low white blood cell count

[Guest guest]

Hi Vermithrax - good to hear from you again

Have a look at question 12 of our FAQ at www.rheumatic.org/faq.htm on this

subject. Let us know how you get on.

Chris.

He advised me to

stop taking the Minocin and anything else I'm taking that's not a vitamin

(except for the Arthrotec) for the next four weeks and then have my blood

retested by my GP.

Does anyone out there have any thoughts on this? What could this drop in

my white blood cell count mean?

[Guest guest]

At 12:43 PM 6/25/99 +300900, you wrote:

>From: cadlard@...

>

>Hi Vermithrax - good to hear from you again

>

>Have a look at question 12 of our FAQ at www.rheumatic.org/faq.htm on this

>subject. Let us know how you get on.

>Chris.

Thanks Chris:

I'm going to visit my GP tomorrow (her and my rheumy are sister and

brother)and ask her about this. I'll ask for a xerox hardcopy of the

bloodworks as she gets CC'd a copy as well. Just a few questions that came

up after reading the FAQ, though.

I've been on the Atkins Diet Revolution for about 3 years so I don't

know about the protein intake one. I get *LOOOTTTSSS* of protein on this

diet! Maybe my body isn't metabolising it properly now? After a month I'm

guessing they'll follow procedure and put me back on the Minocin for

another month if my bloodworks are okay. Then another blood test. If that

turns out okay, then they'll let me resume with the selenium and

acidophilus/bifidus. Hopefully I'm not getting ahead of myself with this

next question but if after a month back on the Minocin and the white blood

cell count goes back down again, it'll reasonably conclusive in their eyes

that the Minocin is the culprit. If so, are there other antibiotics I can

try that are less prone to cause this or will I run into the same problem

again irregardess of what antibiotic I try? In particular I'm curious about

Ciprofloxicin and possibly supplemental Zithromax. Both to my understanding

have been used successfully for AS.

Kind Regards,

Vermithrax

[Guest guest]

At 12:43 PM 6/25/99 +300900, you wrote:

>From: cadlard@...

>

>Hi Vermithrax - good to hear from you again

>

>Have a look at question 12 of our FAQ at www.rheumatic.org/faq.htm on this

>subject. Let us know how you get on.

>Chris.

Got back from my GP and in addition to what can cause leukopenia are

viral infections. I may have a viral infection I didn't know about that I

possibly attributed to a herx or flare. As well, she has at least three

patients who have chronic low white blood cell count. Despite my

anxiousness, she advised to to follow my rheumy's direction and cut the

Minocin, selenium and acidophilus/bifidus for a month. Then come to her for

another blood test. Then proceed from there. I asked her about using

Ciprofloxicin as a substitute in the event that it turns out that the

Minocin is causing the leukopenia and she said that Cipro has even more

side effects than Minocin. Anyone have thoughts on the last statement?

Vermithrax

[Guest guest]

Don't know the particulars on this, but in some cases an RX from the doctor

for Folic Acid daily might be indicated. BG

rheumatic Low White Blood Cell Count

>Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 16:23:13 -0700

>

>From: Vermithrax <vermithrax@...>

>

>Hi All:

>

> I just got a call from my rheumy about my last blood test results taken

>on Tuesday. He said there was a drop of my white blood cell count from last

>time, which was a bit low but still within normal parameters. I don't have

a

>hard copy in front of me so I can't tell you what the actual count is.

>

> From my understanding it is now under normal parameters. He advised me

>to stop taking the Minocin and anything else I'm taking that's not a

vitamin

>(except for the Arthrotec) for the next four weeks and then have my blood

>retested by my GP.

>

> Does anyone out there have any thoughts on this? What could this drop

in

>my white blood cell count mean? Is there a risk of a Herx if I stop taking

>it? I'm really bummed because things seemed to be going so well on the AP

>and for all intents and purposes my AS seemed to be in remission. Now what

>could happen?

>

> My dosage of Minocin were 100mg a day and Arthrotec 75mg twice a day. I

>also take 2 grams of vitamin C a day, 200 mcg of Selenium a day and

>acidophilus/bifidus supplements.

>

>Thanks In Advance,

>

>Vermithrax

>___________________

>

>

>Hello Vermithrax,

>

>I used to get the same and worry alike. I believe this is a consequence of

>high NSAIDs dosage over a number of years. Antiinflammatory medication

>prevents the production of white blood cells used as antibodies against the

>bacterias causing Ankylosing Spondylitis.

>

>I wouldn't stop Minocin or Antibiotics over that.

>

>

>Pierre

>Ankylosing Spondylitis, 18-21 Years

>Antibiotics, 10 Months

>

>

>---------------------------

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I have been battling a low white count for some time now. Mine is a whooping

2.5. I almost got it up to 3.0 and I went in again today to see how it is

and will know more tomorrow. I have been on a combo of Enbrel and Arava. I

had been on the methotrexate and others also. I am still not sure what will

happen either. I was having great success with the Enbrel and the Arava

combo but was taken off the Arava for a few weeks and now am waiting to see

if it dropped again after getting to be back on it for a while. My rheumy

says not to worry, we have more options. I know that Remicade is an option

but it is one that I have decided that I will not go on, especially cause I

do not want the MTX again. So I guess for now I am playing the waiting game.

Good luck with yours!

Take care,

D in MN

[Guest guest]

Hi:

My wife has MS and has been on LDN (4.5 mg) for over a year with some good

results. However, she has had a problem with low WBC count. They thought it

was betaseron so the took her off (this was over a year ago). She is not

currently on any MS drug except LDN and provigal and hasn't been for a year.

Anyone out there in MS land have this problem. Could MS itself cause it,

could LDN cause it, could provigal cause it? Respond please. They are

sending her to a cancer specialist next week. Leukemia?

Bones

[Guest guest]

How low is low ?. LDN is unlikely to be the culprit.

A

> Hi:

>

> My wife has MS and has been on LDN (4.5 mg) for over a year with

some good

> results. However, she has had a problem with low WBC count. They

thought it

> was betaseron so the took her off (this was over a year ago). She

is not

> currently on any MS drug except LDN and provigal and hasn't been

for a year.

> Anyone out there in MS land have this problem. Could MS itself

cause it,

> could LDN cause it, could provigal cause it? Respond please. They

are

> sending her to a cancer specialist next week. Leukemia?

>

> Bones

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/18/2005 2:40:22 P.M. Central Standard Time, bonesfour4@... writes:

:My wife has MS and has been on LDN (4.5 mg) for over a year with some good results. However, she has had a problem with low WBC count. They thought it was betaseron so the took her off (this was over a year ago). She is not currently on any MS drug except LDN and provigal and hasn't been for a year. Anyone out there in MS land have this problem. Could MS itself cause it, could LDN cause it, could provigal cause it? Respond please. They are sending her to a cancer specialist next week. Leukemia?Bones

Dear Bones,

I have had MS for more years then I can remember. I've always had a little higher white blood count. Two years ago my Internist and he did all kinds of tests and come to the conclusion that it is from the MS. I've talked to a few other MSers that live near me and they have the same thing. My doctor told me not to worry about it.

Love and hugsCJTo the world, you might be one person, but to one person you just might be the world.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I have had two series of blood tests done by my GP this year(separated by a

couple of months) that showed that I also have a (marginally) low white

blood cell count. I have had MS for over 20 years and this is the first

time that kind of thing has shown up. I went off Copaxone (terrible stuff

for me--eight months of misery) last October, so your connection with

betaseron was interesting. I had never taken any of the CRABS before.

Perhaps the CRABS alter the white cell count in some people either

temporarily or permanently?

My doctor said he would repeat the test in about four months to see if the

count had changed.

(Isn't leukemia characterized by a high white cell count?)

I wish your wife the best.

Carol

[Guest guest]

>

> Dear Bee,

> Do you know if a low white blood cell count is something that could result

from a long-standing candida infection? Thank You. I am new to the group.

+++Hi S. Yes, candida affects all cells, since its toxins (and other

toxins too) makes all of the cell membranes rigid and brittle, including red and

white blood cells - see this article:

http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/cabout1.php

That in addition to the fact that candida is caused by a depressed immune system

making it less capable of producing white and red blood cells, hormones, and

other important immune system substances.

Bee