Low white blood cells
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Hello naz
That is on the low side - 4.500-10,000 is normal range if I remember rightly. There are lots of possible reasons for this. It can be caused by some medicines or by the disease itself, infections or many other things so I expect they want to find out what's going on. Don't panic ! Of course any sort of complication and new symptom is worrying but it might be nothing all that serious.
When do you see them? Let us know how it goes please and good luck. By the way I think we are more open to infection when the white blood cell count is low so maybe take extra care being around sick people not getting coughed over and all that.
Best of Luck
Clare
That is on the low side - 4.500-10,000 is normal range if I remember rightly. There are lots of possible reasons for this. It can be caused by some medicines or by the disease itself, infections or many other things so I expect they want to find out what's going on. Don't panic ! Of course any sort of complication and new symptom is worrying but it might be nothing all that serious.
When do you see them? Let us know how it goes please and good luck. By the way I think we are more open to infection when the white blood cell count is low so maybe take extra care being around sick people not getting coughed over and all that.
Best of Luck
Clare
Postie
But when people have lupus they are more prone to infections anyway because of other abnormalities of the immune system. Most of the medicines we take also suppress the immune system to a greater or lesser extent
Some of them can affect the body's ability to make white blood cells. If the white blood count drops in someone who has lupus and is taking medicines it has to be investigated.
It could be a sign of worsening disease so no doubt other things will be checked too.
Infections can have more serious consequences in lupus and be much harder to treat. Infections can cause disease flares and in fact they are the second most common cause of death in lupus.
That's why it is prudent to take extra care to avoid infections in situations like Naz's.
If medications are the cause, dosage needs to be adjusted and treating the lupus becomes more complicated.
From the Mayo Clinic
Clare
Having a low white blood cell count doesn't necesarily mean people will get infections.
But when people have lupus they are more prone to infections anyway because of other abnormalities of the immune system. Most of the medicines we take also suppress the immune system to a greater or lesser extent
Some of them can affect the body's ability to make white blood cells. If the white blood count drops in someone who has lupus and is taking medicines it has to be investigated.
It could be a sign of worsening disease so no doubt other things will be checked too.
Infections can have more serious consequences in lupus and be much harder to treat. Infections can cause disease flares and in fact they are the second most common cause of death in lupus.
That's why it is prudent to take extra care to avoid infections in situations like Naz's.
If medications are the cause, dosage needs to be adjusted and treating the lupus becomes more complicated.
From the Mayo Clinic
Low WBC counts are very common in lupus 50%-95% depending on the study. They can be a criterion for diagnosis
Clare
Mine always are high!
Strange how they can detect the White Blood Count. I keep Leukocytosis meaning my white blood count is high. I range at 14000 to 16000 each time I have the WBC done. Sometimes it's due to infection, long term medicine use and viral problems. Low WBC can also mean Anemia. Hope they find out what is going on and get you well soon.
Strange how they can detect the White Blood Count. I keep Leukocytosis meaning my white blood count is high. I range at 14000 to 16000 each time I have the WBC done. Sometimes it's due to infection, long term medicine use and viral problems. Low WBC can also mean Anemia. Hope they find out what is going on and get you well soon.
Lbh
Low white count is not related to anemia. Low red count is related to anemia. Your white count is for fighting off infections and your red count if it's low would cause anemia which means that can cause tiredness.
Dr. Bell my CFS specilaist has said he has never had one of his patients yet that have CFS has turned into Lupus.
I did ask him about the ANA of 640 so I'm waiting on that because I get to e-mail him. So when I do hear back from him on the ANA then I will fill really good if my diagnosis is still CFS.
Because actually since the rash on my face does not spare the nasal folds and it pretty much is probably rosacea and once I hear back from my CFS specialist and if everything is good with the ANA then I will be very, very happy to stay with diagnosis of CFS. Since low white count and positive ANA are symptoms that go along with CFS.
So I'll wait on his answer and find out.
CindyLou
Low white count is not related to anemia. Low red count is related to anemia. Your white count is for fighting off infections and your red count if it's low would cause anemia which means that can cause tiredness.
Dr. Bell my CFS specilaist has said he has never had one of his patients yet that have CFS has turned into Lupus.
I did ask him about the ANA of 640 so I'm waiting on that because I get to e-mail him. So when I do hear back from him on the ANA then I will fill really good if my diagnosis is still CFS.
Because actually since the rash on my face does not spare the nasal folds and it pretty much is probably rosacea and once I hear back from my CFS specialist and if everything is good with the ANA then I will be very, very happy to stay with diagnosis of CFS. Since low white count and positive ANA are symptoms that go along with CFS.
So I'll wait on his answer and find out.
CindyLou
Hi,
For as long as I remember my white, red and platlet count has always been below the labs normal and my MCH and MCV above the labs high.
This has been going on way before any autimmune disease.
I now have SLE. I have to take cytoxin (chemo) orally. Can't take it via infusion because of low WBC.
Most recent blood work had WBC at 2.5 and the rest pretty bad to. Chemo was cut by 1/3.
A 3.9 WBC is the lowest in normal range for my lab. I think they are just being careful.
Elaine
For as long as I remember my white, red and platlet count has always been below the labs normal and my MCH and MCV above the labs high.
This has been going on way before any autimmune disease.
I now have SLE. I have to take cytoxin (chemo) orally. Can't take it via infusion because of low WBC.
Most recent blood work had WBC at 2.5 and the rest pretty bad to. Chemo was cut by 1/3.
A 3.9 WBC is the lowest in normal range for my lab. I think they are just being careful.
Elaine
Hi all,
I think LBH got confused it's a high white cell count that can indicate anemia not a low one. A low red cell count can also indicate anemia as you mentioned Postie.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003643.htm
a high white cell count:
naz I agree with Dudley in that they might just be being cautious with you and ruling out any other cause for the low WCC. As Clare said it can be one indication of Lupus. Certainly mine was always low until we got the Lupus under control.
Do let us know how you get along naz :hug:
love
Lily
I think LBH got confused it's a high white cell count that can indicate anemia not a low one. A low red cell count can also indicate anemia as you mentioned Postie.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003643.htm
a high white cell count:
- Anemia
- Infectious diseases
- Inflammatory disease (such as rheumatoid arthritis or allergy)
- Leukemia
- Severe emotional or physical stress
- Tissue damage (for example, burns)
- Bone marrow failure (for example, due to infection, tumor, or abnormal scarring)
- Collagen-vascular diseases (such as lupus erythematosus)
- Disease of the liver or spleen
- Radiation
naz I agree with Dudley in that they might just be being cautious with you and ruling out any other cause for the low WCC. As Clare said it can be one indication of Lupus. Certainly mine was always low until we got the Lupus under control.
Do let us know how you get along naz :hug:
love
Lily
Hi,
My white blood cells were very low. I am on oral cytoxin (history of low white blood cells..could not take infusion). The doc cut back dosage by 1/3. Then I got a bug I could not kick and stomach was a mess. I could take very few meds. I did with out the cytoin for a month...Now back on it. Got blood results (from the time I could not take cytoxin). for first time WBC was normal...3.9...which is the lowest normal from my lab. Don't get me wrong on stopping any meds. It just proves the point that some meds can lower our blood counts. I am back on cytoxin...it would be like playing russian rulete with out it.
It is very important to follow having blood work so the docs can moniter what they are doing to your body. They meds are very neccessary. Since I have been on the cytoxin the lupus has not spread anymore.
Elaine
My white blood cells were very low. I am on oral cytoxin (history of low white blood cells..could not take infusion). The doc cut back dosage by 1/3. Then I got a bug I could not kick and stomach was a mess. I could take very few meds. I did with out the cytoin for a month...Now back on it. Got blood results (from the time I could not take cytoxin). for first time WBC was normal...3.9...which is the lowest normal from my lab. Don't get me wrong on stopping any meds. It just proves the point that some meds can lower our blood counts. I am back on cytoxin...it would be like playing russian rulete with out it.
It is very important to follow having blood work so the docs can moniter what they are doing to your body. They meds are very neccessary. Since I have been on the cytoxin the lupus has not spread anymore.
Elaine
Wbc
My white blood cell count decreased, and my rheumatologist is monitoring my blood work to see if any further changes occur. I have not changed any med's, I have been on the same ones now for the last 5 yrs. My doc says that the low cell count could be normal for lupus patients or it could indicate lupus activity. Has anyone experienced a low cell count before a flare?
My white blood cell count decreased, and my rheumatologist is monitoring my blood work to see if any further changes occur. I have not changed any med's, I have been on the same ones now for the last 5 yrs. My doc says that the low cell count could be normal for lupus patients or it could indicate lupus activity. Has anyone experienced a low cell count before a flare?
Elaine - you may like to consider getting a second opinion on the oral cytoxan. My rheumie is adamant that the risk of bladder cancer is too high as mesna is not given with it. She refused to let me take it, and insisted that I do iv cytoxan again (which makes me sick as a dog and hammers my wbc).
The risk of bladder cancer can be acceptable if you are elderly as it takes some time for the bladder cancer to kick in. But, my rheumie told me that bladder cancers can be seen as early as 8 years after oral cytoxan, which is why she won't rx it.
You might like to talk to your rheumie about this - personally I would get a second opinion on it unless, like my dad, you are very elderly.
regards
raglet
The risk of bladder cancer can be acceptable if you are elderly as it takes some time for the bladder cancer to kick in. But, my rheumie told me that bladder cancers can be seen as early as 8 years after oral cytoxan, which is why she won't rx it.
You might like to talk to your rheumie about this - personally I would get a second opinion on it unless, like my dad, you are very elderly.
regards
raglet
my white cell count has fallen to 2.5 so my rheumy has taken me off the aza for 2 weeks, I have just had another blood test and hopefully the wbc count will have come up if it has then I can restart the aza at a lower dosage of 100mg instead of 150mg. Not too sure what they are going to do if it hasn't. No doubt time will tell.
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Birdie, my WBC has dropped to 2.6 too, and my rheumy has taken me off the aza. But I don't think they will put me back on to aza if my WBC improves as they suspect aza being the culprit of my low WBC.birdie;513822 said:
How much preds are you on now? I am on 20mg, they increased it by 10mg when they took me off aza.
I am now having a flu, seem to be very hard to fight off!
Take care ya!
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i have chronic problems with this as well. though i haven't been diagnosed with lupus. i've also had other issues with my blood counts. low lymphocytes and eosinophilia. but this one most often.
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