View Full Version : Leukaemia?
I have a leukaemia fear a few times before. However, since my two previous blood tests showed a low white blood cell count I can't shake it. I keep getting bruises, although my platelets were ok and I had a random spell of vomiting which I can't tell how I would've caught that. I read that a low white blood cell count can be a symptom and if it is vomiting can be present due to immature cells being present. This haas worried me and made me think my vomiting is definitely related. I have bone or muscle pain as well.
Are leukaemia bruises a result of them having low platelets or something else?
I'm scared if I have another blood test it would show something even more sinister. My first blood test with this was around about March. Would I be much more symptomatic by now?
Hi sorry you are having this fear I too am worried about leukemia at the moment. I have to go for blood tests but can't bring myself to do it as I'm terrified this is what they will find.
I always thought high white blood cell counts were more of an indicator of leukemia than low? Also surely if your GP thought there was any chance of your low wbc being anything they would be having you back for regular testing. A friend of mine had problems with her RBC which they said could be the start of leukemia or possible HIV infection. She is a police officer so there is a risk with her work that she could have contracted HIV without knowing, her doctor was running repeat tests on her for a period of time until everything was normal. I'm sure if your doctor was worried you would be having more blood tests.
As for the bruising, some people do bruise easily but if your platelets are normal chances are that is just you and nothing sinister.
It's very easy to piece things together and come up with a diagnosis that's why we have HA because we are always convinced we are right. As for the vomiting bug you could have picked that up anywhere, you could pass someone in the street, touch a door handle, those bugs are so contagious and the germs can survive for quite a long time in the air so unfortunately they are very easily contracted.
Please try not to worry it sounds like you are just a bit run down but I'm sure your GP would be on the case if they had any concerns that anything concerning was going on.
I would also think if they were showing symptoms of leukemia they would get worse pretty quickly.
Don't worry about the low white cell count. I had the same worries as yourself as my white cell count is always low whenever i have blood tests. The normal range is that just an average range, some are naturally lower and some are naturally higher. You might just be like me and have low white cells.
Also a vomiting bug can cause your white cells to go down so its probably the cause.
I went to my Doctor today who said she doesn't think I have anything to worry about as my white blood cell count was only just under at 3.91. She suggested I have another test because I'm worried. I'm so scared it will have dipped even more. She said that bruising in leukaemia is usually a result of low platelets which I don't have and my pattern of bruising doesn't appear to fit. I'm having my blood test tomorrow and was wondering if it was anything serious would I be rang back same day?
I'm going crazy with worry. Can low white blood cells be a form of pre-leukemia? I'm terrified my blood test will have worsened and show this.
I went to my Doctor today who said she doesn't think I have anything to worry about as my white blood cell count was only just under at 3.91. She suggested I have another test because I'm worried. I'm so scared it will have dipped even more. She said that bruising in leukaemia is usually a result of low platelets which I don't have and my pattern of bruising doesn't appear to fit. I'm having my blood test tomorrow and was wondering if it was anything serious would I be rang back same day?
Do you realize she did this to quell your fears, not worsen them? All this will do is confirm what you've already been told. She did say you have nothing to worry about :D
Positive thoughts
Adding to the fear of my coming blood test is the fact that I had an infected ear piercing last week of which I took antibiotics. Will this likely have any effect?
Adding to the fear of my coming blood test is the fact that I had an infected ear piercing last week of which I took antibiotics. Will this likely have any effect?
Antibiotics can lower the White Blood Cell Count yes.
BlueWaterGirl
11-07-14, 01:26
Low platelets in general can make you bruise easily and you said your platelets are just fine. Our bodies are forever changing, you may just bruise easily now. How was your red blood cell count? Are they low also or normal? Usually with leukemia, you will develop anemia. I've read elsewhere that leukemia sometimes can cause abnormally high white blood cells that will over take the red blood cells.
It doesn't seem like your doctor is worried and I'm sure if she was, she would want more tests done. Have you had any other symptoms other than vomiting?
I will hopefully get my latest blood tests results back tomorrow. I feel like I know what's going to happen. My white blood cell count will be slightly under again but more than last time and this will just send me into even more of a panic than last time even if the Doctors tell me not to worry.
I've been remaining pretty calm about it all weekend which worries me more because I won't be prepared for what they're going to tell me. I don't know what I'm writing this post for. Just started to panic a little perhaps.
The Doctor didn't have time to leave a message on my blood test results today so I have to ring back tomorrow. I now feel like I have a UTI and am worried because people with leukaemia get infections all the time. Is this the type of infection they are referring to?
If you had anything horribly serious they wouldn't have told you to wait until tomorrow they'd have been on the phone the day the tests were done!
Don't panic :) although I'm also waiting for blood results as scan results and my doctors appointment isn't for another week so I understand what you're going through!
Lots of running and cooking is helping me to keeps mind of it :) xxx
I got phoned with my results. My WBC was even lower again at 3.82 but she didn't worry about this. Everything else was fine apart from low phosphates. I asked if she thought it was leukaemia and she said it didn't look like it to her but to wait for my blood film to come back this week. I can't stop panicking. In my head the WBC constantly going down suggests they're going to find abnormal cells on the film. Has anyone had a blood film before? How long did it take to come back?
I got my blood film results back today. They said it was normal. There were a few 'reactive lymphocytes' but otherwise it was unremarkable. I asked if reactive lymphocytes were a common finding and she said you'd expect your white blood cells to react with some things, so yes. I then asked if it is leukemia and she said they would've said from that if it was. So I guess I'm ok? :)
I got my blood film results back today. They said it was normal. There were a few 'reactive lymphocytes' but otherwise it was unremarkable. I asked if reactive lymphocytes were a common finding and she said you'd expect your white blood cells to react with some things, so yes. I then asked if it is leukemia and she said they would've said from that if it was. So I guess I'm ok? :)
Of course!
Positive thoughts
I have also been struggling with the fear of Leukaemia recently so I know how you feel. You need to rationalise what your thinking. Firstly, if the doctor though there was even a small chance of you having it, they would have sent you for further test straight away. This strongly suggests that you don't have it. Secondly when I feel anxious I am more aware of any new marks on my body, so it may not be that you have more bruises, just that you are noticing them more. I had this fear with leukaemia, and as soon as I checked less, I seemed to find less bruises. Lastly the vomiting may just be another horrible symptom of anxiety, and the more you get worried, the worst it will get. Anxiety creates horrible symptoms, and I know that its difficult but you need to think rationally and try and calm down the thoughts you are having. Hopefully this is some help, and you start feeling better soon :) x
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