Re: CBC while on Tetracycline?

[Guest guest]

> But MY question is this-how do we know if it would have been

> even MORE out of the normal range if I wasn't on the antibiotic for

> the rosacea? Is there an infection or a suppressed immune system

> that should be checked out further?

I can't answer it without knowing what abnormal part of the CBC the

nurse was referring to. A large number of medications can result in

an increased number of eosinophils, which are one type of white blood

cell. Typically, the person then gets worked up for increased

eosinophils -- if the patient is well known to the doctor, even a

work up may not be necessary. If everything is normal then it's just

assumed to be a side effect of the medication.

> How do you manage your rosacea patients who take antibiotics who

> also have other health problems and take other meds? What should be

> carefully monitored?

In the ER, I don't.

Seriously, nothing comes to mind, off the top of my head, especially

when the dose of tetracycline is as low as yours. But methotrexate

definitely requires periodic monitoring the bone marrow, liver and

kidney function, and possibly more -- and those blood tests would be

more than enough for tetracycline, I'm sure.

The above may be misleading, even though I'm answering your question,

because I don't have any information about your condition. It may be

that the nurse didn't give you a satisfying answer to your specific

condition because she didn't know the answer -- your questions are

medical questions, not nursing questions. They are certainly

legitimate questions to ask your doctor, next time you see him.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

[Guest guest]

> I didnt ask him about the WBC thing because he told me, like you

> said, that its normal for some categories to come back a little

> funky.

Adam, please be careful. I can't know what your doctor told you, but

that's not what I said. Here's exactly what I said:

" Adam, what you're describing can be found in healthy people. I can't

know that for certain if that's true for you in particular without

the actual numbers, prior CBCs, and a full understanding of your

medical condition. The doctor who ordered the tests presumably has

all that information, and should be able to answer your reasonable

questions about it. "

Interpreting WBC counts require calculations, it's not a

straightforward reading like some blood tests, like the way you're

doing it. Assuming the rest of the numbers are in normal range, the

results you shared online are fine, have nothing " funky " about any of

them. Of course, I can't know if that's true in your particular case

because I know nothing about your condition, you aren't my patient

and I'm not your doctor. That's why you have to ask your doctor.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

I just sorta

> assumed the Minocycline did it, and since everything else was

normal, that

> meant I was healthy, and had nothin' serious wrong, so no need

makin' a fuss

> (I wanted to save all my fusses for cea-related matters .

I'll ask

> him at my next appointment if that might be why I've been getting

sick more

> often lately.

[Guest guest]

> I didnt ask him about the WBC thing because he told me, like you

> said, that its normal for some categories to come back a little

> funky.

Adam, please be careful. I can't know what your doctor told you, but

that's not what I said. Here's exactly what I said:

" Adam, what you're describing can be found in healthy people. I can't

know that for certain if that's true for you in particular without

the actual numbers, prior CBCs, and a full understanding of your

medical condition. The doctor who ordered the tests presumably has

all that information, and should be able to answer your reasonable

questions about it. "

Interpreting WBC counts require calculations, it's not a

straightforward reading like some blood tests, like the way you're

doing it. Assuming the rest of the numbers are in normal range, the

results you shared online are fine, have nothing " funky " about any of

them. Of course, I can't know if that's true in your particular case

because I know nothing about your condition, you aren't my patient

and I'm not your doctor. That's why you have to ask your doctor.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

I just sorta

> assumed the Minocycline did it, and since everything else was

normal, that

> meant I was healthy, and had nothin' serious wrong, so no need

makin' a fuss

> (I wanted to save all my fusses for cea-related matters .

I'll ask

> him at my next appointment if that might be why I've been getting

sick more

> often lately.

[Guest guest]

> I didnt ask him about the WBC thing because he told me, like you

> said, that its normal for some categories to come back a little

> funky.

Adam, please be careful. I can't know what your doctor told you, but

that's not what I said. Here's exactly what I said:

" Adam, what you're describing can be found in healthy people. I can't

know that for certain if that's true for you in particular without

the actual numbers, prior CBCs, and a full understanding of your

medical condition. The doctor who ordered the tests presumably has

all that information, and should be able to answer your reasonable

questions about it. "

Interpreting WBC counts require calculations, it's not a

straightforward reading like some blood tests, like the way you're

doing it. Assuming the rest of the numbers are in normal range, the

results you shared online are fine, have nothing " funky " about any of

them. Of course, I can't know if that's true in your particular case

because I know nothing about your condition, you aren't my patient

and I'm not your doctor. That's why you have to ask your doctor.

Marjorie

Marjorie Lazoff, MD

I just sorta

> assumed the Minocycline did it, and since everything else was

normal, that

> meant I was healthy, and had nothin' serious wrong, so no need

makin' a fuss

> (I wanted to save all my fusses for cea-related matters .

I'll ask

> him at my next appointment if that might be why I've been getting

sick more

> often lately.