High platelet count: What does this mean?

My husband has been having high WBC for almost a year ( routine blood test ) He saw a hematologist... he did blood work and told him he had the JAX2 gene mutation. Dr said he may always have a slightly high WBC but nothing can be done. If it got worse, then he would order a bone marrow biopsy. He told him to return in 6 months. I decided to ask his family Dr to repeat the blood work in 3 months.. WBC was 17 and this time his platelets were high too .. 1 million. Now the hematologist put him on Hydroxyurea ( 500 mg X 2/day ), a baby aspirin and ordered weekly blood test for the next 5 weeks. The Dr changed his mind about the bone marrow test.. he said since we know that this is all coming from the Jax2 gene , it is not necessary. THOUGHTS?

Thanks for the question. If the diagnosis is clear without punching around in the marrow, the avoided procedure is no fun to endure.
I have a 1.4 Million platelet count and take 325 msg of aspirin daily for 3 years to thin the platelets. I am considering Hydroxyurea to kill off the cells and JAK2 genes that produce platelets. The Moderna vaccine jacked up my platelet count from 1.2 million to over 1.4 million. I hope this helps you.

Good day to all.. I have 932,000 and just had bone marrow aspiration and biopsy today.. I have to wait about 2 weeks or less for the result. Hoping and praying for a good result..

It would be best to consult with your son's hematologist. After I had chemo five years ago, my platelet count dropped dramaticaly and it has stayed that way.

@arianna Hi and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I see you just joined us today. I’m sorry it had to be under stressful conditions for you. You’ll find we’re a very caring and encouraging community.

Oh, the dreaded waiting period. You have my empathy as I’m coming up on a baker’s dozen of bone marrow biopsies and it’s not easy being patient waiting for results!

The biopsy samples do take a week to complete for the final analysis. There are quite a few elements and techniques being used...some take longer than others to run.
With the aspiration and biopsy of the bone marrow, your doctor will be going to the source of blood production.
The aspiration portion of the biopsy takes the liquid portion of your bone marrow and will check for abnormal cells.
The biopsy itself is done from a core sample of your bone narrow to determine whether your marrow has a higher than normal number of the large cells that make platelets.

Did you also have blood tests run? Often with high platelets your doctor will also be looking for specific genetic flaws or mutations, number of platelets, size of your platelets, or markers of inflammation.

I know this all sounds frightening. But it’s being done to determine exactly why your platelet count is high and then there can be a diagnosis and treatment plan. That’s a good thing! ☺️

How long have had an elevated platelet level? Are you on low dose aspirin or an other blood thinner to prevent clotting?

Let’s find your happy place while you wait for results. What are some activities you enjoy?

Hoping and praying right along with you. Lori.

Hi! Thank you for your reply😊 i've had high platelet count for a long time. I was taking low dose of aspirin but i stopped (my fault) that's why it goes up to 932,000😢 i had series of blood tests before my hematologist told me to have a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy which was done yesterday (not a pleasant experience from a procedure). Now it is the agony of waiting for the result. One of the initial findings of my hematologist according to my blood tests is i have Alpha Thellasemia. Any additional info about this?
And by the way, please just want to know if you have food restrictions if you have high platelet count? And is jogging everyday okay?
Thank you in advance for your info.

@arianna
Those of us on Connect aren’t medical professionals so we can’t diagnose conditions. But we can rely on our experiences and valuable insights we’ve learned along our life’s journey to help other members. Over the course of my leukemia adventures I’ve had a great deal of experience with blood work: white and red counts, hemoglobin, platelets etc..and what the numbers mean.

However, I’m not familiar with Alpha Thellasemia. From my quick research on Mayo Clinic’s site, (and a couple other sources) it appears to be an inherited disorder.
Do you have other symptoms besides high platelet counts. Are your WBC/RBC in normal ranges and just your platelets high? Are you anemic at all?

You mentioned jogging, so your energy doesn’t seem affected by your condition so that’s great. If you’ve been jogging and it’s not been an issue, it would be good to continue with that exercise and others as it sure keeps your blood moving along. ☺️ (A quick call to your hematologist’s office would give you a clear answer)
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thalassemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354995
Because of my chemo treatments my platelets would fall to non-existence. To boost platelets I learned what foods were beneficial.
So for High platelets the opposite would be appropriate. You have high platelets and want to avoid anything that would further unwanted clotting. There are many relatable sites but found this one helpful.
https://healthyliving.azcentral.com/foods-to-decrease-platelet-aggregation-12399508.html
It will be interesting to learn what the biopsy reveals. In the meantime, keep positive and stay active! Lori.

Hi Lori! Thank you.. WBC/RBC are in normal range, just the platelet count is high.. I am active, jogging/working out everyday and im fine while doing that. I will know the real problem in 2 weeks time as soon as i will have a call from the oncologist for my result from my bone marrow aspiration and biopsy.

In order to confirm any gene mutations, you must do a bone marrow biopsy. Can not be determined thru blood test only.

High platlets crease risk of strokes, blood clots.