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About Paul Charest
Expertise
Any questions that have to do with hematology. Explaining laboratory tests including :coagulation (PT/aPTT), CBC, differential, ESR, and flow cytometry (leukemia/lymphoma)also including the theory behind them. Hemoglobinopathies, leukemia, lymphoma, hemostasis, hematopoiesis, and cellular morphology are a few of the topics that I teach and practice.
I also have experience with immunohematology, otherwise known as blood banking. Feel free to ask about blood types, blood groups, the type and crossmatch, transfusions, antibody identification, DAT, elutions as well as absorptions
I have also worked in a parasitology lab, as well as taught the subject as well. So feel free to ask about helminths (cestodes, trematodes, and nematodes), protozoan parasites, sporozoan etc.
Lastly, I teach a course in clinical mycology where we grow and identify yeasts and moulds.
Experience
I have worked in a hematology lab, flow-cytometry lab, blood bank, and microbiology lab. I am also an instructor at Northeastern University part-time
Education/Credentials
CLS(NCA)
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You are here: Experts > Health/Fitness > Medical Specialists > Hematology > low platlets and alcohol consumption
Expert: Paul Charest
Date: 5/13/2008
Subject: low platlets and alcohol consumption
Question
QUESTION: A friend of mine recently tested 65 for her platelet count and has been seeing a hematologist but has yet to identify why her count is so low. She is in recovery and has had urges to drink. I don't think she would share this with her doctor can you tell me how alcohol would affect her blood levels, I really want to help her.
ANSWER: Hello Winnie,
It is true that alcohol consumption can decrease not only the quantity of circulating platelets, but also their quality as well. There are also many other causes for a platelet count to be diminished ranging from autoimmune, splenic sequesteration, malignancies, and B-12/folate deficiencies. The problem of the physician not knowing that she has an alcohol addiction, could lead to an incorrect diagnosis. Inapropriate therapy can result in unnecessary risk to her health, with alcohol compounding the problem. Certain drugs are not to be taken with alcohol, and if he doesn't know the full picture it could be potentially harmful. Decreased levels of platelets (especially when coupled with qualitative abnormalities)can result in hemmorhage (bleeding).
Hope this helps,
Paul
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: She has just been diagnosed with Lupus can you please elaborate on alcohol consumption and Lupus treatment.
Answer
Hello again Winnie,
My first concern is her diagnosis because she is hiding the fact that she has alcohol issues. Lupus is known as the great imitator, due to its ability to mimick many other conditions. It is literally able to affect just about every organ of the body, and depending on which are involved will determine the signs and symptoms. Do you ever watch "House", the doctors are always trying to rule out lupus. There are something like 11 signs and symptoms associated with lupus and if the patient exhibits four of them--they are diagnosed with lupus. The fact that alcohol alone can cause signs and symptoms that also appear on the list-such as decreased platelets and intermittent psychosis--your friend needs to be honest with her MD. Especially with the short amount of time clinicians have to get the patients history and examination.
Getting back to your question, I will need to know what kind of lupus does she have, and what medication is she on? Alcohol consumption does damage to our muscle tissue and can also to the density of our bones. It causes damage to our liver, but the liver is very resilient and can take a beating for some time. Lupus is an auto-immune disease that attacks our own cells. Depending on the specificity of the auto-antibodies will determine which organs are involved. It can be caused by genetic factors, although a specific gene hasn't been isolated. It can also be caused by many drugs (does your friend have an issue with this as well). I would have to know what drugs, if any, she is taking to check for interactions. But I don't have anything to go on.
Fatalaties are infrequent with this condition with todays treatment options. But depending on the severity, and with continued alcohol abuse---it is impossible to say what will happen, based on the information provided. You have to get her to somehow come clean---I'm sure that she will only benefit from it.
Paul
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