high platelets count?

I'm curious about something. A month before my hospitalization, prior to be finding out I had Crohn's, I went in for a physical with my PCP.  Blood test indicated a high platelet count but everything else was normal.  I know some people have a high sed rate.  Does anybody else use platelet counts as an indication of disease activity?

I have never lost weight, I never bleed and I have IBS so have have "D" quite frequently.  I also have fatique often so I'm never sure if I'm having a flare.  I'm just hoping to find something easy to see if there is disease activity without going through colonoscopies and the like.  I lived with "d" for 25+ years because I didn't think it was anything other than IBS.  I just don't want to get out of control again and end up with more surgeries.

I have always understood that an increased platelet count is a sure sign of inflammation in the body. It was the first blood value my old GI was interested to know, never my sed rate or even hemoglobin. My sed rates were never out of whack -- almost never have been in 30 years, but my platelet count has been elevated several times, usually in conjunction with a major increase in symptoms. My crohn's is restricted to the distal end of the small bowel and only ever affects a small area 5-12 inches at any one time. I think that is why my blood work is usually not indicative of crohn's and why the platelet count has been such an important marker for me.

Never thought of that Vicky...I'll have to watch mine. You want something quick that will help keep you out the bathroom you say.....Try lowering your sugar intake for 2 weeks. Stay away from all artifical sweetners that contain aspartame, saccahrine, or sorbitol. Use honey sparingly, try Stevia, an all natural herb, or use Splenda as a sweetner. I bet if you cut back your intake by half, you would be AMAZED by how much your energy levels increase and how that sed rate plummets. If that experiment works for you...then slowly try cutting back on yeasty breads next. This doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself of even more foods...a little indulgence in moderation never hurt anyone! Just noticed after I posted you have steroid dependent diabeties....are your sugar lables stable? I'm sure your familar with the sugar roll a coaster ride!

My platelet count usually spikes before I become anemic.