I am a newbie here, and have just started treatment about 6+ weeks ago. My most recent blood tests came back with a low white blood cell count (between 3.0 and 4.0) the doctor left a note saying to have it rechecked in 4 weeks.
Is this a normal side effect of antibotic treatment? I think it is, but figured I pose this question to the group.
I am currently on azithromycin, probenicid, plaquenil, cefdinir and nystatin and of course several probiotics and supplements.
Thanks for anyone's input....
Posts: 55 | From NY | Registered: Apr 2010
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timaca
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6911
My WBC and my platelets dropped below the reference range in early April. They had not been low before, and I get them checked every 3-4 months. We reran the labs 2 weeks later and they had normalized. But, my EBV and Coxsackie B antibody titers had gone up, meaning that likely those had reactivated when I had the blood draw (I was feeling quite poorly at the time).
You are wise to follow your doctors advice and get it rechecked in a few weeks.
Best, Timaca
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
2 separate doctors told me that my low WBC count was related to my babesia infection.
-------------------- gatorade girl
"I still have Mt.Everest to climb, but I have traveled across the world and arrived at the mountain". Posts: 633 | From baltimore | Registered: Mar 2010
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
If your white blood cell count goes too low, the doc will have to tell you to stop meds. Otherwise, you could be in danger.
White blood cells fight infection. If your lyme treatment makes them go too low, you have no natural way to fight off infections you encounter.
Hopefully, the count will be up in 4 weeks.
When the antibiotics made my white count go low, my lyme doc gave me Transfer Factor to take. In just 2 weeks, it brought my count back up to normal so I didn't have to stop meds.
He said that when you have been on antibiotics for so long, the body can sense that the meds are fighting the germs, so it stops making white blood cells. So, it can happen, but I am surprised that it happened to you in just 6 weeks of treatment.
Hopefully it will go back up on its own. But, if it doesn't, ask doc if you can take Transfer Factor. Burrascano mentions it in his Guidelines. Just do a search when you have the document up on-line.
You can also search past thread on LymeNet using "Transfer Factor" as the search words.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
My daughter's WBC has been low since before we had her on antibiotics. Her doctors think it is a result of the infection and will increase as she gets better.
Posts: 984 | From US | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
I am new here and I've been living with a white blood cell count between 2.5-3.5 for about 9 years now.....tested for everything...and CDC neg on Igenex, but I believe that I have Lyme's and am pos for Ehrlichia, EBV, HHV-6, etc...
Posts: 151 | From south east | Registered: May 2010
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posted
My son has a hard time getting rid of the infections of Lyme and Babesia- his WBC is low a lot. Was found to recently have Kryptopylorria so we are treating that as well with all of Dr. K's recommendations from that. (a lot of zinc)
Posts: 238 | From Bethlehem, PA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
The antibiotics definitely affected my WBC. I was hovering around 3.0 for a while and even dipped below that. My LLMD always had me bumped up my transfer factor and the WBC would go back up.
I take 3 transfer factors per day now.
Posts: 276 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
I use the 4life brand of transfer factor. Just the regular kind, not the more expensive stuff. It is expensive stuff anyway.
It does the job just fine.
Posts: 276 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2006
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
From p. 30 of Burrascano guidelines:
"For Lyme patients, use Transfer Factor Multi-Immune as the general stimulant, and Transfer Factor Lyme- Plus as the specific agent. Both are exclusives from Researched Nutritionals, and I have found them to be surprisingly effective in making the very ill respond better to treatment. Take as directed on the label."
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Notes from Dr B.s recent Wisconsin lecture:
EHRLICHIOSIS AND ANAPLASMOSIS * Less common than the other tick-borne infections * Acute and chronic forms * Acute- rarely, causes a spotted rash - Abrupt onset, high fever, muscle pain, headache, low WBC count, elevated liver enzymes * Chronic- - Headaches and muscle soreness - Persistent leucopenia = low white blood cell count - Test with serology, PCR or smear * Treat with doxycycline for 2 to 4 weeks * Fluoroquinolones and rifampin MAY be (poor) alternatives
-------------------- Ideas not advice. Posts: 448 | From Downeast Maine | Registered: Jul 2009
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richedie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14689
posted
quote:Originally posted by gatorade girl: 2 separate doctors told me that my low WBC count was related to my babesia infection.
I have been under treatment for 2+ years and all that time my white cells have been low....I believe even before beginning treatment. I have been under treatment for Lyme, Babesia and next month, Bartonella. This has been my last month of Mepron for the Babesia treatment as we feel it has cleared and also the last few months I have upped my workout routine to include serious bodybuilding.
Well...not sure what did it...the Babs hopefully going away or the workouts but my cells went from hovering around 2.95-3.19 to 6.5! My doc says that is a good sign.
My doc said with a supressed immune system from these infections they often see low counts. So I guess this is a good sign the white cells jumped way up into normal! Now, the red cells need to move up!
-------------------- Mepron/Zith/Ceftin Doxy/Biaxin/Flagyl pulse. Artemisinin with Doxy/Biaxin. Period of Levaquin and Ceftin. Then Levaquin, Bactrim and Biaxin. Bactrim/Augmentin/Rifampin. Mepron/Biaxin/Artemisinin/Cat's Claw Rifampin/Bactrim/Alinia Plaquenil/Biaxin Posts: 1949 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Feb 2008
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