Q: I have a low blood platelet count for the past 2 years. The count is less than 20,000. I suffer from fatigue and occasional pain on the sides of my tongue. My RBC and WBC count is in the normal range, but my haemoglobin count is low. I also suffer from Proctosigmoiditis for the past 10 years. What can be done to bring the platelet count to normal?

A:The cause of thrombocytopaenia needs to be found and you should get a peripheral blood smear examination done followed by, if necessary, a bone marrow examination. The fatigue and pain is unrelated to the thrombocytopaenia. A thorough history, particularly of drug intake, is a must to exclude the offending agent, if any.