Low WBC, RBC & Platelet, should I continue treatment?

[kally291]

I was detected hep C last summer, seems I was infected by blood transmission when I was 3. I'm 23 and started my triple therapy Mar 29. So today is the first day of my 4th week treatment. Feel good during the treatment, less side effect. Only feel losing appetite and hard to finish 20g fat. I took my lab test this Wednesday.
I got the result today, it shows
HCV RNA, PCR Quant    not detec,
HCV Viral LOG               not detec.

But the WBC, RBC and platelet are abnormal, especially for my WBC.
WBC 2.1L    4.0-11.0K/UL
RBC  3.67L  3.80-5.10 M/UL
HEMOGLOBIN  10.8L   11.5-15.5 G/DL
HEMATOCRIT    33.4L  34.0~45.0%
PLATELET COUNT 99L   130-400 K/UL

Should I continue the pegasys injection tonight? I already contacted my nurse, but the phone call turned to voice mail. I read some articles, seems when having a low WBC you need stop the treatment. I'm just shock when I seen this, because I feel everything go through better than I thought before I start my treatment.

Sorry for my poor English, I hope I express everything clearly and offer enough information.

Really appreciate your reply.

[can-do-man]

"Bc I feel a little bit sleepy when I step in the 3rd week of the treatment. Not like the side effect said insomnia. My dr said it probably bc of anemia."

I agree with your doctor. Soon this will be all over and your well on your way to being cured...:)

[ceanothus]

You can't do anything about any of those numbers. If they get severe enough your doctor might prescribe "rescue" meds that will help, or might suggest reducing the dosage of your ribavirin, but you are not currently near to those levels. Each doctor does things slightly differently, but to give you a better idea of the problem numbers, most do not worry about platelets unless they go below 50 (and then consider Rx Promacta or transfusion), most do not worry about HGB until it goes below 10, and some let it go as low as 8 before taking action (Rx of procrit injections or possibly transfusions), and most do not worry about low WBC unless the ANC drops below 0.5, and then consider dose reduction, Rx Neupogen injections, or stopping tx.

During tx my HGB dropped as low as  10.1, my ANC dropped as low as 0.6 and my platelets dropped as low as 0.51. My doctor ordered more frequent testing (weekly) each time something dropped near to the cutoff  line, but each time the numbers bounced back a little on their own without intervention. I completed 48 weeks of tx in Sept 2012, without any rescue meds or dose reductions, and am now SVR.

You can do it, just make sure you have frequent tests whenever the numbers drop very low, as not everyone has them bounce back on their own!

[jules2551]

"your tx dr  can lower your peg dose to 135 mcg if your wbc falls to 1.6.."

************

Why on earth would you recommend that?

[kally291]

I think I probably worried to much. Bc I feel a little bit sleepy when I step in the 3rd week of the treatment. Not like the side effect said insomnia. My dr said it probably bc of anemia. So when I get my lab, it shows abnormal, I was shocked.

[ppmguy]

           hi kally,  i think you are doing very good on your therapy.  your tx dr  can lower your peg dose to 135 mcg if your wbc falls to 1.6... if your hemo falls below 10 your dr has options there also.  when my platelets fell below 75, my dr said "dont fall down".  yes, always let your dr know.  your rvr  is reason to stay on tx.  
                                        barry

[kally291]

Thank you!!! I was terrified by my mom, she keep mentioned a long list of food that can improve WBC. But when I ask my dr, he said he would not recommend bc the Incivek may have conflict with these food.