Raised red blood platelets after sepsis. Can you advise me? Worrying.

[Februaryblooms]

I've recently come out of hospital after developing sepsis from Group A Strep following childbirth. Admitted for 9 days and discharged on 6th.

I assume everything blood wise was fine by by the time I left hospital hence being discharged. Infection markers were 'coming down' was all I was told, but I've felt drained and weak ever since.

However, a few days after discharge (on the 10th) i had a blood test taken and swabs down below because I was experiencing a herpes outbreak and didn't know whether that was the cause for me feeling crap. I called up today to get my results and was told the swabs were positive, It was an outbreak, but my blood showed slightly raised infection markers and raised blood platelets (red)

I'm going to have the test repeated tomorrow to see whether they have gone down. I now have a bloody viral infection (As do the kids) so I'm dreading the next results coming back as the likelihood is they'll be raised too then I'll worry more.

I've had the herpes virus for years but due to being ran down from sepsis an outbreak occurred. Could this outbreak be the cause of my raised blood platelets?

Of course I googled "raised blood platelets" when I came off the phone to the doctor and everything is saying the C word.

If I did have "C" then would it have been picked up whilst I was in hospital? I was in 9 days and had my blood taken multiple times.

Feeling so drained and panicky after my ordeal with sepsis, have a newborn to look after and now I'm freaking out about the potential for cancer

Doctor here. Platelets are part of your inflammatory response and will go up in response to any infection including your current viral infection. They need to be checked again (preferably when you’re completely well) to make sure they have come back down, but try not to worry, a high platelet count would be expected given what you’re been through and is much more likely to be due to this and not cancer. I would get it checked again when you’re better though.

Thanks so much for the reply @Seventytwoseventythree I really appreciate hearing from a doctor.

In relation to tomorrow's blood test would it be pointless me going until I'm better? I'm concerned I'll over think and panic when the results come back as raised, again, this time due to a cold/viral infection.

I was anemic during my hospital stay but apparently the most recent blood test showed that the anemia had resolved (I had a blood transfusion) so I'm baffled as to why I feel so unwell and out of sorts in general, even before the viral infection symptoms began.

Fwiw I was the picture of health before I contracted the sepsis, now I feel absolutely out of sorts.

Forgot to add the CRP levels were normal which I found out on the 10th after they took the bloods, about an hour later the doctor said CRP levels were fine but infection markers were slightly raised (I think she said they were 13)

I was in the hospital at the time hence getting the above results quickly.

Is that reassuring at all @Seventytwoseventythree

I only got told about the blood platelets today when I called up about the swabs.

Platelets often go up with infection & can take a while to fall. As above, it needs monitoring but is likely nothing to panic about.

It takes weeks to feel well after proper sepsis. Herpes can make you feel really grotty generally. Hope you’re on the mend soon.
(Also a doctor).

Thank you too @Greybeardy

Feeling somewhat reassured after hearing from medical professionals.

As unwell as i was, I don't think my sepsis was on the severe end of the scale as I didn't require an ICU stay. I was on the Labour ward in isolation for 9 days, though.

Do you guys have idea what I should do about tomorrow's blood test, should I go or just wait until I feel better and then have one when the levels should have decreased?

I can't recall the name of the doctor I spoke with at the hospital when phoning in for my results, so it's a bit late to mention the viral infection now