You bet you should. Plavix, a new drug with a favorable safety profile, prevents blood clots by reducing the tendency of platelets to stick together. Platelet clumping is a fundamental part of clot formation. Some patients taking Plavix experience a life-threatening medical condition called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, in which the platelets are destroyed, leading to anemia, hemorrhage, fever and kidney abnormalities. The diagnosis is made by a platelet count.
Treatment includes plasma exchange transfusions.
In my opinion, you should immediately stop the Plavix and insist that your physician order a platelet count. Your health is at stake. Because of the potential disaster in this situation, I am writing you personally, as well as answering your question in my column. In the process of performing a Pap test, the doctor must insert an instrument called a speculum into the vaginal canal. Therefore, if a physician observes a hymen during the preliminary pelvic exam, one can safely assume that the woman is a virgin.