Re: low white blood cell count AGAIN

[Guest guest]

You are not alone there Beth I keep failing on medications the only one I

seem to be able to tolerate is Sulphasalazine which seem to keep things

moderately under control. I see my rheumatologist in June so I wonder what

he will suggest next. Mind you I got my most recent blood tests back and my

ESR was 13 the lowest it has ever been, yet I still feel like rubbish all my

joints ache. I stopped taking Arava 2 months ago so I wonder if it is still

having an effect.

I have been diagnosed with RA since 1999 and I still don't seem to have an

effective treatment or when I find one the side effects mean I have to come

off them. It is all very frustrating as you say and I completely sympathise

with you.

Judith

www.purranza.com

[ ] low white blood cell count AGAIN

>

> Hi everyone ...

>

> I am fairly newly diagnosed with RA and am getting frustrated. Every

> time

> we get a good regimen going, my white blood cell count drops and then I

> have

> to stop meds (plaquenil). I am concerned about long-term damage and

> really

> want to get something effective going. I am wondering if anyone else had

> this

> problem and how they have dealt with it.

>

> Thanks so much!

>

> Love and Prayers,

> Beth

>

[Guest guest]

You are not alone there Beth I keep failing on medications the only one I

seem to be able to tolerate is Sulphasalazine which seem to keep things

moderately under control. I see my rheumatologist in June so I wonder what

he will suggest next. Mind you I got my most recent blood tests back and my

ESR was 13 the lowest it has ever been, yet I still feel like rubbish all my

joints ache. I stopped taking Arava 2 months ago so I wonder if it is still

having an effect.

I have been diagnosed with RA since 1999 and I still don't seem to have an

effective treatment or when I find one the side effects mean I have to come

off them. It is all very frustrating as you say and I completely sympathise

with you.

Judith

www.purranza.com

[ ] low white blood cell count AGAIN

>

> Hi everyone ...

>

> I am fairly newly diagnosed with RA and am getting frustrated. Every

> time

> we get a good regimen going, my white blood cell count drops and then I

> have

> to stop meds (plaquenil). I am concerned about long-term damage and

> really

> want to get something effective going. I am wondering if anyone else had

> this

> problem and how they have dealt with it.

>

> Thanks so much!

>

> Love and Prayers,

> Beth

>

[Guest guest]

Hi, Beth, I have the same problem. I was on methotrexate, and it

brought my WBC count down. I was then switched to Arava, and the

decline continued. Finally, I was switched to Enbrel, and it came up a

little, but is still below normal. It just can't seem to get back up to

normal, and I've been on Enbrel now for over a year.

At my recent visit to him, my doctor mentioned Felty's syndrome, but he

didn't say that I had it. I really don't think I do, because I've not

been having a lot of infections. For this reason, I try not to worry

about it. If I do start getting infections often, then I'll ask for

something to be done.

While I was on methotrexate, I had to have 35 radiation treatments

following breast cancer surgery. I think that this may have had an

impact.

When your doctor stops one med, he should try another one. Enbrel is a

good one to try. It's working very well for me and has had no effect on

the WBC count. Why don't you ask your doctor about it?

Sue

On Tuesday, March 29, 2005, at 10:53 PM, GoAwayRA@... wrote:

> I am fairly newly diagnosed with RA and am getting frustrated. Every

> time

> we get a good regimen going, my white blood cell count drops and then

> I have

> to stop meds (plaquenil). I am concerned about long-term damage and

> really

> want to get something effective going. I am wondering if anyone else

> had this

> problem and how they have dealt with it.

[Guest guest]

Hi, Beth, I have the same problem. I was on methotrexate, and it

brought my WBC count down. I was then switched to Arava, and the

decline continued. Finally, I was switched to Enbrel, and it came up a

little, but is still below normal. It just can't seem to get back up to

normal, and I've been on Enbrel now for over a year.

At my recent visit to him, my doctor mentioned Felty's syndrome, but he

didn't say that I had it. I really don't think I do, because I've not

been having a lot of infections. For this reason, I try not to worry

about it. If I do start getting infections often, then I'll ask for

something to be done.

While I was on methotrexate, I had to have 35 radiation treatments

following breast cancer surgery. I think that this may have had an

impact.

When your doctor stops one med, he should try another one. Enbrel is a

good one to try. It's working very well for me and has had no effect on

the WBC count. Why don't you ask your doctor about it?

Sue

On Tuesday, March 29, 2005, at 10:53 PM, GoAwayRA@... wrote:

> I am fairly newly diagnosed with RA and am getting frustrated. Every

> time

> we get a good regimen going, my white blood cell count drops and then

> I have

> to stop meds (plaquenil). I am concerned about long-term damage and

> really

> want to get something effective going. I am wondering if anyone else

> had this

> problem and how they have dealt with it.

[Guest guest]

I just got an email from my doctor saying my white blood count is abnormally low

after starting 15 mg methotrexate 7 weeks ago. Interesting to note though.. I

looked back on my blood tests for the last year ( i had several tests due to my

surgeries) and my white count had been steadily dopping prior to methotrexate

even prior to RA diagnosis. He is going to re take the test in a week to see if

it has continued to drop.

Faith in California

-------------- Original message --------------

Hi everyone ...

I am fairly newly diagnosed with RA and am getting frustrated. Every time

we get a good regimen going, my white blood cell count drops and then I have

to stop meds (plaquenil). I am concerned about long-term damage and really

want to get something effective going. I am wondering if anyone else had this

problem and how they have dealt with it.

Thanks so much!

Love and Prayers,

Beth

[Guest guest]

I just got an email from my doctor saying my white blood count is abnormally low

after starting 15 mg methotrexate 7 weeks ago. Interesting to note though.. I

looked back on my blood tests for the last year ( i had several tests due to my

surgeries) and my white count had been steadily dopping prior to methotrexate

even prior to RA diagnosis. He is going to re take the test in a week to see if

it has continued to drop.

Faith in California

-------------- Original message --------------

Hi everyone ...

I am fairly newly diagnosed with RA and am getting frustrated. Every time

we get a good regimen going, my white blood cell count drops and then I have

to stop meds (plaquenil). I am concerned about long-term damage and really

want to get something effective going. I am wondering if anyone else had this

problem and how they have dealt with it.

Thanks so much!

Love and Prayers,

Beth