Low white blood cells - is it that bastard leukaemia?

[OhNoNotMyBaby]

What we thought was freshers' flu has gone on for rather too long. Test for glandular fever was negative but doctor picked up on 'low white blood cell count' so tests are being repeated.

Hold my hand, hold my hand, hold my hand.

Child's father diagnosed 6 years ago with stage 4. Bad prognosis but bone marrow transplant is proving successful (4 years so far). Father's brother died of it 35 years ago, mother's sister died of it 50 years ago.

What would you be thinking right now?

Ohno, you poor thing. Of course you are going to be imagining the worst, there's not much I can say to change that even if logically you know there are lots of reasons why your DC's white blood count might be low. Glandular fever is notoriously difficult to test for and most doctors would not rule it out just because a blood test came back negative, so that is still a strong possibility (I and several of my friends had it in the first year of uni).
I hope that they get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, just hang in there.

I have no useful advice to give but just wanted to post to offer support & hand holding.

Please keep reminding yourself that there are lots of things this could be.

Sending lots of positive vibes for good news .

Fingers crossed for you. If you do get bad news I have learnt that there are many many different kinds of leaukaemia and many are very treatable/curable. My dad was diagnosed in similar circumstances about 8 years ago and other than a couple of wobbles and one course of low dose chemo is broadly fine. Fx for you.

Fingers crossed for you that it isn't leukaemia. DS was diagnosed with CML at university and 3 years on is very fit and well.

I hope things are ok. I see quite a lot of low white counts that revert to normal after viral infections so keep positive thoughts going .

Please keep positive thoughts going.

I received a shock diagnosis of leukaemia last autumn. The doctor himself phoned the day of the blood tests to say my white cell count was low and that he was arranging for me to see a hospital consultant the next day, when I had a biopsy confirming AML leukaemia.

A couple of months ago, a friend had blood tests which also found a low white cell count. Obviously she was worried sick after what had happened to me. This time the response from the doctor's surgery was much less urgent, inviting her back a few days later to discuss treatment. Sure enough, it was a much less serious condition which could be easily treated.

So please try not to worry too much as I reckon they would have been seeing your child as a matter of urgency if it was leukaemia. Will be keeping my fingers crossed for you xxxxx

White cell count can drop after a prolonged infection and that might be all it is; usually if a white cell count is low then a blood film will be looked at to see if the white cells appear normal. If they do not appear normal, then leukaemia may be more likely.

Your GP should have had a "film report" with your blood test results; if this was normal, then a repeat blood test will hopefully show an increased white cell count as your immune system recovers after your prolonged infectious illness.

I'm sorry you're going through this - it's one of my worst nightmares, tbh, and I've already had both my DSs blood-tested for almost no reason, just to rule it out . DS1 had mild anaemia (iron deficient) and low vit D, so he is on supplements; and although DS2's red cell count was normal, his stored iron (ferritin) was low, so he's been on iron supplements and also vit D (also low). I need to take Ds2 back for a re-check to see if his ferritin and vit D levels are normal now; and I'm still a wee bit anxious because he bruises very easily (but his platelets were completely normal last time...)

It doesn't help that I used to work in haematology labs. Too much knowledge can really create a lot of anxiety. :(

No medical knowledge or advice but a bucketload of sympathy - this must be hideous for you. I do sort of think there would be a bit more urgency if the doctor was thinking along the same lines as you. Is your DC at a Uni close to you - can you be with him/her?

Thanks for all the encouragement here. You have made me feel better. She is going to have the tests early next week I believe, and so we should know more by end next week.
I don't know if she knows the possible outcome - she must do surely, after the last few years? She's also old the younger children who have mentioned it to me... Presently I'm just saying that it's because of all the medication she's been on and that now she's off them her blood levels will bounce back up. Hopefully I'm convincing them, if not myself.

How is your daughter, OP? I hope the test results are good.

hope you've had good news. xx

Hi everyone. Sorry for radio silence. The answer is "I don't know". For other, more complicated reasons I won't go into right now, my DD has stopped speaking to me. She's at uni and has been listening rather too much to exH's vitriol about me. So she's punishing me by not talking, emailing, phoning or anything....

God. Children. It just gets harder, not easier.

So sorry for this. Hand hold.

How are things now op?
I hope a little brighter.

Raeray thanks for your concern.
I still don't know. Daughter is now talking to me again but I haven't seen her for 4 months so I don't know how she is. I'm hoping that as we (hopefully) revert to as near normal a relationship as possible she will tell me. But I can't push it.

OP
How are things?
Did the low WBC mean anything?