On previous blood tests my white blood cells have always been low as well as monocytes.
This time, wbc are low and lymphocytes are low, monocytes are normal.
what would cause this change?? I'll call my doc tomorrow(the blood test was run by a different doc)
*also the total serum protein was low, albumin is in range but at the low end of the range. google is freaking me out! Posted by rosiegeorge (Member # 27518) on :
My Lyme disease has caused me to have pre-myeloma. So take this seriously. Have your doctor run more tests and see a hematologist if necessary. Ask them to check your serum protein electrophoresis.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Buffy-did you find out what could be causing the low wbc and lymphocytes?
Mine just returned abnormal low.
Running a low fever. Do you run low fever also?
Thanks Greta
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Abx can cause low WBC counts.
Lyme kills T-Cells (Lymphocytes), thus can cause low WBC counts.
I think Anaplasma & Ehrlichia can also cause low WBC counts.
Inflammation can decrease WBC counts if enough WBC's are out in the tissue somewhere (areas of inflammation).
WBC's can get sequestered in the spleen for various reasons (there's usually a corresponding spleen enlargement), dropping the WBC count on a lab test.
Viral infections can also sometimes decrease WBC counts (I think this is one reason people connect EBV & CMV with CFIDS).
Normal seasonal variation in WBC counts can also cause someone at the low end of the normal range to drop just below normal occasionally.
I have chronic low lymphocytes. Hematologist did a bone marrow biopsy and it came back completely normal.
So the non-LLMD Immunologist told me that "something" was killing my lymphocytes between when they're made in the bone marrow and when they mature into full-blown lymphocytes. I was dx with Lyme shortly after...
Edited to add:
Leaky gut and/or gastrointestinal inflammation can cause low protein and/or low albumin.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Thanks so much Razzle.
That is the best condensed lymphocyte info!
I appreciated so much your feedback.
I am not on any abx currently, so the cause is something else.
I believe bacterial, but which one?
This journey...the road gets bumpier and bumpier
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Might be interesting to get a Lymphocyte Subset panel done... Found out my deficiency is in CD-8 Regulatory T-Cells (and intermittently I also have low B-Cells and low CD-4 T-Cells)... In my case, this means it is exceedingly difficult for my body to shut down inflammation once it starts...
I'm pretty sure at least part of the problem for me is related to my methylation genomic variants...
I don't know which coinfections can impact lymphocytes...other than what I stated in my post above...
Posted by VV (Member # 38828) on :
I have had high neutrophils and low lymphocytes for 10 years. I have heard no "ah ha!" from doctors about it but a couple have said it could be due to chronic infection.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Thanks Razzle and VV.
That is interesting VV! Did you ever recall having "normal" bloodwork, in range?
Or did you start feeling yucky, and had bloodwork and then found out about the high neuts and low lymphs?
Razzle thanks for the suggestion about subset. I read T, B and CD cells. Explains why CD57 was 11. Now it is falling into place unfortunately.
Is there anything to treat low subset lymphocytes?
Posted by VV (Member # 38828) on :
"That is interesting VV! Did you ever recall having "normal" bloodwork, in range?"
Not until last month.
"Or did you start feeling yucky, and had bloodwork and then found out about the high neuts and low lymphs?"
I started having multiple mysterious spells of symptoms over a decade ago and since then I have had my WBCs checked about 10 times.
No doctor ever pointed out the anomaly or the fact that it was a pattern. I found it by reviewing the charts myself. All the WBCs for about 10 years there were either just inside or just outside the range (high neuts, low lymphs).
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Lemon essential oil is supposed to stimulate T-Cell production.
Certain probiotic strains are also supposed to help with this.
I've tried the probiotic, but didn't have much luck with that (it is possible I wasn't on a high enough dose though).
I have not tried regular use of Lemon essential oil (I have difficulty tolerating the smell).
I don't know what else may work, though there is likely some kind of pharmaceutical immune stimulant that may help...I don't know what that would be though...
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
Razzle is right (above) about the causes of low wbc's and lymphocytes (and neutrophils, which you don't have). I had such low #s for a long time that several doctors were freaking out, had me off all abx and other meds. Hematologist was upset (scared me).
But, as I thought, it was from the chronic ANaplasma particularly. We targted that one for a long course of treatment recently, and now my numbers are ok.
At the time, the hemotologist thought it was the abx, but, as I thought, it wasn't. The numbers stayed really low off everything until we treated much, much longer. Hopefully, they will now stay ok.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Thanks so much VV, Razzle and Rumi.
So grateful for your suggestions and ideas.
Lymenet is such a good place for brainstorming and comparing experiences.
Makes them seem not as scary.
Interesting Rumi, what did your doc give you to treat anaplasma.
Did it take combo meds to overcome the chronic anaplasma?
![[Frown]](frown.gif)