Low White Blood Count & Fever - Advice?

Faerenach · Post by **Faerenach** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:28 pm

Hi guys,

I've been running the gamut of medical tests and specialists lately, including two blood tests that came back with leukopenia - low white blood count.

My GI has booked me with a hematologist for Wednesday (yay for swiftness!) but warned me that any kind of fever and I should take myself straight to the hospital, as people with low count are very susceptible to serious infections.

So... I've been having chills all day and am running a 'slight' fever of 101.3F right now, but I feel no different from the same symptoms I had all through December. Is it really necessary to go to the hospital? Can't I just bundle up in a blanket, drink a lot of fluids and get to bed early? What's worse is that tonight the theatre production I'm in (and performing in in a week!) is having tv and newspaper show up at rehearsal tonight (in like, an hour). It's so close to the show, that I'm thinking if I go I can just stay for a bit and come home early.

Am I not taking this seriously enough? Advice please!

Foxnhound8 · Post by **Foxnhound8** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:23 pm

You are not taking this seriously enough...IMHO.

foxnhound

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:51 pm

You need to get this addressed right away. With the fever and low count I would not being going out. You need rest and nutrition right now. Did they tell you what your white blood cell count was?
What meds are your taking?

--Joe

harvest_table · Post by **harvest_table** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 6:51 pm

Hi Faer,

Sorry your not feeling well. Under normal circumstances a blanket and liquids at home might do the trick for you but... your white cell counts are low and your temp is a sign somethings brewing.

I hope you decided to take your Doc's advice and head into the hospital today.

Feel better soon so you can enjoy your upcoming theater productions. By the way, my favorite artist is Mary Cassatt.

Love, from Fergus,

Joanna

klhale · Post by **klhale** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 7:11 pm

FYI - looks like there are many causes of low white blood count.
What medicine are u taking? I would look to this first, 2nd, maybe a vitamin deficiency causing it....Imuran made me have Lymphoma symptoms....

Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff

A low white blood cell count usually is caused by one of the following:

■Viral infections that temporarily disrupt bone marrow function
■Congenital disorders characterized by diminished bone marrow function
■Cancer or other diseases that damage bone marrow
■Autoimmune disorders that destroy white blood cells or bone marrow cells
■Overwhelming infections that use up white blood cells faster than they can be produced
■Drugs that destroy white blood cells or damage bone marrow
Specific causes of low white blood cell count include:

Aplastic anemia
Certain medications, such as antibiotics and diuretics
Chemotherapy
HIV/AIDS
Hypersplenism, a premature destruction of blood cells by the spleen
Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)
Infectious diseases
Kostmann's syndrome, a congenital disorder involving low neutrophil production
Leukemia
Lupus
Myelodysplastic syndromes
Myelofibrosis
Myelokathexis, a congenital disorder involving failure of neutrophils to enter the bloodstream
Other autoimmune disorders
Other congenital disorders
Parasitic diseases
Radiation therapy
Rheumatoid arthritis
Vitamin deficiencies

hoosier1 · Post by **hoosier1** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 7:46 pm

Agree with the others... See the hematologist.

What is your WBC level?

Rich

Faerenach · Post by **Faerenach** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 8:17 pm

Hi everyone,

I'm home, just about to go to bed, but I thought I'd check in.

I'm not on any meds at all - nor was I when I had the blood tests. I'm definitely seeing the hematologist this Wednesday - for sure. That's non-negotiable, I know. As for the other details, I don't know what my WBC level is - my doc didn't share that with me. I've got a niggling feeling that my leukopenia is probably due to vitamin deficiency, but we won't be able to confirm that until I meet with the blood doctor.

I took a couple of aspirin and my fever dropped to near normal - 98.5F. I feel much better, but am definitely going to grab some sleep. We'll see how I am in the morning. The deal with going to the hospital (here in Canada) is that I might end up sitting in the emergency room for hours before being looked at, and to me getting more sleep where I can seems priority.

Thanks everyone for your perspectives!

Joefnh · Post by **Joefnh** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 8:33 pm

Rest sounds like a good idea.

I hope you feel better soon.

--Joe

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 8:36 pm

The body has many different ways of communicating illness or the message to slow down and rest.

Prior to MC i would put on the cape and push through and keep going
Post MC my body just cant do that, if there are symptoms such as fever it is telling you something whether it is take it easy and rest or see a health professional and get treatment.
i have spent 12 months nurturing and helping the leaky gut heal, and optimising the regeneration of good cells in my digestion, I have worked hard to achieve that, so now i feel poorly i listen to my body...

Bifcus16 · Post by **Bifcus16** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:01 pm

Hi Faer,

I swap between neutropenia and leukopenia. Occasionally a blood test without one or the other, just for variety. But my immune system is officially incompetent.

Having one low count is really not significant. That happens to all of us. It also depends on how low it is. Unless it is very low, or the haemo needs a new car, odds on they will just ask for a retest in six weeks to see how it is going.

I don't see a relationship between my levels and mundane infections. That said, I do know some folk who get constant infections from their low levels. They are sick more often than not, which I suspect doesn't describe you. I wouldn't go rushing off to hospital just because of a low WBC reading, especially since that means sitting around with lots of infectious people for hours.

As normal if you get worried that it is rapidly deteriorating or you are having chest pain or trouble breathing, you go get help immediately. If you have a partner, get their assessment of how you are going.

Lyn

harvest_table · Post by **harvest_table** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 9:44 pm

Faer,

Hope you get a good nights rest.

Lyn,

Your post is enlightening and thanks for your perspective. Why do you think your immune system is so out of whack?

Love,

Joanna

Bifcus16 · Post by **Bifcus16** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:14 am

Hi Joanna,

I am lucky enough to have Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID). It is classed as a primary immune deficiency (PID), meaning that it is basically genetic. I have tiny amounts of IgA (around one tenth of the minimum and you should be well above the minimum), and low IgG. I cannot make normal amounts of B memory cells - the mechanism via which vaccinations work. There are some other parts of my immune system also out of range. I get watched closely.

So my attitude to WBC variations is a bit different.

Lyn

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:29 am

Lyn,
I find it interesting that you would have MC, since it's generally considered a disease of an "overactive" immune system. Do you have any other "autoimmune" issues?

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 9:33 am

Both my parents have chronic neutropenia and no one knows why. They are genetically vastly different, but they live on a farm in Guatemala and may be exposed to environemtal toxins on a regular basis. My mom gets sick fairly often and is currently battling chronic gastritis and h.pylori infection. My dad NEVER gets sick. No one know what to make of the neutropenia, but it doesn't seem to affect them too much.

Post by **tex** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:18 pm

Zizzle wrote:I find it interesting that you would have MC, since it's generally considered a disease of an "overactive" immune system.

As you may know, I have long disagreed with that claim, (that IBDs are caused by an overactive immune system), and there's a lot of evidence that disputes such a position). You may remember my most recent post about it, written about a month ago:

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... une+system

This earlier thread contains some more evidence to the contrary:

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... une+system

Here's another thread that was written over 4 years ago, that contains some more evidence to support my claim:

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... une+system

I've posted other information about this, also, but anyway, the point is, I'm not convinced that MC, (nor the other IBDs, for that matter), is/are the result of an overactive immune system - at least not in most cases. The evidence of an overactive immune system exists only in laboratory results. In the real, (macroscopic), world, the evidence seems to contradict that theory. This suggests to me that the laboratory results are being misinterpreted, and the macroscopic evidence is being largely ignored by the medical community, (very much like the situation with non-celiac gluten-sensitivity).

Virtually every member of this board, who is gluten-sensitive, knows from personal experience, that the mainstream medical community, (and especially the "go-by-the-book" celiac docs), are totally wrong with their claim that non-caliac gluten-sensitivity, (NCGS), does not exist, (despite the laboratory evidence that they cite as "proof"). And yet, I seem to be the only one here, who sees the same thing happening with their claim that IBDs are caused by an overactive immune system. Their "proof" that NCGS does not exist, is no better than their "proof" that IBDs are caused by an overactive immune system, IMO.

I believe that IBDs are caused by an underactive immune system. When do we develop MC, for example? MC shows up when our resistance is down, because of vitamin dieficiencies, parasites, viral or bacterial infection, SIBO, harsh colonoscopy prep solutions, meds that we cannot tolerate, stress, etc., etc. We do not develop MC when we are totally healthy, and all of the factors that I mentioned in the previous sentence are totally absent. Right?

Tex