My recent CBC showed a white blood count of 2.5 and the monocytes were also low. I don't know the other numbers.
What I am worried about is that my LLMD called me and told me to go see my PCP! He does not think it is the lyme or a die off causing this and wants to explore other things.
So, I have an appointment with my PCP next week, but in the meantime I am surfing the net and scaring myself silly!
I have not been tested for ehrlichiosis, but I believe that lowers other things, like leukocytes and lymphocytes. Am I correct?
Corrections: My latest WBC now shows low, with HIGH monocytes, eosinophils and basophils. I see a hematologist on May 27th.
[ 21. May 2008, 03:16 PM: Message edited by: hurtingramma ]
Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
what abx/medications are you on? Sometimes, they can lower WBC.
Do you feel that your symptoms are worse now with the low WBC?
Posted by hurtingramma (Member # 7770) on :
Right now I'm on tetra and diflucan, also other meds that I've been on for years for HPB, allergies, etc.
My LLMD didn't seem to think it was the abx, though.
I had a low WBC (not this low) when I was first diagnosed, then it went back to normal.
My symptoms have gotten worse; more fatigue, weakness, pain...and I look like crap. Sunken eyes, droopy look to me.
Posted by cantgiveupyet (Member # 8165) on :
My WBC has recently dropped(not as low as yours) and i look like crap too, a lot of weight loss again, I look like im from a third world country...tired, symptoms have increased too.
I hope your PCP can shed some light on it and atleast rule everything else out.
Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
Hurting -- I have always had a low white blood cell count; from since I can remember, the first time I heard about it was during the beginning of high school, but probably had it even before that.
I think, for me, it has coincided with when I got bit by that dreadful tick... I was bit by a tick nearly 10 years ago, at which time I would have been close to starting high school.
And by low, I mean the number is usually on the "ALERT" low side, like 2.4/2.5. Sometimes I get lucky and have had it up to 3.0 (even though that's still LOW!)
My LLMD told me a white low blood cell count, of course, could mean ehrlichia but he also said that sometimes Babesia can cause this as well.
My neutrophils (absolute) has also been low for a good long time, but since I've started Babs treatment (only been a couple of months though) my white blood cell count has went up a little (but still low) and my neutrophils (absolute) were actually normal this time around.
So... right now not SURE exactly what's causing mine but we do know that I've had it this way for a good many years. It's not healthy, no, not at all, and it worries me deeply many times, but until we see more lab results while Babesia treatment and the numbers continue to rise to more normal levels, I don't really have a reason for what's causing my WBC and usually nuetrophils (absolute) to be low.
I will be having my blood taken again shortly and hope that the WBC continue to rise! It would be amazing.
PS - I could have Ehrlichia but since I've been treated with Doxy while on other meds for quite a long time, and there was no change in my WBC until recently with Babs treatment, that I probably don't have Ehrlichia. But.... who knows really???...
Oops, another PS - Like I said, I've had low WBC for a LONG time and have never looked like I was dying or thin or pale, etc., until just a couple years ago when the bugs decided to come out all the way and I was very, very ill. Am feeling much better now but still have low WBC. So you don't HAVE to look sickly to mean you have low WBC.
Posted by Alv (Member # 15192) on :
mine too was -2.4 for 3 years
My lyme was active and babs and ehrlichia was present
When I did a high dossage of Wormwood -my wbc went high for the first time..so it could be babs -and lyme...and than i started treating ehrlichia
so it could be them all
Mine went back to normal for the first time and staing that way ....since my ehrlichia is gone and babesia is not showing -..only bart and mucoplasma and some lyme....
So take that under considerations!
Posted by hurtingramma (Member # 7770) on :
I called my PCP yesterday and asked if she wanted me to have any other blood work done before I see her next week. She was rather snippy and said that it was up to my LLMD to take me off the meds that were causing the problem.
So, I called him and he said that that was the issue. The meds are NOT causing the problem and SHE needed to figure out what was. He did state that it could be a die-off, but he doubted it as it has never happened before and I have been on treatment for 2 1/2 yrs.
Why can't we all just play together!
Posted by hurtingramma (Member # 7770) on :
^^
Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
/\/\/\
I have a hematologist appointment on May 27th as well.