White blood count

[Bluesky1]

Long time lurker first time poster, thanks for having me in your community. Reading posts has helped me greatly over the years in battling my HA but my latest incident has me shaken.

I've recently returned from an overseas trip and have had an aching calf for weeks, I went to the DR and he ordered a blood test, thinking blood clot.

Results today came back fine for blood clot but showed a low white blood cell count of 3.5 (normal 4-11) and Neutrophils at a level of 1.7 being the culprit of bringing the overall number down. My GP said ordinarily he wouldn't be concerned however I have a condition called MGUS which can be associated with blood cancers although usually later in life. (I'm a 30 yr old male)

I had a blood test just 6 weeks ago that showed all of my levels were normal, white blood count included.

My GP wants to wait a month and retest to see if there is a pattern, i'm just not sure how i'm going to cope for a month wondering if this is the start of one of the horrible blood cancers getting hold of me.

Around the time of the blood test my coworkers have all been sick (I somehow haven't), I've been traveling for a few weeks just 1 week before the blood test - I'm hoping that maybe I just have a virus that didnt show symptoms which has caused this abnormality, is that even possible???

How could my blood test results be normal only 40 days ago and now we are worrying about blood cancer! :weep:

[ScaredLizard]

WBC goes up and down depending on so many factors. Mine goes between 6-7 to 3-4 regularly almost every other blood draw! You are fine! If you've been stressed also if you are female even where you are on your cycle can affect it.

[Bluesky1]

Thanks for the reply. Does yours go down even when there is no obvious illness or reason for it? That's what's concerning me most I think. If I had been sick then I could understand and know why its suddenly gotten worse.

[ktdid2000]

I've had WBCs anywhere from 3.2 - 6.0 for the past 13 years.

When it first happened ALL my counts were low and my doctor actually freaked out and sent me to a hematologist. By the time I went there the counts had come back up to normal except for my WBC which has stayed on the low normal end all this time.

After a bone marrow biopsy it turns out I have low numbers of WBC precursor cells, which means my counts are going to be low forever. Good news is I still mount a fantastic immune response (up to 10 when I had an infection during my first son's delivery!) and am healthy otherwise so he sent me on my way as my new "normal."

I still get my blood counts done by a hematologist every year because she wont' freak out over low counts - she knows what's "normal" for me and what might actually be a bad sign. Sounds like you are very similar - when my counts are on the low end it's always the neutrophils that are low. Sometimes you can be fighting off an infection and not even know it - that's why the neutrophils sacrifice themselves so you don't get sick! :)

[ScaredLizard]

Thanks for the reply. Does yours go down even when there is no obvious illness or reason for it? That's what's concerning me most I think. If I had been sick then I could understand and know why its suddenly gotten worse.

Yup sometimes mine are low even without illness or anything. Anything from stress to not sleeping well can lower it

[Bluesky1]

I've had WBCs anywhere from 3.2 - 6.0 for the past 13 years.

My last 3 readings over the last 18 months have varied between 6 and now 3.5. There was a 5.5 and a 4.5 in there as well but this is the first time it's been lower than the threshold of 4. Only 6 weeks ago it was 4.5 and it's now 3.5, that's only about 40 days and I was travelling for about 20 of those days.

I really hope its just the travel and exhaustion from the trip that has made my level drop in the 40ish days between tests and not something like Leukaemia or Lymphoma developing.