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AIBU?

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Original poster

Low blood cell count - please help!

28 replies

Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 09:43

Hope it's ok to post here as looking for some quick reassurance.
Have been ill for a couple of weeks with some sort of stomach infection. I just had bloods done and have low white cell count. Especially neutrophil count of 1.87 (normal range 2-7.5), previous tests over the years show 3-4.1 so abnormal for me..
Can this just indicate infection? Obviously I googled and lots of scary things came up.
Do you know if it had been blood cancer would they have been able to see that in the lab?
They just want to repeat test in two weeks.
Any advice please is really, really appreciated x

OP posts:
MMR454 · 22/11/2018 09:48

I’m not sure tbh. But I know they would have called you in urgently if they suspected blood cancer. Low white blood count could be related to infection too. Try not to panic.

JellyBaby666 · 22/11/2018 09:52

Blood cancer be difficult to diagnose - here are some symptoms bloodwise.org.uk/info-support/blood-cancer/symptoms if you're worried based on these & your blood results go back to the GP and state "I am concerned about blood cancer can you rule it out"

Abnormal bloods can be from an infection or medications you might be on. Big hugs OP Flowers

Alwaysbekind2014 · 22/11/2018 09:54

1.87 neutrophils is not that low ... under 1 is low.

Alwaysbekind2014 · 22/11/2018 09:55

Infections can cause a drop in neutrophils as your whit blood cells have been used to fight of the infection.

Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 09:56

Thank you all.
I suppose it is just so much lower than my usual.
Do you think they would have called me in if they at all suspected blood cancer?
I have pretty bad health anxiety at the best of times, but this has really set me off.
I am single parent to two children.
Does anyone know if neutrophils can drop that low with a viral or bacterial infection?
I am so upset.

OP posts:
Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 09:57

The only other symptom I have on that blood cancer list is tiredness, but then I have been ill.

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JellyBaby666 · 22/11/2018 10:01

You can't diagnose blood cancer off of one blood test, which is why they're wanting to see you in 2 weeks when you're hopefully better and they can see if your bloods are back to normal. You can't "see" blood cancer in the lab, it's the diagnosis made off of abnormal bloods & other tests. It's really easy to say but if you're normally otherwise well apart from this recent stomach bug then it's probably all related and will self resolve.

Alwaysbekind2014 · 22/11/2018 10:02

It’s not unusual to drop white blood cells during virus or infections they can become increased during these times to there.
My daughter currently has an infection
Her neutrophils are 0.8
Platelets 49
Overall wbc 2.5
She has a chest infection

She has had many infections as she is vulnerable and always knocks them out of sync
The full blood count is used to see if infection is presents for this reason

Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 10:06

Ok thank you.
I had cancer in my 20s (thyroid) so all tests trigger me off anyways but this has really freaked me out.
I really wish I hadn't taken a print out of the tests and had just left it after speaking to my doctor.
I feel so panicky about this.
The test is so low compared to my normal if you know what I mean. Even when I had bloods taken when I had tonsillitis the neutrophils didn't drop.
Would I be crazy to call the doctor to ask her for some reassurance? I don't want her to think (know!) I am a crazy lady x

OP posts:
Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 10:09

I've really worked myself into a complete state about this :(

OP posts:
Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 10:24

Bump..

OP posts:
Weetabixandshreddies · 22/11/2018 10:31

Would I be crazy to call the doctor to ask her for some reassurance?

Given that this is worrying you so much then no, I don't think you would be unreasonable to phone for reassurance.

Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 10:42

Oh dear she is not back in till tomorrow, guess I will gave to wait till then :(

OP posts:
Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 10:42

I know there is nothing anyone here can say to make me feel better, I have just gone down this rabbit hole of health anxiety and I don't really know what to do about it :(

OP posts:
Weetabixandshreddies · 22/11/2018 10:46

Easier said than done but try to distract yourself until tomorrow.

I had a very low white cell count following an infection. The consultant explained that my body was using them faster than they could made in order to fight the infection.

The fact that they want you to wait for another test suggests that they aren't unduly worried. Try to hang onto that.

Weetabixandshreddies · 22/11/2018 10:48

Also look at the range - lower end of normal is 2 and yours are 1.87 so only very slightly low.

Birrdy · 22/11/2018 10:50

OP given your history it's not surprising that you're very anxious and I have the same about health, it can just spiral round in my head. If the doctors were concerned they wouldn't have sent you on your way and said come back in two weeks. The result you're worrying about isn't that low and I would have assumed is linked to the bug that you're fighting off at the moment. You're making a huge leap jumping to he conclusion that it may be blood cancer when it's a hundred times more likely (probably more) not to be anything like that at all.

Have you got a telephone appointment with the doctor for tomorrow? I bet they reassure you. There are some horrible bugs going round at the moment and they affect our blood counts.

Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 11:02

Thanks so much. I phoned my local cancer centre (who I got counselling when I had cancer in my 20s). My mum is also dealing with recurrence of breast cancer (although local we think) so there is a lot going on. They were very reassuring about my bloods and said it would be high not low if leukaemia, they said low can be infection but good to get it checked out.
I have a follow up appointment with my GP next week.
I think I am all over the place at the moment, I really wish I hadn't asked for the results printed out, it has done nothing but freak me out and the internet medical pages are the worst.
I guess it freaked me out because mine has never been low like that.,,
I just want to feel better.

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LeukaeLucky · 22/11/2018 13:10

Hi OP just joined literally to give you some reassurance. I was diagnosed with leukaemia in January 2018 after a routine blood test. My blood was taken around 1.30 on a Friday and I had a NHS doctor knocking on my door at 3 am that same night to rush me to A&E. My wbc was through the roof. They would never leave it for 2 weeks if they had any doubt. Neutrophils above 1 are considered within normal range especially if you are currently unwell. Good luck

Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 13:47

LeukaeLucky you are so, so kind to sign up and respond and so sorry to hear you have been unwell, hoping you are on the mend since then xx

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JellycatElfie · 22/11/2018 13:50

Those neutrophils aren’t that low at all and it can be normal for them to stop following a viral or bacterial infection. If there was any indication of blood cancer they’d have told you by now.

Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 13:54

Thanks JellyCat. I think I freaked out because they showed my history of blood tests over the last four years and they have never dropped below 3. I think I just need to concentrate on trying to feel better and step. away. from Dr Google, he/she is always my downfall.

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JellycatElfie · 22/11/2018 13:55

I understand but your neutrophils will have fluctuated over the years and you just won’t have had a blood test to show it at the times they were lowest. Please try not to worry. Infections can make all sorts of changes to your bloods which you’d never know about normally.

LeukaeLucky · 22/11/2018 13:56

@notcool1984 I'm recovering thankfully I was really lucky to have found an unrelated donor and had a bone marrow transplant over the summer. Please keep us posted x

Original poster
Notcool1984 · 22/11/2018 13:57

Thank you, I think I am starting to feel a little more rational now. I have terrible health anxiety and am currently waiting for my annual thyroid cancer check up, plus my mum's surgery for breast cancer so I think being ill for two weeks and then seeing the blood test results and made my brain go all kinds of crazy.

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