WARNING be aware of H.I.T. IF YOU ARE ON CLEXANE PLEASE MAK...

WARNING be aware of H.I.T. IF YOU ARE ON CLEXANE PLEASE MAKE SURE THE DOCTORS CHECK YOUR PLATELET LEVELS BEFORE STARTING THIS DRUG.DO NOT BE AFRAID OF ASKING AS THIS IS STATED IN GUIDELINES. THE GUIDELINES SUGGEST IF YOUR PLATELET COUNT FALLS 50% FROM WHAT IT WAS BEFORE YOU STARTED THE TREATMENT THEN H.I.T. SHOULD BE SUSPECTED AND ALL FORMS OF HEPARIN SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED AND AN ALTERNATIVE ANTICOAGULANT BE USED. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT; PLEASE DO NOT TRUST YOUR DOCTOR TO AUTOMATICALLY DO THESE TESTS. WE TRUSTED MY GRANDMOTHERS DOCTORS, THEY DID PART OF THE TESTS BUT FAILED TO ACT ON THE RESULTS!!!!! My grandmother died from heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). This is an adverse reaction to the drug Clexane. Guidelines suggest platelet count should be monitored, unfortunately the hospital Doctors did not monitor her blood whilst she was on this drug. A 50% fall in platelet count should have alerted Doctors to act on their findings and discontinue the drug, instead they carried on giving it to her for a further 6 days. Her symptoms were as follows; itchy drowsy bruises nausea vomiting diarrhea Because her reaction to Clexane had gone unnoticed she was still being given this drug her symptoms became worse they were as follows; Black bruises (necrosis) gastrointestinal haemorrhage spontaneous bruising slurred speech confusion falling platelet count When the Doctors discovered the internal bleeding they stopped the Clexane but did not offer her an alternative anticoagulant and her symptoms after this were as follows; Deep vein thrombosis, arterial thrombosis, she was still hemorrhaging, her platelets fell to 5 and her HB fell to 6.9 INR was normal. She was transfused with platelets and red blood cells and then died. (Clexane heparin induced thrombocytopenia) is on her death certificate AFTER A FOUR YEAR BATTLE FOR AN INQUEST INTO HER DEATH! My research has led me to believe that most Doctors believe HIT is very rare and they don't bother to check for this condition, if the doctors had checked her blood test and realized a sudden 50% fall in her platelet level was more significant than the actual platelet count itself , then she would not have died.The 50% drop was a serious side effect of this drug. PLEASE ASK YOUR DR TO CHECK AND TELL HIM/HER TO CHECK IF YOU HAVE GOT BETWEEN 30-50% DROP IN PLATELETS THEN MAKE SURE YOUR DOCTOR KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING. Jill (Lancashre UK)