More frustration-- post srt problems

[Guest guest]

I had previously posted:

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I'm a bit frustrated: I went through 38 sessions of SRT, 68.4 GY. I did experience some issues, but overall got through it ok. I did have some minor fatigue issues during the last 10 days or so of SRT. But I got through it without even missing a day of work. BUT 10 days after the conclusion of SRT I got sick and I am still sick (3 weeks now). My main symptoms: 1) Started with a wheezing, spasmic cough. Some days more than others, but not excessive. 2) Inflammatory feeling/heaviness in bronchial area along with the cough. 3) The previous two have not been a major problem as they seem to come and go, mostly go. The big problem is this miserable brick wall fatigue. It’s getting worse and I am having real problems with it. 4) Strange body temperature. It has been consistently 96.8-97.8, generally 97.5 but fluctuating wildly, often changing by 0.8 degrees with 30 minutes. My normal

body temp. is 98.6-99. I saw the doctor after one week of symptoms but we decided to wait a bit longer. I saw him today. We did a chest x-ray which is normal (no pneumonia, which was a slight concern, so that's good). We also did blood tests (mono., assorted counts, thyroid, some other stuff) and I’ll get those results in a few days. We will also do zithromax (an antibiotic). Any ideas? Can this just be some simple bronchial infection? The fluctuating temps. and fatigue are unlike anything I’ve had before. Can SRT fatigue symptoms show up 10 days after completion and if so is it likely to resolve. Also, is it likely to perhaps show up in the form of weird blood counts (I am awaiting those results; they may be normal but I sure feel what I envision to be anemic). Any suggestions? I want to get back in the gym, but I can barely walk around the block. Mel

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More frustration. I got the results of a battery of tests.

All are within the normal range with one glaring exception.

Here are some results with thee normal range, and the exception:

WBC 5.9 [4.8-10.8]

rbc 4.68 [3.6, 6.1]

hemogl. 15.3 [14-18]

hematocrit 44 [42-48]

OK, there's more. But on the WBC Differential, it lists:

Lymphocytes at 18 % with normal [25-45]

My doctor says this is not significant. My reading seems to indicate that this is a problem.

All the other figures are normal. Is this insignificant? It would seem to explain my problem.

I also called my RO. My RO (his nurse) says none of this has anything to do with the SRT and the 18% is not significant.

　

　

　

　

Mel

　

[Guest guest]

Melvin Billik wrote:

> Lymphocytes at 18 % with normal [25-45]

> My doctor says this is not significant. My reading seems to

> indicate that this is a problem.

> All the other figures are normal. Is this insignificant? It

> would seem to explain my problem.

> I also called my RO. My RO (his nurse) says none of this has

> anything to do with the SRT and the 18% is not significant.

Mel,

Here's an extract from the Wikipedia article on lymphocytes:

A lymphocyte count is usually part of a peripheral complete

blood cell count and is expressed as percentage of

lymphocytes to total white blood cells counted.

A general increase in the number of lymphocytes is known as

lymphocytosis whereas a decrease is lymphocytopenia.

High

An increase in lymphocyte concentration is usually a sign of

a viral infection (in some rare case, leukemias are found

through an abnormally raised lymphocyte count in an otherwise

normal person).

Low

A low normal to low absolute lymphocyte concentration is

associated with increased rates of infection after surgery or

trauma.

[ stuff on HIV elided ] ... Without the key defense that

these T cells provide, the body becomes susceptible to

opportunistic infections that otherwise would not affect

healthy people. ...

It sounds like anything outside the normal range is evidence of

infection. If high it's because you're fighting infection. If

low it can enable infections to take hold that you could

otherwise fight.

If you've got a bacterial infection, the antibiotic you're taking

might wipe it out (or might not). If you've got a viral

infection you'll just have to wait it out. In either case, you

probably want to follow the best advice you can for fighting

infections - lots of sleep, lots of water, keep stress levels as

low as you can.

Good luck.

Alan