Waimanalo, Hawaii
Posts: 401
Quote:
Originally Posted by LoveRapheal1 View Post
I heard some woman speak of birth control and doctors did give me this at a hospital in Staten Island. My primary doctor said he did not want me on a hormone because it could give me hot flashes and menopause. I asked another doctor in Brooklyn if it was safe to take birth control and he said no because it could give me a blood clot and blood clots can kill you.
It sounds to me like none of these people really understand AA, if they think the risks of birth control hormones are worse than what you are already facing. Yes, birth control pills can increase the risk of blood clots in an otherwise healthy person, but even so, less than one percent of women on the pill ever get them. When you have low platelets, your problem is that your blood is not clotting as it should. If that causes you to bleed uncontrolably during your period, then that is a much greater risk that needs to be addressed. I've heard of women getting Depo Provera shots to stop their periods altogether until their platelet count increases. You might get hot flashes or other side effects, but hot flashes are not life-threatening. I'm no expert on this, but it might be worth asking a doctor about. Just make sure that whoever you ask understands every aspect of your medical condition.
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-Lisa, husband Ken age 60 dx SAA 7/04, dx hypo MDS 1/06 w/finding of trisomy 8; 2 ATGs, partial remission, still using cyclosporine
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