Confused about platelet counts

[lynnieb]

I'm curious as to how platelet levels are counted. Mine is 1400. and my haematologist said that is rather high. Yet some people say their platelets are close to 1m. Is that just extraordinarily high, or are they counted in different ways? I know the normal upper limit is 450 so I was curious. Thanks

[Paul42]

hi

There is different counts for all types of blood cells, platelets, rbc etc.

Some refer to as 450 as you say and some 450,000..its all the same. Some just dont count the thousands.

Paul

[Hidden]

Hi..

I think when the count is 1400, it means 1,400,000 which is almost one and half million. 450 means 450,000. Mine is 900 which is just below the million mark. So, I agree with your doctor that your count is high. I hope this helps.

[Linda1950]

I agree with what the others have said, my haematologist said the normal range for platelets is 150-400, mine was 950-950,000 when I was diagnosed with ET in Sept. After starting HU it has come down to 375 which she is happy with. Age plays a part in all this as well, they get more switchy about high readings when the patient is around 60 , they then move into the 'high' risk category. From what I have been told a reading of around 1 million or over is considered high.

[Hidden in reply to Linda1950]

Hi Linda, I was diagnosed same time as you did, but my platelets count is not moving. May I ask what dose you are on? I started with 500mg daily, then 1g 3 days a week & 500mg the rest of the week. Now I'm on 1g 5days and 500mg in the weekend. I hope when I go to my next appointment, it will go down.