CBC results

[Diane12855]

Here's my latest results... this being the test just before my 4th shot.
WBC........4.3.............Normal 4.0-10.50
RBC.........3.58.......................3.80-5.10
Hemoglobin....10.6.................11.5-15.0
Hematocrit......31.6................34.0-44.0
Platelets.........272..................140-415
Neutrophils......44...................40-74
Lymphocytes...41...................14-46
Monocytes......14...................4-13

Over the past 3 weeks, everything has been steadily declining except for my platelets, lymphocytes, and monocytes which have actually gone up.

The nurse is on vacation this week, and I'm not scheduled for any lab work before I go and see her next Wednesday. I'm getting pretty weak, and my heart rate was 108 this morning after meditating for 30 minutes. Do you think I should call the doctor's office to get them to schedule me another lab visit this week, or should I just wait until next Wed. to see the nurse. I hate to be a pain in the backside at the doctor's office... kind of like "The Girl Who Cried Wolf", but I don't want to sit around waiting when I shouldn't either.

All input will be appreciated!

[mikesimon]

If the trend continues you may need Procit/Epogen to maintain a decent hemoglobin. And it's probably wise to start that treatment before your hemoglobin tanks because it takes a week or 2 before you see a significant improvement. If you and your doctor have agreed to supplement with Procrit then you might want to call and check to see at what level they will start the drug. Often they wait till hgb gets <10 but I think with a female they should start a little earlier. Other than that I think your labs look pretty good. Of course I don't know how fast or from what level you have declined but basically I see nothing startling.
Good luck,
Mike

[Trinity4]

Hgb is a little low but other than that the values look good.  They usually won't do anything for a 10.6  hgb until it drops below 10.  You don't need a riba dose reduction or procrit at this point.  It's the drop you're feeling and it causes the discomfort.  
I'd wait until next week for the lab work and if you're heart rate is troublesome perhaps you can talk to them about that now.  As info, my heart rate was high throughout my treatment.

Trinity  

[portann]

P.S. My doc seemed almost sadistic to me when my hemoglobin plummeted right at the front end of tx. He is one of those docs who considers that a hefty drop is an excellent sign of success.

It may not always be so but is one of those many indicators out there that some docs use to roughly gage things. So the low hemoglobin may be your ally, as much as it s-ucks. Check out his views on procrit, if you want to go that route to hang in.

Susan

[JennyPenny2009]

I agree with the others that your labs don't look too bad at all. Your heart rate is accelerated due to the low hemoglobin. It makes the heart work harder to get the oxygen in your body where it's supposed to go. That is why ribavirin is contraindicated in people with heart disease. 108 isn't too bad either. Hope you feel better soon.