DEAR DR. GOTT: My most recent lab work, from October of last year, indicated a sudden increase in my platelet count to 446 as compared to 369 in December of 2009. My monocytes increased from 7 to 10 during that same 10-month period. The doctor said not to be concerned, but after reading your article “Low Platelet Count Concerns Reader,” I am concerned! I’m a 55-year-old African-American female. I have been a diabetic since 1998. Should I seek further testing?
DEAR READER: A platelet count measures how many platelets you have in your blood. Their purpose is to help blood to clot. The normal range is between 150 and 450 per microliter of blood and can vary slightly between different laboratories.
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