Low White Blood Cell Count

I will be taking my 4th shot of PegIntron this week. My white blood cell counts are dropping substantially each week (currently at 3.2 to 2.5 to 1.8 currently), to the point that my doctor is cutting my dosage in half. All of my other blood counts are stabilized. I wanted to know if anyone else has run into this early on in treatment and if they were able to bring the WBC back to a more acceptable level. Also, are there any foods you can eat that help generate WBC's? I have read from one of the doctors on this forum that drugs called GM-CSF or Neupogen have been prescribed to increase the WBC's. It was an older question from 1999 and I was wondering if they still prescribed this medicine. My nurse didn't mention this today when we got my blood test results back. My greatest fear is that my body isn't going to tolerate the PegIntron and I may have to stop therapy. I'm hoping that the reduction in dosage will bring things back up and they can then slowly increase the dosage again. I have genotype 3A. My nurse told me that they have seen an increase in the amount of people who's WBC counts drop significantly on the PegIntron compared to the Interferon previously used in combination therapy. Thanks for any information on your personal experience. I know this is one we all hope to put behind us with positive results. Good luck to all of us with Hep C.

[Summer2002]

Well,, my father (78)has panic low also WBC,, 3.8  ,,, he had done even bone marrow studies to rule out any abnormalities or leukemia. This is going on since I can remember,,, so the last two years he is faintingsweeting for not reason. Last June he visited new doctor for check up and the only thing wrong with him is his leucopenia. This hematologist/oncologist asked him to inject Vitamin B12 every month for the rest of his life. Ask/tell  your doctor about this posibility for you to bring your WBC up,,,, let me know. I just want to know from another person to assure that my father is receiving the right treatment.
I hope you get better soon.

[Prayers]

I am now taking Pegassist which is the newer inteferon treatment for Hep C.  My blood count also dips pretty low.  I just started again a couple of months ago, and my WBC dropped to 2.4 in the 1st month.  My doctor now has me getting neupogen injections once a week, and it has helped raise my WBC to 3.7.  I generally get a shot the day after my inteferon treatment.  Even though it does cause bone pain especially in the hips and legs, it is well worth raising my WBC.  I am very fortunate to have a doctor who is a really caring and compasionate doctor.  He makes sure I have everything I need to get through these treatments.  I completed a year of Peg Intron last May, but found out in September that my viral count was still high.  I started the Pegassist in November.  I am hopeful that I can beat this disease.

Good luck and I hope this information helps.

[Prayers]

I am now taking Pegassist which is the newer inteferon treatment for Hep C.  My blood count also dips pretty low.  I just started again a couple of months ago, and my WBC dropped to 2.4 in the 1st month.  My doctor now has me getting neupogen injections once a week, and it has helped raise my WBC to 3.7.  I generally get a shot the day after my inteferon treatment.  Even though it does cause bone pain especially in the hips and legs, it is well worth raising my WBC.  I am very fortunate to have a doctor who is a really caring and compasionate doctor.  He makes sure I have everything I need to get through these treatments.  I completed a year of Peg Intron last May, but found out in September that my viral count was still high.  I started the Pegassist in November.  I am hopeful that I can beat this disease.

Good luck and I hope this information helps.

[Prayers]

I am now taking Pegassist which is the newer inteferon treatment for Hep C.  My blood count also dips pretty low.  I just started again a couple of months ago, and my WBC dropped to 2.4 in the 1st month.  My doctor now has me getting neupogen injections once a week, and it has helped raise my WBC to 3.7.  I generally get a shot the day after my inteferon treatment.  Even though it does cause bone pain especially in the hips and legs, it is well worth raising my WBC.  I am very fortunate to have a doctor who is a really caring and compasionate doctor.  He makes sure I have everything I need to get through these treatments.  I completed a year of Peg Intron last May, but found out in September that my viral count was still high.  I started the Pegassist in November.  I am hopeful that I can beat this disease.

Good luck and I hope this information helps.