High Platelet

[david's mom]

My son was diagnosed with celiac in May of this year. He did not have the typical reactions, according to the doctors. The blood test in May came back with a platelet count of 427, they said that's a little high but nothing to worry about. We had another blood test done last week and it came back at 447,which they are saying is still no big deal. When does it become a big deal? He is having problems with things looking like they are far away, that's his way of descibing whatever is happening. It doesn't happen all of the time. And it doesn't seem to affect his vision. We are getting referred to a neurologist. I don't know what to expect or even where to start looking. I knew something was wrong when he was a baby, but was told he would out grow the vomitting. He did have reflux and throat nodules, both of which are healed. Anyway, I just thought I would see if anyone could help educate me on this. Thanks a bunch!

[julie5914]

Here's some info I found online. I don't believe that number is something to worry about. It is more something to worry about when it goes above 1,000. It could be a flag that something is going on, but that something is most likely celiac.

Too many platelets is called thrombocytosis. When it is caused by something else, it's secondary, or reactive, which is most likely the case. Here are some causes of secondary high platelet count:

Infection (acute and chronic)

Inflammatory disorders (eg Kawasaki's disease)

Chronic iron deficiency

Acute or chronic blood loss

Tissue damage from trauma or surgery

Medicines (steroid, vincristine)

Splenectomy and hyposplenism

Malignancy (Hodgkin's disease, solid tumours)

Rebound from chemotherapy

In your sons case, with a high count but still not too high, I would guess infection or iron deficiency, as these are likely in celiac.

I'm not a doctor or a nurse or anything though. I just read a lot.

[david's mom]

Thanks Julie. I found that info too. He's not on any meds for anything and hasn't been sick. I was also told that if he's on a gluten-free diet then he shouldn't have inflammation. I really appreciate you looking stuff up for me. I guess I'll just keep a watch on him and continue to do what we're doing.

[julie5914]

I'm gluten free since June and still have all sorts of problems, so it may just take a while. I am like you though, I hate when they don't explain stuff unless it's a big sign something's already wrong. If a number is out of range and possibly going up, I want to stop it before it goes further. If it were that normal, it wouldn't be out of range, would it!

[Eliza13]

I also had a high white blood cell count as part of my symptoms.

[helper]

Has anybody out there researched a possible fungus or yeast link to celiac with a high platelet count? I was just reading on an internet site the other day that inflammation may be a cause of platelet count and I know that fungus overgrowth can sure cause inflammation. I also know that there are already some people who write in to celiac.com saying that when they cured their candida yeast problems their celiac symptoms disappeared, also. Yeast is another way of saying fungus, isn't it? Many who suffer Celiac Disease are told that corn is an acceptable grain since there's no gluten so I bet lots of you eat a plenty of it--especially kids. But corn is considered a universally contaminated grain--loaded with molds and fungus, or so I've read. If it were me I would try staying away from foods that not only have gluten but also high fungus or yeast contents like corn, peanuts, mushrooms and stay away from sugar also since yeast/fungus needs sugar to grow. What have you got to lose? I've heard a book that explains some of this reasoning is, The Fungus Link by Doug Kaufmann. He has a show on dish network and cable called, Know the Cause. I believe he has worked with a doctor in Texas who believes the way to treat celiac disease is by supplementing a good gluten-free diet with taking an anti-fungal drug like nystatin or diflucan along with a pro-biotic (good bacteria). This doctor says that a lot of celiac sufferers seem to have been a lot of anti-biotics in the past and may have destroyed the good bacteria that keeps yeast in check. This may not be new information but perhaps it will help someone. There has to be some reason why not everyone is helped by just following a gluten free diet and using the more traditional treatment. Maybe this is the missing link in some of your cases. I heard this discussed on another cable show called, Call to Health. They have a website too. The M.D. and nurse specializing in nutrition on the show seemed to agree with this fungus link idea for some celiac sufferers. I'd check out that book or shows and discuss it with my doctor.

[Kaycee]

Years ago, nearly 20 years ago I had a high platelet count, antibodies, and the doctor thought it was a rumbling appendix. So he did not go further. It was not, but about 5 months later, he realized that I had a cyst besides my ovary about the size of a grapefruit. How he could miss that I don't know.

My question is, would the high levels be related to the cyst, or would it be related to having celiac all those years ago? Could it be both.

Needless to say, I never went back to that doctor, as and for 18 months I had complained about severe abdominal pain, only to be told it was physcosematic, However you spell that), then he thought it was my appendix after the test results came back.

I have only been diagnosed with celiac for 4 months, and would like to know whether I could've had it all those years back. As it is I think have had it for years and years.

Cathy