High platelets

[cabbie]

Hi has anyone had had a high platelet count associated with thier RA ?

[Kags1068]

Hi Cabbie

In answer to your question, yes. I've had RA for 40 tears now, and this has happened to me on and off over the years.. I believe it's called secondary thrombocytosis. As it's the secondary and not the primary version, I've always been told not to worry about it, and it's not usually serious. It tends to show up in the blood results when the inflammation/disease is more active and then settles when things are more controlled. I've never been aware of it causing any symptoms, and if the Consultant hadn't told me about it, i'd probably be none the wiser! Obviously, were there to be any doubts about the cause (other than RA related), then I'm sure your rheumatologist would be doing extra blood tests. I do hope this puts your mind at rest as it can sound a bit scary at first.

I've tried to attach a link i quickly found, but not dure if I've done it properly. Hope so!! 😊

verywellhealth.com/platelet....

[cabbie in reply to Kags1068]

Thank you so much , yes i am so worried and came as a complete shock as i have no new symptoms. But reassured.

[Kags1068 in reply to cabbie]

i know what you mean. It can sound very scary when you first hear it. I was a bit taken aback. Once the rheumatologist said don't worry, it's just to do with active inflammation, and i learned it was the secondary thrombocytosis and not the primary, i devided to file it under "another one of those RA things" in my head! 😉 I hope you can do somethimg similar now.🤞x

[oldtimer2 in reply to Kags1068]

Thanks for the link - yes it works.

I tend in the other direction with low levels of platelets, but the results vary, often just the week later it's back to normal when I have the (all too frequent) repeat test.

[Kags1068 in reply to oldtimer2]

Hi Old timer

Sorry about the delayed response. I'm pleased the link worked as i've never done that before.

You obviously like to be different and go the opposite way! Seriously though, i hope this hasn't caused you too many problems as I'm aware if they're low that it can do so, and may require treatment.

As for the as you say, all too often repeat blood test ....... don't you just dread that call?! I think it's yet something else we have to get used to and try not to panic too much when it happens. Good job we're a tough bunch, isn't it? X😉

[cabbie in reply to Kags1068]

it all got a bit of a worry with all.my blood tests being sent to a haematologist to check . Fortunately came back with nothing more sinister than low iron .

[Kags1068 in reply to cabbie]

I can certainly appreciate it would have caused you to worry. I'm very pleased to hear (if you get what i mean) that things were thoroughly double-checked and you know definitively there is nothing nasty going on. What a relief. I hope the low iron can be treated without too much hassle for you. Best wishes X😊

[sylvi]

My hubby has high platelets, but he doesn't have RA, and he is on chemo for it too.xxx

[cabbie in reply to sylvi]

ok thanks .

[sylvi in reply to cabbie]

Don't be worried darling as they will always be there to ask any questions you have. I know the cancer ward Bob is under are very good with him. What i do say don't let them call it cancer until it is cancer which is what they did with Bob and he was really worried as his mum died with cancer at a younger age than he is with it. I had a right job convincing him that he didn't have cancer. They use chemo to bring the platelets down to a normal level. How long he will be taking them i don't know and the hospital doesn't know either. I hope this helps darling.xxx

[cabbie in reply to sylvi]

thank you 😊 x

[Runrig01]

mine have been up and down over the years. I was told it’s due to the inflammation being higher. There is another test as well as CRP & ESR, for testing inflammation. It’s called plasma viscosity but most Trusts don’t do it as it’s expensive. When I attended Leeds they checked it, and even though my CRP & ESR were fairly normal, my plasma viscosity could be raised, which coincided with my platelets being raised. I have AS where 50% of patients never show raised inflammatory markers. Yet I have lung and heart damage from long term inflammation. Mine were never far out of the upper end of the range though.

[rmros in reply to Runrig01]

I have axial spondyloarthropathy secondary to psoriatic arthritis and I'm the same. Never had a raised CRP or ESR even when active inflammation is showing on scans at the same time as the blood test. Yet still, every 3 months, they test my CRP and ESR to monitor disease activity. 🤷‍♀️

[Runrig01 in reply to rmros]

I’m the same, have bloods done 3 monthly due to being on MTX and biologics. I usually have the Nass page open on my phone, to show my rheumatologist the fact that 50% never have raised markers, as he always tries to imply that I can’t be having the symptoms I raise. He’s as used as a chocolate teapot 😂. Then when my lungs got damaged from inflammation I asked him how can that be, as you always state there’s no inflammation as bloods are fine, which he is unable to answer. I also have an enlarged heart due to long standing inflammation.