white blood count

[Guest guest]

I will get my blood tested and the results back by next week. I imagine

they will test for while blood cell count along with other things because I

am now on Enbrel (and prednisone). I will let you know if there is any

problem with the counts.

[Guest guest]

its common, at least for me. Since June I have been trying to lower my pred

but can't seem to get off it as the imuran keeps my white blood counts up

and down. I have a standing order for labs monthly and go in even sooner if

my doc asks. BTW... were on the same dosage of both.

Jen

On Tue, 27 Nov 2001 17:57:46 -0800 (PST),

wrote:

> Hi,

>

> My name is . I have been in this group for

> probably over a month. I usually just read the

> emails, because I am a senior in college and have been

> really busy. My doctor called the other day and told

> me that he was concerned with my white blood count

> because they were 2700 and they aren't supposed to go

> lower than 4000. I started on Azathioprine in October

> and he thinks this might be causing it, so I am back

> in for bloodwork weekly to monitor it. Has anyone

> else had this experience? What do they do?

> Thanks for any help!

> DE - Dx 9/01

> 10mg prednisone / 50mg Azathioprine

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/2/2002 4:39:50 PM Eastern Standard Time,

philcome@... writes:

> My white blood count continues to be low with my lymes treatment. I have

> seen improvement since starting treatment last summer. My doctor explained

> that the low wbc is due to the strain of the medications on my system .

> Can someone explain the relationship and what can I take or do to help

> increase the wbc's?

>

> Phil

>

Phil,

If your white blood count is down due to the medication then your doctor

needs to make an adjustment in the dosage by lowering it so your count will

come back up.....

[Guest guest]

I sort of hate to have him reduce them. I'm on two antibiotics and

notice a significant difference on them and I take Klonopin and Paxil

for sleep. Surely there must be some supplemental form offset this

effect and help increase the wbc's. I don't know the biochemical

process for their production.

Phil

>

> Phil,

> If your white blood count is down due to the medication then your

doctor

> needs to make an adjustment in the dosage by lowering it so your

count will

> come back up.....

>

>

[Guest guest]

dear Phil,

Sorry I cannot answer your request for info - I'm sure others here

can who have medical knowledge, but have you been tested at QUALITY

lab for ehrlichia? I know this one disrupts bone marrow production,

low white count & low platelets (can cause spontaneous bleeding due

to this).

Blessings!

> My white blood count continues to be low with my lymes treatment. I

have seen improvement since starting treatment last summer. My doctor

explained that the low wbc is due to the strain of the medications on

my system .

> Can someone explain the relationship and what can I take or do to

help increase the wbc's?

>

> Phil

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi again,

Just remembered doc telling us that antibiotics suppress immune

system.

Blessings!

> My white blood count continues to be low with my lymes treatment. I

have seen improvement since starting treatment last summer. My doctor

explained that the low wbc is due to the strain of the medications on

my system .

> Can someone explain the relationship and what can I take or do to

help increase the wbc's?

>

> Phil

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

just a note to you all. I have had low whc for all 5 years of lyme. It did

get somewhat better with thyroid medication but it is does vary depending on

how I am doing with symptoms too. its been as low as 2.3 and it started with

4.7 when I was first diagnosed and put on med's.

Bev

[Guest guest]

> dear Phil,

>

> Sorry I cannot answer your request for info - I'm sure others here

> can who have medical knowledge, but have you been tested at QUALITY

> lab for ehrlichia? I know this one disrupts bone marrow

production,

> low white count & low platelets (can cause spontaneous bleeding due

> to this).

I was tested by either MDL or IGENEX for it and came back neg.

[Guest guest]

> just a note to you all. I have had low whc for all 5 years of

lyme. It did

> get somewhat better with thyroid medication but it is does vary

depending on

> how I am doing with symptoms too. its been as low as 2.3 and it

started with

> 4.7 when I was first diagnosed and put on med's.

>

Mine seems to remain around 3.3 so maybe it's just soemthing I

tolerate as long as I'm on the antibiotics.

Phil

[Guest guest]

Phil, My WBC count is lower than it has been in 9 years and I haven't

taken antibiotics in over one year. So, it may not be the abx.

Mike

> I am still on two antibiotics which are helping with my CFS/lymes.

In addition I'm on Klonopin and Paxil. My white blood count remains

low(my doctor monitors it monthly).He told me the strain of

processing the meds can lower the wbc count. Could someone explain

exactly how this occurs and if there are supplements I can take to

help offset this biochemical process?

>

> Phil

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

My WBC counts declined over a decade then picked up remarkably when I went

on Naltrexone. If you look at my story on

http://members.austarmetro.com.au/~julian/cfs/naltrexone.htm

you will see that something happened suddenly after 2 years on Naltrexone

that took me back to my starting point, almost. Just the same I think it

is a good treatment for disappearing WBCs.

n

At 09:41 07/05/02, you wrote:

>Phil, My WBC count is lower than it has been in 9 years and I haven't

>taken antibiotics in over one year. So, it may not be the abx.

>

>Mike

[Guest guest]

Hmmmm, very interesting. Did you notice any improvement in your

immune system such as fewer bacterial infections? I try to avoid

large crowds as I seem to get sinus infections when I am in large

groups such as when I went Christmas shopping. Also, I would have

a hard time with Naltrexone as I have to take other pain meds.

Mike

> My WBC counts declined over a decade then picked up remarkably when

I went

> on Naltrexone. If you look at my story on

>

> http://members.austarmetro.com.au/~julian/cfs/naltrexone.htm

>

> you will see that something happened suddenly after 2 years on

Naltrexone

> that took me back to my starting point, almost. Just the same I

think it

> is a good treatment for disappearing WBCs.

>

> n

[Guest guest]

,

WBC count can be low in Lupus. There are many other reasons as well. Not

knowing how low your count is, it¹s hard to say what is going on, especially

when it¹s repeated and it is normal. What medication are you on?

Sometimes different drugs can cause your counts to be off. Here is some

info on WBC:

> http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003643.htm#abnormalResults

>

> a

>

>

> I recently had some blood work done. Got a call from the specialist that my

> white blood count is low.

>

> As I recall, the last couple times I had blood work, my white blood cells

> were low. My doctor would send me to have the tests done again and they

> would come back OK.

>

> I don't know what the numbers were.

>

> The doctor who called is the RD. I have an appt with him on July 18. The

> results of the blood tests were sent to him and to my doctor. He called me

> on sunday to say the white blood cells were low and I needed to get in touch

> with my doctor.

>

> anyone have any experience/knowledge with low white blood cells???????

> Thanks,

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello, ! Nice to see you posting again.

It's hard to answer very specifically since I'm not sure which of your

white cells are low and how low, but here are some links to get you

started:

What are white blood cells (WBCs)?:

http://www.uscuh.com/ADAM/Surgery/Whitebloodcellcount_1.html

" Key Concept: Understand the various causes of neutropenia in rheumatoid

arthritis:

....Methotrexate (as well as gold, penicillamine, and other

disease-modifying agents) can cause severe leukopenia and neutropenia

and require CBC monitoring during therapy. Prednisone and other

corticosteroids, however, do not lower the neutrophil count. Indeed, the

neutrophil count rises acutely after corticosteroid administration,

owing to demargination. Felty syndrome is the triad of rheumatoid

arthritis, splenomegaly, and neutropenia and frequently includes

hepatomegaly, lymphadenopathy, fever, weight loss, anemia, and

thrombocytopenia. Leg ulcers and hyperpigmentation may also be seen.

This syndrome develops late in the course of chronic, seropositive

rheumatoid arthritis, often after the inflammatory arthritis has

resolved. Recurrent infections with gram-positive organisms can be a

serious clinical problem, and infections do not always correlate with

the severity of neutropenia. Large granular lymphocyte syndrome is a

clonal expansion of CD2+, CD3+, CD8+, CD16+, and CD57+ cells and is

frequently associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Patients present with

neutropenia, infections, and possibly splenomegaly and may be

misdiagnosed as having Felty syndrome. "

Source: http://www.samed.com/sample/cmesam/ANS3_5.HTM

" Approach to the Patient with Leukopenia " :

http://merck.praxis.md/bpm/bpm.asp?page=BPM01HE04

[ ] White Blood Count

> I recently had some blood work done. Got a call from the specialist

that my

> white blood count is low.

>

> As I recall, the last couple times I had blood work, my white blood

cells

> were low. My doctor would send me to have the tests done again and

they

> would come back OK.

>

> I don't know what the numbers were.

>

> The doctor who called is the RD. I have an appt with him on July 18.

The

> results of the blood tests were sent to him and to my doctor. He

called me

> on sunday to say the white blood cells were low and I needed to get in

touch

> with my doctor.

>

> anyone have any experience/knowledge with low white blood cells???????

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

--Hi ...I noticed a and sent you some great links on

low white cell count...It is a problem I have....I have had a low

white cell count for 5 years....and the first test was running at

about 800..through the years it has always fluctuated and the highest

it ever has been is 1088...mine seems to dip real low in the

lymphocytes area......with that and complement testing that was low

C-3..C-4...they gave me the lupus diagnosis...at the time I wasnt on

any meds that would have caused them to be low...from what I

understand Lupus does cause a lowering of white cell count and it is

not uncommon for it to go down....and then later for it to be

normal..usually they can predict a flare by the blood test...even

before you know ....which isnt always welcome news...Good Luck at

your doctors appointment ...Kathi in Ok-

leslie <leslie49@s...> wrote:

> I recently had some blood work done. Got a call from the specialist

that my

> white blood count is low.

>

> As I recall, the last couple times I had blood work, my white blood

cells

> were low. My doctor would send me to have the tests done again and

they

> would come back OK.

>

> I don't know what the numbers were.

>

> The doctor who called is the RD. I have an appt with him on July 18.

The

> results of the blood tests were sent to him and to my doctor. He

called me

> on sunday to say the white blood cells were low and I needed to get

in touch

> with my doctor.

>

> anyone have any experience/knowledge with low white blood

cells???????

> Thanks,

>

>

[Guest guest]

Phil,

I had low WBC for years and it is finally back to normal since taking

3 months of Mag/Taurine injections 4x/week for 3 months.

Nat

[Guest guest]

Subj: Re: Fwd: [ ] white blood count

Date: 12/11/02 12:17:24 PM Pacific Standard Time

From: barb

CEwing2761@...

You can tell Phil that my wbc hovered at 2.4 for awhile, and I was on

solganal gold shots every 4 wks and 200 mg of minocycline/ day. With RA

there is a problem called Felty's Syndrome which includes a low wbc and

enlarged speen. I had a sonagram and the spleen was ok. When I went off

both drugs, my wbc went up to 3.4.

B

______________________________________________________________________

Subj: [ ] white blood count

Date: 12/11/02 5:36:23 AM Pacific Standard Time

From: philcome@... (philcome)

Reply-to:

My doctor monitors my bloodwork monthly due to the intensive antibiotic

therapy I am on. One area of concern is my consistent low white blood count.

It is usually around 2.9-3.1. My doctor explains that it has some effect on

the bone marrow. My questions are(1) exactly what does a low wbc mean with

regards to my bones and (2) is there some supplement I can take to help boost

wbc production?

Phil

[Guest guest]

I have not really posted often, but I do read all of the posts. I was diagnosed

in February 2008 and became a member of the zero club in May 2008. I take 400

mg of gleevec daily. I go for a CBC every month and every three months, I get

more extensive bloodwork done. I just got my results for this month's draw. My

white blood count is general between 5.5 and 6.5. This month it is 8.1. My

hemoglobin is generally around 11.3 to 11.5. This month it is 11.0. I know

this sounds silly, but do I worry about my white count climbing? Is this a sign

that it will keep climbing again and not stop? I did miss taking my gleevec 2

days before my blood draw. I never miss - I don't know what happened that day.

I can't think that would cause the increase as I understand that the drug stays

in your system. Sorry for the question, but I get nervous every month and this

time it really surprised me.

Jill

[Guest guest]

Your fear is quite understandable. I think most in this group has had the same

concern at the beginning months of treatment. Your white counts are still

normal at 8.1. I have had my CBC's taken at two different labs. The one at my

ONC's office shows that normal is 4.0 to 10.5, and the the VA.s lab uses a scale

of 4.8 to 10.8. I I remenber correctly my ONC's answer to my question about my

counts being high was not to become overly concerned until it reached 20. His

logic was that a common cold, or similar minor incident could spike cause a

reading above the maximum. If you had something that might cause an unexpected

reading be sure and report it at the time they draw the blood so they can note

this when the results are produced.

H.

dxd. 2/03

400mg Gleevec 3/03

PCRU 11/03

QPCR undetectable 11/04

RT-PCR .000 11/05

Iron Infusion 10/06

RT-PCR .001 11/06

Transfusions 12/06-5/07

Gleevec Vacation 6/07-1/08

QT-PCR .070 1/08

Gleevec 1/08-5/8

Procrit 6/08-11/08

Gleevec Vacation 11/08-Present

QT-PCR .030 4/09

Gleevec is on hold 4/09 until 6/09 QT-PCR due to Pacemaker surgery for heart

condition since 1991.

>

> I have not really posted often, but I do read all of the posts. I was

diagnosed in February 2008 and became a member of the zero club in May 2008. I

take 400 mg of gleevec daily. I go for a CBC every month and every three

months, I get more extensive bloodwork done. I just got my results for this

month's draw. My white blood count is general between 5.5 and 6.5. This month

it is 8.1. My hemoglobin is generally around 11.3 to 11.5. This month it is

11.0. I know this sounds silly, but do I worry about my white count climbing?

Is this a sign that it will keep climbing again and not stop? I did miss taking

my gleevec 2 days before my blood draw. I never miss - I don't know what

happened that day. I can't think that would cause the increase as I understand

that the drug stays in your system. Sorry for the question, but I get nervous

every month and this time it really surprised me.

>

> Jill

>