Low White Blood Count & Fever - Advice?

[Faerenach]

I am totally puzzled as to why they would do that if it was just one low WBC incident. I am used to them only doing that when they suspect a serious condition - so that means repeat blood tests over a period of time and ruling out all other causes etc. I can't imagine my Haemo doing it without having something quite specific in mind that she was looking for. BMBs have their own risks, as I am sure they explained to you.

Except that it wasn't one test he was going on, but two: the first test was redone because my GI thought a touch of flu might have been the reason for the low count. Which, ironically, was higher than the second at 2.2 - maybe that's why he (the hematologist) was worried?

At least you now know for sure there is nothing there to worry about. Did he give you the actual test results? I insist on getting copies of all lab reports. Actually, the doctors are now happy when I just add myself to the 'copies to' list on the pathology request so I get sent a copy at the same time as the docs. Much easier, and saves the doctor having to go out and get the report copied etc on my next visit.

Good luck with your recovery. It takes time to heal.

Lyn

But I DON'T know if there's anything to worry about. Sure, it might be virus, but it apparently could also be certain types of leukemia. I'm just kinda stranged out by my red blood count being so high - I've always felt light-headed after getting up too fast, etc.

Recovery's going well, though. Felt like I got kicked in the back by a horse yesterday, but now it's just a tender bruise feeling. Ice is good.

Thanks for the thoughts and replies everyone! I still feel a bit like I'm stuck in a medical mystery. I'm really hoping there's a cute doctor somewhere along the way.

[hoosier1]

Faerenach,

My wife would receive Neupogen to stimulate (raise) her WBC when she was going through various cancer therapies and post BMT. I wonder if you would benefit from this drug? Worth asking.

Also, though I have never had a bone marrow biopsy, I was with my wife several times when she had hers and I was always amazed at how callous the physicians were he performed the procedure. My wife asked all of them if they ever had it done to themselves, and they all said no. They need to see the movie "The Doctor" with William Hurt.

But my wife quickly learned to take several ativans pre-aspiration. This would prevent her from remembering the procedure and the pain. If they wouldn't medicate her, she would do it herself.

Rich

[Faerenach]

I thought I'd update a little bit:

After regular testing to keep an eye on the neutropenia, I got a random call in the middle of the night from a lab technician telling me my PLATELETS were so low that I should head to the nearest hospital. That was the longest emerg stay - three days, two nights. By the end of it, they realized that the platelet levels were being caused by an immune deal - ITP. So too seemed to be the neutrophil count, because the massive blast of steroids they put me on fixed both things. Temporarily. I was back again with low platelets nary a week after my 4day steroid dose stopped. I'm now on prednisone, which is keeping the levels up.

MC, ITP and AIN. Three immune diseases. While I'm excited they've found out what's going on, I'm really not looking forward to the long-term treatments. I'm currently trying to taper off the prednisone and maintain stable levels, but the swiftness of how they dropped after the first round of steroids doesn't fill me with confidence. IVIG treatment might be something to look at after...

Anyway, despite the prednisone side effects (which are wretched and annoying) I am doing much much better.

[Bifcus16]

Wow, what a triple whammy. That is a real bummer. That news would take some adjusting to.

So do you have a good immunologist? The catch with IVIG is you do have to have it every month unless you can do the home version when you administer it yourself every week. As my immuno keeps reminding me, once started it is forever. But I guess any of the treatments are going to be like that - ongoing. I expect it will take a bit of fine tuning as well until the docs get a treatment plan they and you are happy with.

BTW, have you had your vitamin D levels checked? Obviously stuff like vit D and zinc aren't magic cures, but I figure they can help just that little bit.

Thanks for updating us. Best wishes.

Lyn

[ant]

Dear Faerenach,

Just wanted to say.....

Best wishes, ant

[Zizzle]

Faerenach,


I can only imagine how scary this must be for you. Looking at long-term steroid treatment is never fun, but I suppose it will deal with all 3 conditions at once, no? Have they ruled out viral causes of the ITP and AIN? I looked them both up, and they seem to commonly emerge after infections. I'm only on this wavelength right now becuase a close family friend just collapsed in the shower. Turns out he had very low platelets and was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma caused by a retrovirus infection, HTLV-1. None of us had any idea something like this could be caused by a virus. It makes me wonder if MCers have something viral going on, not to mention the old suspect, Mycobacterium paratuberculosis.

I hope you're on the mend soon.