White Blood Cell Count

Vivi C
Vivi C Member Posts: 70
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I am 10 weeks post rad for SCC at BOT and my internist is monitoring my lab work since my chemo oncologist discharged me. She just email me with results from todays lab and my white blood cell count is now 3.2 (down from 3.9 and 4.1 prior to that). I just left a message for the oncologist because I am concerned. Does anyone out there know if this is concerning? Could it mean cancer is present? Theh Red Cell count and hemoglobin and hematocrit are moving up in the right direction but the WBC keeps going down. I would appreciate any information. Thank you, thank you!

I was so happy today because I am having my feeding tube removed tomorrow morning but now I am stressing over this information. Thank you, thank you

Comments

  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #2
    Sounds pretty normal
    I went back and looked at my records and at 10 months out I was at 3.4 and none of the medical gurus were too concerned about it. I was unable to find my most recent one but it is back to normal ranges and I'm at 15 months post DX. It's a slow process. They will come back up to normal ranges. Be vigilant in dealing with germs but don't get crazy over it. Ask your practitioners if you can get this years flu shot which is combined with the H1N1 vaccine this year.
  • Vivi C
    Vivi C Member Posts: 70
    #3
    ratface said:

    Sounds pretty normal
    I went back and looked at my records and at 10 months out I was at 3.4 and none of the medical gurus were too concerned about it. I was unable to find my most recent one but it is back to normal ranges and I'm at 15 months post DX. It's a slow process. They will come back up to normal ranges. Be vigilant in dealing with germs but don't get crazy over it. Ask your practitioners if you can get this years flu shot which is combined with the H1N1 vaccine this year.

    Thank you ratface!
    Thank you so much for your response. I have been stressing because shortly after chemo and rad my WBC went up to normal range and then it has been coming down every time I get tested. I called my oncologist and he is out of the country. His nurse was going to check with another oncologist covering for him but I knew that someone out there would be able to give me some insight so I don't have to spend the entire weekend stressing over it. I so appreciate your taking the time to respond to my post. And Yes, I already had the flu shot with the H1N1. Thanks again! God Bless, Viv
  • denistd
    denistd Member Posts: 597
    #4
    Vivi C said:

    Thank you ratface!
    Thank you so much for your response. I have been stressing because shortly after chemo and rad my WBC went up to normal range and then it has been coming down every time I get tested. I called my oncologist and he is out of the country. His nurse was going to check with another oncologist covering for him but I knew that someone out there would be able to give me some insight so I don't have to spend the entire weekend stressing over it. I so appreciate your taking the time to respond to my post. And Yes, I already had the flu shot with the H1N1. Thanks again! God Bless, Viv

    WBC
    Viv, During treatment I went down to just over 2, nurse said that it shows the chemo is working. After treatment it gradually moved up and is now quite normal, I was worried at first but onc said everything would be ok, I did not miss ant chemo treatments, I had 3 rounds of high dose cisplatin. Denis
  • Vivi C
    Vivi C Member Posts: 70
    #5
    denistd said:

    WBC
    Viv, During treatment I went down to just over 2, nurse said that it shows the chemo is working. After treatment it gradually moved up and is now quite normal, I was worried at first but onc said everything would be ok, I did not miss ant chemo treatments, I had 3 rounds of high dose cisplatin. Denis

    Thanks Denis
    Hi Denis, Thanks for yor comment! I really appreciate it! Mine went up to normal levels shortly after chemo and rad too but then it started going down and it goes down every time I have blood work which is every 2 weeks. So I am confused as to why it go up and then start going down and continue to do so. I will try not to stress too much over this. I have my first PET/CT Scan on 11/30 and I am anxioulsy waiting to hear the magic words: NED! Have a great day Denis!
    Viv
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #6
    Blood Counts
    My counts also went down quite a bit...just in the low 2 range.

    I also had 16 weeks of chemo (nine weeks in three weeks cycles of Cisplatin, Taxotere and 5FU (24/7 from a pump). Then seven weeks of concurrent weekly Carboplatin and 35 daily rads.

    When I started treatement early in 2009 (SCC STG III throat cancer, HPV+ and a lymph node), all blood work was in the normal ranges. My platelets were in the 200 range, they dropped below 100, WBC and RBC in the 4.0 range, both dropped to barely 2.0.

    I am now 16+ months out, and everything is all back within normal ranges. It took nearly 8 months or so for it all to come back after my last treatments.

    Everyone is different and react differently...make sure you stay up on it and that your doctors do as well.

    Late for you (unless you did as well), but I have every one of my blood tests from start through one this week actually. TSH levels are creeping up, not uncommon to eventually have thyroid problems, not a guarantee that will happen, hopefully not...

    Anyways, best of luck,
    John

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