Question: White Blood Cell Count

[Guest guest]

Just wanting to pick your brains here a bit. When I saw my doctor

the other day he did mention that my white blood cell count was

down a bit...normal being 4.3 and mine was 3.7. He wasn't really

worried and said he would repeat the test in six months. He

mentioned people have a lower count after chemo...I reminded

him i didn't have chemo. He said I just have a lowered immune

system while it's low and this sometime happens to people in

the winter. Oddly enough, I'm very healthy, and escape most of

the germs going around (and i have young kids so they are

brought into the house all the time) and when I do catch

something I usually seem to get a milder case than the rest of

the family these last few years. However I did have a cold about

three weeks before this test. Any nurses out there or anyone that

would know why we are seeing a lower count and is that

extremely low or just a little?? Thanks for any info you have.

(who feels great and is wondering why she is testing

out this way)

[Guest guest]

i wouldn't worry too much about that differance.......when i was getting

chemo, my count use to be 00..........so being down a little is not

bad.........

healing hugs and prayers

carol from michigan

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

3.7 isn't really that low. The " normal " range I heard when I was in the

hospital for a VERY low white blood count (0.8), is 4 to 10. So 4 could be

normal for you, in which case you are only 3 points below normal. I know

that stress can affect your immune system, and since white blood cells are

mostly what your immune system is made up of, it stands to reason that

stress could give you a slightly lower count. And it sounds like your life

might be kind of stressful.

I *did* have chemo and I was hospitalized twice for low white blood cell

count, among other things. I'ts a complicated equation of four different

blood count readings, white blood cells being only one of them, that

determines how effective you immune system is. And how healthy your entire

blood system is. If you're concerned, you could ask your doctor to go over

your report in detail, explaining what each type of blood cell does and

where you stand in the range of normal. If they are all within normal range

except for one, which is only a few decimal points short of normal, you're

probably fine.

If you had a cold about three weeks before the test, that could explain it.

Since your white blood cell counts " come to the rescue " when you have a

virus, it's natural that they would get depleted after fighting off the

cold germs. It takes them a while to get back up to normal. Three weeks is

kind of long, but then again, you might not be totally over the cold, even

though you feel like you are. Or you might be harboring a new virus that

you don't feel yet. People are contagious for weeks before they feel sick.

I know it's weird to have a low blood count and feel fine, but you wouldn't

feel fine if it got dangerously low. Both times that happened to me, when

my count was 0.8 and another time it was very low but I don't remember the

number, I had a fever and felt really rotten. I think you'd know if that

happened to you.

Maybe you should call your doctor and be tested again if you develop a

fever or get really sick during the next six months. There *is* a

medication you can take to help bring your white blood cell count back up,

but it's kind of a pain in the butt; you have to give yourself a

subcutaneous shot in the belly every day. I doubt it's worth it for someone

with an almost normal blood cell count to start with. I think they only do

that with chemo patients, because chemo always lowers your blood counts.

I was also a very healthy person before cancer and never seemed to have

colds or flus. And I have no idea what my white blood cell count was. I

think it probably varies from person to person, and within each person,

depending on what's happening in your body.

Sorry for rambling. My point is, I had lots of very low white blood cell

counts on chemo and I was fine then and I'm fine now. I really wouldn't

worry about it too much. And if you're a worrier (like me!) have your

doctor explain all the results. It might make you feel better; information

is power.

So Dr. Jill (joke; all I am is a plain old cancer patient) thinks you're

probably fine.

Jill

At 08:33 PM 1/22/2003 +0000, you wrote:

>Just wanting to pick your brains here a bit. When I saw my doctor

>the other day he did mention that my white blood cell count was

>down a bit...normal being 4.3 and mine was 3.7. He wasn't really

>worried and said he would repeat the test in six months. He

>mentioned people have a lower count after chemo...I reminded

>him i didn't have chemo. He said I just have a lowered immune

>system while it's low and this sometime happens to people in

>the winter. Oddly enough, I'm very healthy, and escape most of

>the germs going around (and i have young kids so they are

>brought into the house all the time) and when I do catch

>something I usually seem to get a milder case than the rest of

>the family these last few years. However I did have a cold about

>three weeks before this test. Any nurses out there or anyone that

>would know why we are seeing a lower count and is that

>extremely low or just a little?? Thanks for any info you have.

>

> (who feels great and is wondering why she is testing

>out this way)

[Guest guest]

well that relieves my mind somewhat carol...i guess in

comparison mine isn't low at all.

:)shelley

-- In breastcancer2 , " carol " <creinhout@a...>

wrote:

> i wouldn't worry too much about that differance.......when i was

getting

> chemo, my count use to be 00..........so being down a little is not

> bad.........

>

> healing hugs and prayers

> carol from michigan

[Guest guest]

Jill,

Thank you so much for taking time to write all of this and

sharing a plethora of information. Gee, it really sounds like you

know about this. I have decided not to worry, but to try to do

things that boost my immune system.

Thanks bunches,

> >Just wanting to pick your brains here a bit. When I saw my

doctor

> >the other day he did mention that my white blood cell count

was

> >down a bit...normal being 4.3 and mine was 3.7. He wasn't

really

> >worried and said he would repeat the test in six months. He

> >mentioned people have a lower count after chemo...I

reminded

> >him i didn't have chemo. He said I just have a lowered

immune

> >system while it's low and this sometime happens to people

in

> >the winter. Oddly enough, I'm very healthy, and escape most

of

> >the germs going around (and i have young kids so they are

> >brought into the house all the time) and when I do catch

> >something I usually seem to get a milder case than the rest

of

> >the family these last few years. However I did have a cold

about

> >three weeks before this test. Any nurses out there or anyone

that

> >would know why we are seeing a lower count and is that

> >extremely low or just a little?? Thanks for any info you have.

> >

> > (who feels great and is wondering why she is

testing

> >out this way)

[Guest guest]

i had to stay away from everyone so i wouldn't catch anything because i

virtually had no immune system..........this would happen about a week after

my treatment......

carol

[Guest guest]

Hi . You're welcome. I hope I didn't overwhelm you; it's one of the

things I learned about the hard way during chemo so I happen to know a bit

about it.

Not worrying and boosting your immune system naturally sounds good to me.

But ask your doctor if you're going to take high doses of natural

supplements. Some of them might actually make cancer worse. I really miss

Melatonin, which I had to stop months ago. It helped me sleep. Which is why

I'm up now at half past midnight emailing!

Take good care and stay healthy,

Jill

At 12:13 AM 1/24/2003 +0000, you wrote:

>Jill,

> Thank you so much for taking time to write all of this and

>sharing a plethora of information. Gee, it really sounds like you

>know about this. I have decided not to worry, but to try to do

>things that boost my immune system.

>

>Thanks bunches,

>

[Guest guest]

My friend, who also happens to be a chiropractor (and did work

in cancer treatment for those who had already done the

conventional treatment) recommended something called

MGN-3. She said I could take it for two months. I just don't

know...I am not one to take meds at all (unless my life depends

on it)...heck I wait through all different sorts of pain, just not to

have to take anything. I hate ingesting medicine so I'm not

inclined to take what she recommends...and if I do try something

I will check it out with the doctor first. Thanks for the advice!

> Hi . You're welcome. I hope I didn't overwhelm you; it's

one of the

> things I learned about the hard way during chemo so I happen

to know a bit

> about it.

>

> Not worrying and boosting your immune system naturally

sounds good to me.

> But ask your doctor if you're going to take high doses of natural

> supplements. Some of them might actually make cancer

worse. I really miss

> Melatonin, which I had to stop months ago. It helped me sleep.

Which is why

> I'm up now at half past midnight emailing!

>

> Take good care and stay healthy,

> Jill