Abnormal blood test results - need support

[Apple86]

Some of you may have seen my previous posts on this site - if so, you'll know that I'm currently being treated for anorexia.

Well yesterday my blood results, which were taken by my mental health team, came back as abnormal - my iron and ferritin were very low and my lymphocytes were low. The iron and ferritin I understand is likely anaemia, as I menstruate heavily (although my diet is rich is nutrients these days due to my treatment plan). I'm very concerned about the lymphocytes though and am worried that its leukaemia.

The worry has grown into panic whilst I've been at work today, and now I'm worried that even if it's not leukaemia, what if I become paranoid and start to think that my body is diseased and possessed - basically I'm now panicking that I'm going to have some sort of schizophrenic reaction and lose my mind.

Is it normal for panic due to physical health anxiety to then turn to panic about mental health anxiety? I feel like I'm getting it from all angles!!

[debs71]

I know it is easier said than done, but try not to panic about this.

There are other reasons besides the worst that can cause low white cells including viral illness, but another one is malnutrition or fasting. Since you are being treated for anorexia, this may be an indication the two are related.

I don't beleive in these kind of coincidences when it comes to physical stuff. There has to be a link there!

Once we get anxious about a particular thing, it is like a domino effect, and it leads on to more anxiety, and increased worry, often about irrational stuff like 'What if this is going on/that is going on? What if now that I am anxious, I will go mad/become schizophrenic?'....etc, etc.

Please trust that most of us can relate to that. Been there myself more than once when I am really anxious.

Yep, this is totally normal, and you will NOT lose your mind. It is just another crappy symptom of high anxiety. xx:hugs:

[Apple86]

Thanks Debs.

I'd be surprised if my white cells were low due to my diet as I'm eating 2,000 calories a day now due to my treatment plan, and it's all nourishing stuff. I have read that it could be stress - an over production of cortisol can inhibit lymphocyte production. I'm certainly highly anxious, and have been stressed in my job for 10 months.

Symptoms today have been rough: my voice has felt echoey and dettached from me, my sensations of taste and smell have been hyper alert and every strange taste or smell has given my body a startled reaction, tense stomach and jaw, feeling like the air is too thick to breathe and then feeling like I'm going to have a psychotic outburst!

Fingers crossed things improve now as I've spoken to my GP surgery and they don't seem to think it's urgent!

[conan]

just chipping in that a few years ago i had some routine bloodwork done and my lymphocytes were very low... by the test's parameters, 1500+ was normal, 1000-1500 was low and <1000 was very low. mine were somewhere around 750. i was terrified! this was before my health anxiety began in earnest.

it took me a while to get these results and when they we were re-tested 2 months later they were up to about 2500. so totally a transient thing, i figured...

but when i had my bloods done again two years later they were down to 1300 again. got re-tested again, up to 1600. so on the low end of normal. the doctor said i'm probably just someone who sits on the low end of normal there.

so, it's something i keep an eye on, but just thought it worth letting you know that i've had very low lymphocyte counts before and it's been a completely transient, inconsequential thing. i'm sure you'll be fine, good luck. :)

[Kirbear4]

This has happened to three people I know. First being my husband, he had tests a few years ago and it showed all sorts, after numerous tests it ended up fine and boiled down to him being 'just that sort of person and quite likely viral'.

Brother in law, similar thing. He was so poorly with it though that he was hospitalised. Talk of malignancies and again it turned out to be viral.


My friends sister has had tests as she was feeling ill for ages and couldn't shift it. Her bloods came up with some pretty serious stuff. GP wanted her tested for myeloma, thyroid malignancy and bowel cancer due to bleeding. GP was convinced it would be one of the above. Anyway, after all the tests possible it turns out to be absolutely nothing at all, no idea why everything was out of whack and it's being blamed on a possible virus.

My ferritin levels have always been fairly low. It went down to 9 and after a course of iron tablets and taking my pill without a 'break' they had risen to the lower end of normal levels.

[dale12345]

With heavy central cycles it is very y common to be anemic.