Low white count

twillits

Well thought I would be celebrating treatment #3, and being half way thru. But my numbers were off, and my white count was too low. So I have to come back next week and see how it is. Talk about disappointment!! I was also told I would be given a shot to boost up the white cells after the next treatment. Has anyone else had that shot? Does it work? Does it have any side effects? Also any helpful hints to help boost it on your own? I just wanted to be done with this one.
Thanks to all again for your advice!

mom2greatkids

I had the shot. It must
I had the shot. It must have helped because my white counts remained normal. The main side effect I remember are body aches. I took my carbo/taxol/avastin last summer. Good luck! I think there are some things you can eat to help with the white counts, but someone else will have to help you out with that one.

Carla

lovesanimals

mom2greatkids said:

I had the shot. It must
I had the shot. It must have helped because my white counts remained normal. The main side effect I remember are body aches. I took my carbo/taxol/avastin last summer. Good luck! I think there are some things you can eat to help with the white counts, but someone else will have to help you out with that one.

Carla

I was disappointed too
I was diappointed too when I couldn't receive my second treatment because of my low white blood cell count. I too got the shot (of Neulasta) and also remember the body aches, mostly achy legs for about two or three days after the shot. For me, the achiness was never unbearable, fortunately, and as I recall, I think I took Tylenol which helped to some extent. My husband also massaged my legs which helped a lot.

Take care,
Kelly

clamryn

Shot
I had to get the shot (Neulasta). I am surprised that they are not going ahead and scheduling you for the shot. Otherwise you might have to miss the next treatment if they are low again. But I am sure they are watching it closely. As far as the shot, I did just fine. No side effects for me and IT WORKS. I know that some on this board experienced a lot of aches and pains. Hopefully that won't happen. Usually once you have to have the shot, you might have to get it after each treatment. Praying for you that everything will turn out okay. You will be fine.

((lots of hugs coming your way))
Linda

Mwee

sorry for your disappointment
but I get a Neulasta shot after each infusion series. It's very expensive for the insurance companies, so it's given only if or when you need it to stay on track. Not being able to keep to a schedule is just one more way that control of of lives seems to be out of our hands. How bout doing something fun for yourself this week? No sense wasting any "feeling pretty good" time!
(((HUGS))) Maria

Tethys41

Neulasta and diet
I received a Neulasta injection after each one of my chemo treatments. I was on too many pain killers to know whether I would have experienced any side effects.

The following supplements and foods help keep wbc up:
Larch
AHCC (mushroom extracts)
astragalus
rhodiola
codyceps
ashwaganda
melatonin (20 mg of medical grade at bedtime)
I'm not familiar with all of these, but can vouch for the cancer fighting properties of both AHCC and melatonin. Neither of these will interfere with carboplatin/taxol. If you take any of the others, discontinue taking them for 48 hours before and after chemo.
High quality whey protein (Mercola sells one, it's kinda pricey, but if you get it, add it to smoothies, AFTER the rest of the ingredients are blended; the heat from the blender damages this type of protein; the best smoothie base is whole coconut milk). This type of whey protein also has cancer fighting properties.
Bone broths either straight or in soups (add 1/4 c. Braggs vinegar to the bones while simmering them, to make the nutrients more available).
root vegetables (carrots, yams, NOT white potatoes).
Ginger tea.

carolenk

Tethys41 said:

Neulasta and diet
I received a Neulasta injection after each one of my chemo treatments. I was on too many pain killers to know whether I would have experienced any side effects.

The following supplements and foods help keep wbc up:
Larch
AHCC (mushroom extracts)
astragalus
rhodiola
codyceps
ashwaganda
melatonin (20 mg of medical grade at bedtime)
I'm not familiar with all of these, but can vouch for the cancer fighting properties of both AHCC and melatonin. Neither of these will interfere with carboplatin/taxol. If you take any of the others, discontinue taking them for 48 hours before and after chemo.
High quality whey protein (Mercola sells one, it's kinda pricey, but if you get it, add it to smoothies, AFTER the rest of the ingredients are blended; the heat from the blender damages this type of protein; the best smoothie base is whole coconut milk). This type of whey protein also has cancer fighting properties.
Bone broths either straight or in soups (add 1/4 c. Braggs vinegar to the bones while simmering them, to make the nutrients more available).
root vegetables (carrots, yams, NOT white potatoes).
Ginger tea.

Sesame seeds?
Tethys

What about eating tahini (made from sesame seeds) for helping WBC count? Is it just for platelets?

artist49

carolenk said:

Sesame seeds?
Tethys

What about eating tahini (made from sesame seeds) for helping WBC count? Is it just for platelets?

tahini from germinated sesame seeds
I was eating tahini from whole sesame seeds for the past year and my WBC only rarely
went above about 4 k/mcl. Two weeks ago I started using tahini from whole organic
germinated sesame seeds at the advice of a health food store and my WBC jumped this
past Monday to to 7.1 k/mcl! All my other markers (platelets,etc,) went up too but not as dramatically. The brand Is Max Sesame and there is a website on the jar - natnuts.com.
Maybe the germinated part made the difference. It tastes better too.

azgrandma

artist49 said:

tahini from germinated sesame seeds
I was eating tahini from whole sesame seeds for the past year and my WBC only rarely
went above about 4 k/mcl. Two weeks ago I started using tahini from whole organic
germinated sesame seeds at the advice of a health food store and my WBC jumped this
past Monday to to 7.1 k/mcl! All my other markers (platelets,etc,) went up too but not as dramatically. The brand Is Max Sesame and there is a website on the jar - natnuts.com.
Maybe the germinated part made the difference. It tastes better too.

Neupagen
they gave me neulasta and neupagen shots. i got four a week of the neupagen it did not bring mine up enough to get any more chemo i was only able to recieve 4 treamtents not 6. It has been over 2 years now and still havie white count problems

twillits

artist49 said:

tahini from germinated sesame seeds
I was eating tahini from whole sesame seeds for the past year and my WBC only rarely
went above about 4 k/mcl. Two weeks ago I started using tahini from whole organic
germinated sesame seeds at the advice of a health food store and my WBC jumped this
past Monday to to 7.1 k/mcl! All my other markers (platelets,etc,) went up too but not as dramatically. The brand Is Max Sesame and there is a website on the jar - natnuts.com.
Maybe the germinated part made the difference. It tastes better too.

I found the brand Max Sesame
I found the brand Max Sesame and ordered a jar of it. It looks like it comes in a spread form? Is that what you have? How do you eat it? I hope it's the right stuff. I am willing to try anything to not get the shots. Thanks for the help!

artist49

twillits said:

I found the brand Max Sesame
I found the brand Max Sesame and ordered a jar of it. It looks like it comes in a spread form? Is that what you have? How do you eat it? I hope it's the right stuff. I am willing to try anything to not get the shots. Thanks for the help!

germinated sesame paste
O.K. This is how I eat the Max Sesame paste. I empty the contents of the jar with a rubber spatula into some kind of bowl. Then I add water little by little mixing the paste as I go.
It slowly turns lighter in color and creamy. Keep adding a little water at a time till you
get the consistency that you like. Thick and creamy and spreadable is good.A small mixing
spoon works well for this process. I then divide it into little containers , freeze them and
put one into the fridge every night so it defrosts for the next day.I don't flavor it but you can with lemon juice and spices I guess. I spread it on gluten free bread and
sprinkle ground pumpkin, sunflower and chia seeds and a garlic clove on the paste.
This is delicious and goes very well with tomato soup and raw veggies like broccoli sprouts, red cabbage etc.Sometimes I spread some organic mustard on the paste for some real zing! Good luck, oh I forgot something else that might help. I eat acan of saltfree sardines with skin and bones (Brisling tastes best as a type of sardine) every day.

Melissa88

Tethys41 said:

Neulasta and diet
I received a Neulasta injection after each one of my chemo treatments. I was on too many pain killers to know whether I would have experienced any side effects.

The following supplements and foods help keep wbc up:
Larch
AHCC (mushroom extracts)
astragalus
rhodiola
codyceps
ashwaganda
melatonin (20 mg of medical grade at bedtime)
I'm not familiar with all of these, but can vouch for the cancer fighting properties of both AHCC and melatonin. Neither of these will interfere with carboplatin/taxol. If you take any of the others, discontinue taking them for 48 hours before and after chemo.
High quality whey protein (Mercola sells one, it's kinda pricey, but if you get it, add it to smoothies, AFTER the rest of the ingredients are blended; the heat from the blender damages this type of protein; the best smoothie base is whole coconut milk). This type of whey protein also has cancer fighting properties.
Bone broths either straight or in soups (add 1/4 c. Braggs vinegar to the bones while simmering them, to make the nutrients more available).
root vegetables (carrots, yams, NOT white potatoes).
Ginger tea.

Low platelets and white count
Your reply about supplements intrigued me. I have ovca. I have lived with liver disease since middle teens. I am now 48. My normal WBC is 2 5 and platelets 45-50. As you can imaging, chemo is not happening. I got one tx only carboplatnim and 3 weeks later in hospital with WBC of.4 and 12 platelets. I should be having 4th treatment, but no answer to my platelet problem. Nuepogen helps WBC. Any help from anyone about raising platelets would be so greatly appreciated.