can anyone calm me down feeling slightly terrified ..shouldnt have googled

[40slady]

Hi , im terrified i may have leukaemia ...
i havent felt right for a long time , tired and run down , moved house twice last year , stress over that and other issues ,
i suffer with low iron for months ,(always ) taken iron when have my period as (heavy periods )
on and off last year blood tests all ok except low iron , in Feb had a host of tests done liver , kidney , thytoid the lot all fine except slightly low white blood count , 3.5 ..she wasnt concerned at all said this can happen and indeed in past i have had it low then its picked back up ..
did tell me not to worry ..come back for re test in 2 months .

that said iv felt fluy about 4 weeks ago , not bad enough to go to bed but not right , kind of hot sensation on my back and legs , that went, now last few days returned ....
i know i shouldnt but i googled and now terrified ...

im due to have blood tests re done in 2 weeks ..then will see my doc for results ...im just not sure i can wait, but doubt i will be able to get an appointment any sooner ...

can a virus be the cause for this ? for so long ? could it be something less synister ?
sorry big ran but im just a little scared today ..

[catsdogsandbabies]

Leukaemia means very elevated white blood cell count so if low again this is unlikely. Also would my explain feeling tired/off for a year or so as you would be bery poorly by now. So a virus much more likely and can cause slightly low white cell count. Sounds v stressful, are you eating well?

[catsdogsandbabies]

Low iron and anaemia will make you feel pretty bad - is that being treated/managed? Is enough to make you feel horrid esp with a virus too.

[40slady]

thank you for your reply , oh ok i thought was low white count with this ...

my doctor said all blood tests would be trashed if it was sinister but i cant help but worry ...

im eating ok , i try to eat 5 a day but not always possible ..
i do suffer with anxiety so i know its not helping ..

[40slady]

doctor advised i take 3 iron tabs every day i have my period to replace my loss , last yea my ferritin went down to 9
its never above 15 ...been like that for many years iv always had low iron stores , last yea had bloods alot to check iron absorbtion which apparently i do , and this year in Feb had the works in blood tests everything checked , all normal apart from white count ...and slightly raised colestrol and my ferritin was 13 ...

[40slady]

bump

[sadie9]

Are your periods still regular or have they gone a bit wonky? Are you over 40? It could be peri menopause it can cause the feelings you describe.

[40slady]

no periods fine well regular , im 42 ...

[40slady]

anyone ..

[Beloved72]

I have low ferritin (between 4 and 8), and a very low white cell count, lower than yours, and have had for 11 years. Yet here I am still - alive and kicking, albeit very a bit knackered.

Honestly it sounds to me like you have health anxiety. I had this very badly for a year and weirdly, it did more damage to my well being than any illness had ever done.

Stop googling, go back to your GP and say how you feel.

[40slady]

thanks for your reply , i have blood tests next tuesday and then appointment with doctor friday to discuss results , i did see another GP last week over another matter and asked her to re look at my results and told her my concerns , she said she didnt thing i had L and that bloods can flutuate ..
its because i googled and have had this mild fluy thing last week ad few months ago and that is a symptom .... plus few tiny red spots like blood spots on my body ( just a few) that to is a symptom to ..... hence my head is in a spin ...

[Doubtfuldaphne]

This is odd, i was about to post with the same subject. Myself and my sister have this at the moment, feeling a bit fluey and very very tired and spaced out. Headaches too.
I have low iron levels and always have. No one knows why but my mum also had it so they're not too worried.
The problem is, i've had a sore throat on and off and the other symptoms for months now and about twice a week i have to just stay in bed as i dont have the energy to eat.
The next day or later on that day i can be fine again but then it happens again.
I really think this is a virus. The great thing for you is that your white blood cells are not raised, meaning there's no infection there.
I'm waiting for my blood tests - i have to take antibiotics first before theyll do them. :(

[40slady]

oh really ...sorry you feel rubbish to ..
im hoping this is a virus thats just taking time to shift to ....
why did you get ABs?

[40slady]

anyone ....

[mintyneb]

I can't really offer any words of advise other than Tuesday is not that far away. You'll be having your bloods done then and without the results no one can second guess what might be causing you problems.

All I can suggest is to try not dwell on the ifs and maybes and just hang on in there over the weekend.

I really don't know that any of us could say anything that will put your mind at ease until you get your results back next week.

[40slady]

thanks i know , ..im just fretting inside so much ....and havent even told my DH any of it ... or anyone ...
trying to cling on to what the doctors did say ...

[Doubtfuldaphne]

Sorry I didn't reply sooner! I have to have AB's as my ds has had a very bad infection which other family members have caught so they advised I take them as a precaution. I'm sure I don't have it though - I would've got it by now.

Try not to worry too much it's very unlikely you have a bad illness. I'm positive it's a virus.

[GiddyOnZackHunt]

There is a thread that's been running for about 4 or 5 weeks about some flu-like virus doing the rounds with spots in some cases. You can also get post viral rashes. I had it and it's only 2weeks on that I'm feeling normalish.

Has anyone suggested tackling your low iron levels by sorting out your heavy periods? I had a chronically low ferritin level for years with mine. They bumped me to the top of the list for an ablation because the levels were so low. And since that my levels are fine.

[40slady]

hi and thanks to you both for replying very kind of you as im sure i sound nuts .., im just on count down till blood tests tuesday then i see my doctor Friday to check results ,

my mind keeps wondering , im so low , my health anxiety going through all scenarios plus period due so everything hightened ....

ill try look for thread but these spots are not a rash there def tiny blood spots(i dont have many ) but thats my biggest fear as that seems to be a real symptom of L ...

sorry big rant just feeling it today thanks for listening ..x

[MarniRose]

The issue here that stands out is that you're suffering from Health Anxiety. Yes I'm sure you're also run down/ fluey/ unwell but I don't think you should worry too much about a sinister outcome! The way you keep bumping your thread, desperate for reassurance , is an indicator of HA - but, as you know, the reassurances don't last for long and you end up feeling worse.

I would see your doctor again regarding your HA. There's loads of help out there for it and I do sympathise because I know it's shit but you CAN do something about it.

[ovumahead]

If you had leukaemia the blood tests you've already had would have picked it up. There are literally thousands of reasons why you could be feeling run down for so long, anxiety being one of them. If you are anxious for a long period it can cause adrenal dysfunction which means you struggle to feel energetic even after rest. That, on top of anaemia and the hormonal imbalance you describe would all be more than enough to explain how you're feeling. Talk to your gp about how anxious you are and perhaps read up a bit about health anxiety, and hopefully your gp will refer you for some cbt to tackle it. Still won't make you immortal but at least you will be able to relax and enjoy the present moment a little more.

[ovumahead]

Also show the little red spots to the gp.

[40slady]

thank you marnirose , yes i do suffer with Health anxiety badly , iv just started with a councilor been waiting 5 months , so pleased has finally come through last week, early days but im hopeful all being well and i get passed/ through this currant health blip i can get on top of this ....
its not easy and not nice day to day feeling this way .
thank you for listening

[40slady]

thank you ovumahead , it is CBT i have just started last week , iv some homework to do to try to help , seeing him again in 2 weeks ..so im hoping will work in time ...
thank you for advice

[PunkrockerGirl]

Leukaemia usually presents with a very raised white cell count (amongst other things). I hope you can sort out your anxiety and other symptoms. But please, leave Dr. Google alone, it is not a reliable diagnostic tool!

[ovumahead]

Oh good! My only advice now is to work your socks off in therapy and do all the homework with gusto and you'll likely see some positive changes.