New labs

allmost60
allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
Hi guys,
I got my labs done yesterday and the WBC's were a little low..3.8..(RBC"S stayed the same) but the counts that dropped the most were...Neutrophil% Auto (Sept 17th) they were 31.5 which was low, but yesterdays lab report showed it had dropped to 22.6. The other low count was with the ABS Neutro Auto (Sept 17th) they were 1.20 a little low, but yesterday showed 0.80. The referance range shows this # should be between 2.00-8.00. What does this low number mean and what should I be aware of? I feel fine, just a little achey in my shoulders and neck and I've had a dull headache for the last week. Would these low counts cause that? Thanks...Sue

Comments

  • COBRA666
    COBRA666 Member Posts: 2,401 Member
    #2
    BLOOD COUNTS
    Sue,
    I don't know a lot about what blood counts mean. Your WBC is on the low side that I do know,but not any danger. Still be careful though. Mine is in the 20's. My RBC is what your WBC is,3.8 and I feel a little on the tired side. Pretty close to anemic. So close it is considered anemia. It will go back up in about a week from now. Before I started chemo it was 29.5. That was high, but great according to the DR. I was never tired and full of pi$$ and vinegar all the time. I know the neutrophils are part of the WBC group. This has a direct effect on your white blood cell count. The shot that we get the next day stimulates those cells in the bone marrow. I guess thats why mine are so high. My RBC's stayed high until somewhere between my 4th and 5th round and started to drop. Thats when I started the drag a$$ syndrone. Since those chemicals are cummulative they start to wear the body down over time. Some people start from the 1st round and others get thru a few and then start to wear down, but it gets us all somewhere along the course of the treatment. That is of course unless we wear a blue suit with an S on the shirt and a red cape. John
  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #3
    COBRA666 said:

    BLOOD COUNTS
    Sue,
    I don't know a lot about what blood counts mean. Your WBC is on the low side that I do know,but not any danger. Still be careful though. Mine is in the 20's. My RBC is what your WBC is,3.8 and I feel a little on the tired side. Pretty close to anemic. So close it is considered anemia. It will go back up in about a week from now. Before I started chemo it was 29.5. That was high, but great according to the DR. I was never tired and full of pi$$ and vinegar all the time. I know the neutrophils are part of the WBC group. This has a direct effect on your white blood cell count. The shot that we get the next day stimulates those cells in the bone marrow. I guess thats why mine are so high. My RBC's stayed high until somewhere between my 4th and 5th round and started to drop. Thats when I started the drag a$$ syndrone. Since those chemicals are cummulative they start to wear the body down over time. Some people start from the 1st round and others get thru a few and then start to wear down, but it gets us all somewhere along the course of the treatment. That is of course unless we wear a blue suit with an S on the shirt and a red cape. John

    Thank you
    Thanks John,
    I knew it was only a matter of time when my counts would start to fluctuate. My hair is still hanging in there, but thinning. I always get a little bit anxious the weekend before treatment...dreddinh taking the "you know what"...ha! Hate that s%*@!!!! My butt is draggin this weekend...I think the trip had alittle to do with it,plus the up-coming treatment. ...Sue
  • COBRA666
    COBRA666 Member Posts: 2,401 Member
    #4
    allmost60 said:

    Thank you
    Thanks John,
    I knew it was only a matter of time when my counts would start to fluctuate. My hair is still hanging in there, but thinning. I always get a little bit anxious the weekend before treatment...dreddinh taking the "you know what"...ha! Hate that s%*@!!!! My butt is draggin this weekend...I think the trip had alittle to do with it,plus the up-coming treatment. ...Sue

    Thinning hair
    Sue,
    I never did shave my head, but a few days ago I did cut the top with an electric razor very very short but not skin close. I felt little stubs but could not see anything. So I cut it and low and behold there was little tiny stubs growing. My hair or whats left of it looks like crap but I wear a cap when I go out anyway. There are a bunch of fuzzys real light in color and texture all over too. Can't feel them, but I can see them. Even though I cut it a few days ago they are growing extra slow. I guess that is normal. Have to find out from the gang ,they will know. Still don't have any stubs on the side of my head yet.
    Yea, that chemo will catch up with us as time goes on. I hate it as I am sure we all do, but what can we do? Still have some cramping at night in the lower legs. I mean some real good charley horses too. darn if that won't bring you to life real quick while you are sleeping. Just keep your attention on those blood counts they will not go up while on chemo, only down. They may start to rise a little before the treatment,but then get knocked down a little lower after. When you start to wear out quickly or feel tired a lot, that is one of the signs of RBC's dropping. The chemo itself drags us out as well,so can't blame it all on the RBC's. John
  • dixiegirl
    dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    #5
    COBRA666 said:

    Thinning hair
    Sue,
    I never did shave my head, but a few days ago I did cut the top with an electric razor very very short but not skin close. I felt little stubs but could not see anything. So I cut it and low and behold there was little tiny stubs growing. My hair or whats left of it looks like crap but I wear a cap when I go out anyway. There are a bunch of fuzzys real light in color and texture all over too. Can't feel them, but I can see them. Even though I cut it a few days ago they are growing extra slow. I guess that is normal. Have to find out from the gang ,they will know. Still don't have any stubs on the side of my head yet.
    Yea, that chemo will catch up with us as time goes on. I hate it as I am sure we all do, but what can we do? Still have some cramping at night in the lower legs. I mean some real good charley horses too. darn if that won't bring you to life real quick while you are sleeping. Just keep your attention on those blood counts they will not go up while on chemo, only down. They may start to rise a little before the treatment,but then get knocked down a little lower after. When you start to wear out quickly or feel tired a lot, that is one of the signs of RBC's dropping. The chemo itself drags us out as well,so can't blame it all on the RBC's. John

    Magnesium supplements for Leg cramps
    You should try magnesium supplements for the leg cramps John, my onc had me do that & while it didn't completely get rid of them it did help tremendously.
  • COBRA666
    COBRA666 Member Posts: 2,401 Member
    #6
    dixiegirl said:

    Magnesium supplements for Leg cramps
    You should try magnesium supplements for the leg cramps John, my onc had me do that & while it didn't completely get rid of them it did help tremendously.

    leg cramps
    Thanks, it is worth a try. They can get terrible sometimes. I have to walk around the house for several minutes to get them to go away.
  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #7
    dixiegirl said:

    Magnesium supplements for Leg cramps
    You should try magnesium supplements for the leg cramps John, my onc had me do that & while it didn't completely get rid of them it did help tremendously.

    Did hubby come home?
    Hi Beth,
    Was your husband able to come home today? I've been wondering how your day has gone and if he made it home. Steve came home from work Thurday afternoon sick as a dog. Up-set stomach, body aches, headache, cough and fever. He walked straight in the door put on a mask and said "don't get near me ..I've got a doctors appointment in the morning, and until then I'll stay in the family room downstairs". Friday morning he went to the doctor while I went for my lab work and when I got home he said he had the flu or some virus and the doctor put him on a Z-pack. Said he would be contagious for 2 days so he would stay in the family room until tomorrow(Sun). Feels so weird me upstairs and him downstairs. When he comes up to the kitchen he has a mask and gloves on and just pops his head in the living room long enough to wave at me. I feel like he's being over protective, but he won't have it any other way. So..I kind of know how you feel..my man is home, but out of sight, so it feels like he's not home. Maybe tomorrow we will both have our hubbys back. Can you tell I'm B-O-R-E-D...ha!...Love...Sue
  • dixiegirl
    dixiegirl Member Posts: 1,043 Member
    #8
    allmost60 said:

    Did hubby come home?
    Hi Beth,
    Was your husband able to come home today? I've been wondering how your day has gone and if he made it home. Steve came home from work Thurday afternoon sick as a dog. Up-set stomach, body aches, headache, cough and fever. He walked straight in the door put on a mask and said "don't get near me ..I've got a doctors appointment in the morning, and until then I'll stay in the family room downstairs". Friday morning he went to the doctor while I went for my lab work and when I got home he said he had the flu or some virus and the doctor put him on a Z-pack. Said he would be contagious for 2 days so he would stay in the family room until tomorrow(Sun). Feels so weird me upstairs and him downstairs. When he comes up to the kitchen he has a mask and gloves on and just pops his head in the living room long enough to wave at me. I feel like he's being over protective, but he won't have it any other way. So..I kind of know how you feel..my man is home, but out of sight, so it feels like he's not home. Maybe tomorrow we will both have our hubbys back. Can you tell I'm B-O-R-E-D...ha!...Love...Sue

    Yep
    Yes, he's home and exhausted. So he was snoring in the chair before 8:00pm last night so I went to bed with a book to stay quiet. He slept straight through till 7:15 this morning lol.

    The precautions your hubby is taking is necessary my dear. Don't feel bad about having to stay away for a while. If you could use separate bathrooms that would be good too. Just sanitize EVERYTHING.

    Take care honey!
  • vinny59
    vinny59 Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #9
    sue
    are you receiving neulasta shot's, always made me achey! Keep up the good work, your doing great!!!!!!! Vinny
  • COBRA666
    COBRA666 Member Posts: 2,401 Member
    #10
    vinny59 said:

    sue
    are you receiving neulasta shot's, always made me achey! Keep up the good work, your doing great!!!!!!! Vinny

    NEULASTA
    Vinny,
    I get the shot every time. When you say achy what do you mean. All over or just in certain areas. I notice my hips give me a fit but no where else. John
  • vinny59
    vinny59 Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #11
    COBRA666 said:

    NEULASTA
    Vinny,
    I get the shot every time. When you say achy what do you mean. All over or just in certain areas. I notice my hips give me a fit but no where else. John

    neulasta
    Hey John, my counts are so low I get two shots at a time, my lower back, ribs, neck, and hips all ache. Feels like I have the flu..........
  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #12
    vinny59 said:

    sue
    are you receiving neulasta shot's, always made me achey! Keep up the good work, your doing great!!!!!!! Vinny

    No shot
    Hi Vinny,
    No, I haven't been given any shots yet like the neulasta you, John and others get. I just figured my counts must be "ok enough" for right now or I'd be getting the shot. Alot of my achey feeling in the neck and shoulders is caused from my Klippel Feil Syndrome, but not the dull headache. The achey feeling in my neck which started directly after 1st chemo treatment is in the area where the tumors were located. They shrunk and are now physically gone to the touch, but maybe they are still melting down deep inside and thats why I feel so achey in that area. I'll ask my new doctor on Tuesday morning before chemo.
    Sue..(thanks for the vote of confidence...I'm tring to stay positive)
  • allmost60
    allmost60 Member Posts: 3,178 Member
    #13
    dixiegirl said:

    Yep
    Yes, he's home and exhausted. So he was snoring in the chair before 8:00pm last night so I went to bed with a book to stay quiet. He slept straight through till 7:15 this morning lol.

    The precautions your hubby is taking is necessary my dear. Don't feel bad about having to stay away for a while. If you could use separate bathrooms that would be good too. Just sanitize EVERYTHING.

    Take care honey!

    I Know...
    Hi Beth,
    Oh...I know the precaution is necessary, it was just bad timing for him to get sick. I had been gone for 3 days then he got sick and stayed away from me for 2 more days, and now it's almost time for my 3rd treatment. You know how we get kind of goofy acting when too many things happen at once?! It didn't help with the news that my dear Aunts cancer was back either. It was just a bit much for one week...but as they say..
    "thats life"!...ha! Glad your hubby is home and rested. Steve has rejoined me in the living room during the daytime hours now,(wearing a mask) but we are going to sleep seperate until tomorrow in case he coughs in his sleep.Nice to see his sweet face again!...Love...Sue
  • vinny59
    vinny59 Member Posts: 1,036 Member
    #14
    allmost60 said:

    No shot
    Hi Vinny,
    No, I haven't been given any shots yet like the neulasta you, John and others get. I just figured my counts must be "ok enough" for right now or I'd be getting the shot. Alot of my achey feeling in the neck and shoulders is caused from my Klippel Feil Syndrome, but not the dull headache. The achey feeling in my neck which started directly after 1st chemo treatment is in the area where the tumors were located. They shrunk and are now physically gone to the touch, but maybe they are still melting down deep inside and thats why I feel so achey in that area. I'll ask my new doctor on Tuesday morning before chemo.
    Sue..(thanks for the vote of confidence...I'm tring to stay positive)

    good thing
    Hey sue that's such a good thing not having to get the shot's! Keep on rolling! You are going to be done before you know it! Talk to you! Vinny

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