Elevated WBC anyone experienced prior to diagnosis?

DadysGirl
DadysGirl Member Posts: 346
edited April 2013 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1

I was wondering if high WBC values are of anything to worry about. The nurse who gave me the results stated you must have been fightiing of an infection our response was am I fighting an infection each time... WBC values have been 11, 18, 13 basically ranging all over 11-18...

Thank you 

Comments

  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #2
    Blood counts...

    I don't know about others, but my blood work was fine at the time of my diagnosis. If not for the swollen groin node and the small swollen node on my neck, we probably wouldn't have even found my Lymphoma. My doctor said that in many cases Lymphoma is found while checking out something else. I was "A" symptomatic and not having any other health issues, so swollen nodes were the only "red flag" for my doctor. Hopefully someone else will have more information to give when it comes to blood counts being an indicator. Hope you get some answers soon. Let us know what you find out. Much love...Sue

    (FNHL-2-3A-6/10-age62) In Remission as of April 2013.

  • DadysGirl
    DadysGirl Member Posts: 346
    #3
    allmost60 said:

    Blood counts...

    I don't know about others, but my blood work was fine at the time of my diagnosis. If not for the swollen groin node and the small swollen node on my neck, we probably wouldn't have even found my Lymphoma. My doctor said that in many cases Lymphoma is found while checking out something else. I was "A" symptomatic and not having any other health issues, so swollen nodes were the only "red flag" for my doctor. Hopefully someone else will have more information to give when it comes to blood counts being an indicator. Hope you get some answers soon. Let us know what you find out. Much love...Sue

    (FNHL-2-3A-6/10-age62) In Remission as of April 2013.

    Thank you Sue... I wish you

    Thank you Sue... I wish you continued remission... With my wonderful Dad too it was found out by accident... 

    Lots of luv and I appreciate you writing back a detailed MSG.

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #4
    allmost60 said:

    Blood counts...

    I don't know about others, but my blood work was fine at the time of my diagnosis. If not for the swollen groin node and the small swollen node on my neck, we probably wouldn't have even found my Lymphoma. My doctor said that in many cases Lymphoma is found while checking out something else. I was "A" symptomatic and not having any other health issues, so swollen nodes were the only "red flag" for my doctor. Hopefully someone else will have more information to give when it comes to blood counts being an indicator. Hope you get some answers soon. Let us know what you find out. Much love...Sue

    (FNHL-2-3A-6/10-age62) In Remission as of April 2013.

    Same as Sue

    Like Sue, my bloodwork overall was pretty normal when I was diagnosed, and like her I also was asymptomatic (no night sweats, no itching, and I never felt a node anywhere). This is despite the fact that I was heavily involved, and Stage III at the time. I was diagnosed with lymphoma by accident, during a heart scan.  Extreme tireness was the only "classical" symptom that I did have, in retrospect.

    I would think that LOW WBC would be moe worrisome, but I am absolutely not sure about that. I know that following infusions, WBC tends to plunge LOW, not go high, so much so that many people (like me) have to take WBC booster shots (neulasta is a popular one) throughout treatment.

    The obvious advice is to ask the doc.

    max

    .

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #5
    One of my only blood symptoms

    One of my only blood symptoms was a slightly out of range low white and red blood counts. Drs pooh poohed it. I had the low white count for about 3  years before being dx with stage IV FNHL with bone marrow involvement. My advice would be to insist on further investigation.

  • anliperez915
    anliperez915 Member Posts: 770
    #6
    Hi DadysGirl

    Hi DadysGirl,

    My WBC were very high when I was dx, my PCP told me that they had been like that for a year. She was a new doc that was assigned to me because my previous dr left the clinic and that's when my new dr noticed the elevated levels. I don't want to scare you but my numbers were very similar to yours, I think that you should have further testing because I felt fine and didn't feel any swollen nodes...it was just my blood that gave me away! The Onc told me in Nov that my blood was in normal range but in January my wbc were high again, even after having my four Rituxan treatments. Not sure why I continue to have this problem with my wbc. I will be thinking and praying for you dadysgirl and please let us know what you find out. (((Hugs)))

    Sincerely,

    Liz

  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    #7
    Hi DadysGirl

    From what I read normal can range from 4.3 to 10.8 (x1000) so at 11 you are very close to normal.  Several things can cause wbc to elevate:  allergies, infections, certain medications and diseases - even smoking.

    I know you have been grieving and that can effect the immune system and could come into play as well.  I hope you find answers soon and keep us posted.

    Hugs - Jim

  • DadysGirl
    DadysGirl Member Posts: 346
    #8
    jimwins said:

    Hi DadysGirl

    From what I read normal can range from 4.3 to 10.8 (x1000) so at 11 you are very close to normal.  Several things can cause wbc to elevate:  allergies, infections, certain medications and diseases - even smoking.

    I know you have been grieving and that can effect the immune system and could come into play as well.  I hope you find answers soon and keep us posted.

    Hugs - Jim

    Thank you alwillwrite

    Thank you alwillwrite again... Wrote back to you all short in checking in by lisha ... Again thank you so much... I apologize for not writing back earlier and now making it short on top of it...

  • bobmcghee
    bobmcghee Member Posts: 44 Member
    #9
    Elevated WBC

    My white count is a little low normally since chemo in 2010, below 4.0 but last year when I had pleurisy it went up as to 8.58. It gradually went back down as I got better.  

  • DadysGirl
    DadysGirl Member Posts: 346
    #10
    Called talked to nurse she

    Called talked to nurse she felt I should see the doc... I asked them to p,ease ask the doc to see if I need to be seen they called today and doc said WBC have been high chronic form so need to come in.. Will see doc tomorrow.. Thank you all for your responses... 

  • jimwins
    jimwins Member Posts: 2,107
    #11
    DadysGirl said:

    Called talked to nurse she

    Called talked to nurse she felt I should see the doc... I asked them to p,ease ask the doc to see if I need to be seen they called today and doc said WBC have been high chronic form so need to come in.. Will see doc tomorrow.. Thank you all for your responses... 

    Good luck

    Good luck tomorrow and please let us know what you find out if anything. - Jim

  • DadysGirl
    DadysGirl Member Posts: 346
    #12
    Thank you so much.. As you've

    Thank you so much.. As you've said I doubt I'll know anythingtomorrow...

     

  • anliperez915
    anliperez915 Member Posts: 770
    #13
    DadysGirl said:

    Thank you so much.. As you've

    Thank you so much.. As you've said I doubt I'll know anythingtomorrow...

     

    Thinking of you!

    Thinking of you...hope everything is well! Please keep us posted...(((Hugs)))

    Sincerely,

    Liz

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #14
    I just re read my message and

    I just re read my message and it dawned on me that I totally failed to make my point - that  out of range, high or low, even by a small margin needs to be looked at. Its that way for a reason. My white count was 3.8, just short of the bottom of normal for years. Now I know the Drs. were wrong when they said it wasn't enough to matter.

  • DadysGirl
    DadysGirl Member Posts: 346
    #15
    unknown said:

    I just re read my message and

    I just re read my message and it dawned on me that I totally failed to make my point - that  out of range, high or low, even by a small margin needs to be looked at. Its that way for a reason. My white count was 3.8, just short of the bottom of normal for years. Now I know the Drs. were wrong when they said it wasn't enough to matter.

    Thank you very much to all of

    Thank you very much to all of you..

    Prior to docs office I read in one of the things steroid cortosteroid I think it was could also raise WBC count and mentioned it to the resident doc that I had cortisone shot a month back... He asked so many questions to see if I had any infection or illness nothing.. He was glad when I mentioned about the cortisone but he wasn't sure how/whether it effects it when it's done through the medicine taken medicine form... In any case the doc also came in and looked over my WBC over yrs... Noticed for couple yrs it's been high but has been normal in past.. Running from 11.3 - 18.9... Last one two weeks ago was 13.3.... Doc said cortisone shot could be the cause and he wasn't sure how long it stays withinblood stream... Did blood work again today and it was interesting the resident doc called me an hour after my blood work and said it is down to 12.5 today. They had made an appt for 3 weeks later ..when I asked him if still necessary to come in they said yes.. So far so good.. Again thank you very much for all the responses...

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