red/white blood counts

srwruns
srwruns Member Posts: 343
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
Just had my second chemo yesterday. Glad to report all went well, except for one potential snag. My red counts were up higher than last time. That of course is good. My white count was just barely below the threshold of allowable for chemo but he signed me off to have chemo anyway. I was very surprised because I have been feeling very good and have no illnesses or infections. Also because I have had only one chemo I thought the dropping wbc was cumulative and wouldn't have shown up this early. I asked him is there anything I can do re diet or exercise and he said no. I know that there is the Nuelasta shots but I would like to try anything more natural (other than contraindicated supplements) to try and avoid more shots. I am tired of being a pin cushion. I understand they are expensive and I'm not sure my insurance would cover them, although my insurance did cover my Lovenox which is very pricey. I have heard some insurances won't cover Neulasta as they will say just delay your chemo another week or something like that. I am on blood thinners so I have avoid a diet HIGH in green leafy vegetables...yeah, like the things that are healthy for us!
thanks, Susan

Comments

  • poopergirl14052
    poopergirl14052 Member Posts: 1,183 Member
    #2
    WBC S
    it is normal for your wbcs to vary...as long as they gave you chemo that day. We have to avoid sick people and crowded malls etc. maybe you can take vit.c or eat oranges grapefruit or oj..i have been lucky so far as my spleen was removed and i nothing to gight infection. I wish you well. My next tx is Dec 16 and more bloodwork Dec 14. keep rbcs up with vit B12
  • ten101
    ten101 Member Posts: 14
    #3
    white cell count
    Susan, not sure if there is anything they can do about white blood count, only thing done for me was after my third treatment-started neupogen shots-involved several shots rather than one neulasta shot but I was told the neulasta side effects included bone pain and I already had that just from the chemo so I didn't want more of it. Frankly Dr. did neupogen because I was taking a plane trip two weeks after treatment and neulasta has to be given the day after treatment and I was ok with the neupogen and it worked for me until my last treatment was scheduled. Counts were too low and I had to wait a week and that was very disheartening. I would think your insurance would cover it because especially early on my Dr. was strict about sticking to the planned schedule of treatments as long as all my counts were good-in fact changed my vacation that resulted in the shots so that I would not go off my schedule.

    Mary Carol

Discussion Boards