White cells low count

[christinaf28]

Should I be corcern that my white cells are too low ? The nurse have told me no to inject myself this week.coming till th we y go up , iam worry I hope dont have to stop my treatment altoguether

[ann61]

Not sure I understand all of this technical stuff.
My wbc is 1.5
Absolute neutrophils 630
neutrophils 42% (due to leukopenia the differential percentage may be impecise)

My doc kept my drug levels the same and prescribed neupogen which arrrived today.  Originally the doc told me to wait to take the shot to Thursday the day before my next peg injection (which I take on Friday).  Today she told me to take shot today.  Does this make any sense?

[frijole]

crossroads
On the labs the neutrophils (and all the other components of white blood cells) are listed in two ways.  First they are listed as a percent of the total white. Then they are normally listed as absolute - which is a count- and all of the compents of the whites equal the total white blood count.

Absolute neutrophils can be listed a couple of ways. The could say NE# or ANC .  If your CBC only give the percents, you can calculate the ANC

http://www.freekinetics.com/anc_calc.htm

Most of the doctors freak out then the count is below .8 K/uL but I did not start neupogen first time around until my ANC was at .4 - and many doctors will let it go lower.  There is not as much risk of inection with Hep C as there is with cancer chemotherapy.

[crossroadsec]

Me too Keith. It's the 2nd time in 3 weeks I don't have to go get classroom ready or get out. I'm gonna go lay there n e way. I GOT to get that tv out of the closet for nights like this.... Dream on buddy. oh! and Go Steven Tyler!

[hrsepwrguy]

Mine doesn't say grans till futher on down the page but the number you are giving sounds right for your ANC however that is a little low, nomal range is 1.8 - 7.8 and I'm with you on choking down the pills and going back to bed, if I could only sleep, insomnia is kicking my butt and I'm tired.

Keith

[crossroadsec]

Mine says gran below absolute. It's 1.3.. Is that it? It was 2.5 pre tx. Seems like I've tried to figure this out before. I cam teach English in my sleep but have NO brain capacity for holding onto understanding lab values. It's freakn Saturday. Choking down pills n going back to bed. I hope. Karen :)

[hrsepwrguy]

mine doesn't say ANC either but it does say neutrophils absolute, as will says above ANC is absolute neutrophils count

[crossroadsec]

How do u know what your ANC is? I don't think my lab papers read that way.. Karen

[willbb]

Do you know what your white count is? In particular as frijole asked your absolute neutrophil count (ANC). pleas find out and post it if you need some help interpreting it.

Have you been told to discontinue Interferon  (or miss a shot) on the advice of your treating doctor ,who hopfully is  very knowledgeable in treating HCV?

Missing a shot early in treatment unless absolutely necessary(and most often it is not with the availability of the rescue drug neupogen) can have  serious consequences to the outcome of your treatment..especially if you are doing triple therapy.

Good luck  and if you need help interpreting your white counts please post them

Will

[joemc34606]

My first treatment the gastro I was seeing new nothing about rescue drugs and made me cut the dose, the virus came raging back. Pease don't stop your dozing for low WBC, you need to ask for nuepogen. When I finally got rid of that doctor with the advice of this website, I was treated with the nuepogen and my white count came back strong. The low WBC makes you more vulnerable to colds, flu and infections, so take more precautions, but I would anything else except cutting your dose. Joe

[meakea]

Oh, gosh, I hope your nurse doesn't keep you from injecting this week - that would not be the first choice when WBCs are low.  Ask them about adding Neuopogen "IF" your ANC is too low.  

[flcyclist]

Absolutely agree with frijole on the ANC levels and neupogen.  The ANC will rebound quickly and no need to skip a shot so early in trt if this is the issue.

[frijole]

Reading your profile it sounds like you just started August 2.  You should call an dsee what your absolutel neutriphils are and if you doctor can prescribe neupogen to build up your white count.  It sounds awfully early to be reducing or stopping dose and could impact your abiltity to clear.
frijole