never been so scared :( blood test pls help

[scaredy_kat]

I haven't posted here before but i have been a long term lurker, I have felt unwell for about 6 months and the doctors have fobbed me off repeatedly saying its basically in my head and im manifesting symptoms. Anyway i finally got them to take blood tests and they rang today and said they need to test again in 4 weeks because they are not normal. i asked for the results and they have scared me. I have swollen lymph nodes and had a biopsy on one under my arm last week at the breast clinic (no results yet) but i also have night sweats, itching all over but no rash and aching sore legs so im terrified about lymphoma and leukaemia. My white blood cell count is 11.6 and my red cell count is 4.27 and now im more scared than ever :( i had a cold about 10 days ago but no infections or symptoms now. i read that a cold doesn't cause high white cell counts anyway. has anyone had similar blood results and been ok? and can lymphoma or leukaemia show up in a fine needle lymph node biopsy? thank you.

[NancyW]

I don't know a whole lot about blood work but I was just looking up white blood cell count and red. It looks like you are red blood cells are okay maybe a little bit low but certainly not out of the range. And your white blood cell count is high but you were just sick recently. So I was looking up other people with the same exact numbers as you and just about every response I read said that it could be even a minor infection or virus that could cause it to go up. I just hate this awful scared feeling I know that you do too. I wish we knew how to keep it in control, I haven't figured that out and 57 years

[Stecakes]

Your repeat bloods will be to monitor (slightly) elevated white cells , it's routine procedure.
Aside from mild infections or biting dirty fingernails, stress will 100% cause auto immune response elevating white cells, because of fight or flight mechanism.
Yes, biopsy would detect lymphoma. so would ultrasound

[TimeSoup]

Night sweats and itching, even if counting amongst possible signs of lymphoma (not leukemia as far as I know) can very well be triggered off by anxiety especially if one already knows the dreaded symptoms and have its insconcious self building them up all right. The brain is a primer when it comes to scare the shit out of you.
High withes is a very commun figure on blood works. The whites digits are meant to fly out of the roof as soon as soon as an immune response is coming into play. You very well might have a bug and your body reacts to this. Don't panic, please, and wait for the next bw to come by.

Don't forget that even in the worst case scenario, lymphomas are well treated nowadays. There's plenty of ressources available.
I now of a man (he happens to be a medical biologist, go figure how destiny works) who lives with non Hodgkins lymphoma since a decade. He checks up regularly, is sometimes quite fatigue, but has a perfectly normal life.

Be strong, buddy.

[scaredy_kat]

Thank you to everyone who replied, You kind words helped me actually get some sleep last night :) I have always worried about my health ever since my lungs collapsed but since my daughter was born 2 years ago its getting out of control. My worst fear is that there is something terrible wrong with me and she will be left without her mum :( Doesn't help that she is super clingy and wont go to anyone else I don't know how she or my husband would cope. I rang the breast clinic and they have my results back but they said they are going to be discussed later and the will ring me after 5pm or tomorrow.....Now my anxiety is telling me that if the results were ok then they would have just told me and there wouldn't be any need for them to discuss anything :/ will have to wait and see I guess. I'm glad to know that stress can elevate white blood cells, the test was taken after my lymph node biopsy and ultrasound so maybe that's connected. I will try not to panic about the blood test and do my best to stop googling!...if i carry on like this I think I'm going to give myself a heart attack! I know you all understand and I'm so grateful you all took time to reply to me :)

[Stecakes]

If you call them, they will not discuss results over the phone, as they can't be sure of your identity. They must call you. I would imagine they would have called you straight in if there was Something or urgency.
I'd bet they're not worried about your results.

[TimeSoup]

If you call them, they will not discuss results over the phone, as they can't be sure of your identity. They must call you. I would imagine they would have called you straight in if there was Something or urgency.
I'd bet they're not worried about your results.

Absolutely. Any malignacy comes up on the priority list as calls go. No news is good news.

[scaredy_kat]

ooo thank you! don't know why i always think the worst! Hoping they will ring soon.

---------- Post added at 18:49 ---------- Previous post was at 17:17 ----------

The clinic rang! they said the biopsy didn't show any cancer cells :) :) so relieved! they said the node was reactive and they would write to my doctor to let him know. I asked what reactive meant and she said its because the my body is fighting something like an infection, Which would explain the white blood cell count being high! All I need now is for the white cells to come down and I can stop all this worrying! Am I right in thinking that because the node didn't contain any cancer cells its not possible for my body is fighting anything more serious like lymphoma or leukemia? Thank again for your replies.

[Stecakes]

Happy days
I wouldn't worry too much about white cell count. Your count is not in the realm
Of worrysome.
It's likely related to reactive node.
Reactive lymph nodes can stay up.
So try not to worry if it doesn't go back down. It's very common
I'd bet your cell count will have come back down on repeat bloods

---------- Post added at 19:17 ---------- Previous post was at 19:06 ----------

Your white cells are NOT fighting lymphoma.
Your white cells can't distinguish cancer cells from good cells. That's why we atruggle to find a vaccine.
Although there's a fairly good chance lymphoma would leave ca125 markers in your bloods.
Wich you don't. Have.
You're healthy. You should try and relax, :)

[scaredy_kat]

Thank you, I didn't know our white cells cant tell the difference between good and bad cells, I will try to stop worrying now especially since the biopsy didn't show cancer cells :) will update on here when I get my next blood test results.....might stop someone else from panicking :) thanks again.