high white count

[rocksbabi6]

my mother is going through high  white counts..tired all the time and bruises....they have done everything EXCEPT the bone marrow test....they told her they had a diff test that they could do and found nothing but yet the count is still high...they won't do a bone marrow test until they have no other choice...but the dr doesn't want to see her back for a year..even though the test is VERY painfull i think they should still do it just to positively rule leuk. out but they won't...but on the other note they have no idea what else could be causing it...they are saying that usually your count would go up and stay up and keep rising but hers goes down and up....never to a safe level but they said it doesn't go back and fourth like that....this has been going on for more than a year

[Dennis MD]

Hi.
How high is the white blood cell count?
Was a peripheral blood smear done?  
Usually, an elevated white blood cell count is a result of infection.  Leukemias can also cause an elevation of the white blood cell count.
You can always go to another doctor for a second opinion.

[rocksbabi6]

i'm not sure how high her count is but the dr said its in the "danger" zone like i said its been up for more than a year now and they can't "find" the problem......but when they keep saying leukemia its scarey you k now..

[Dennis MD]

Hi.
I understand what you are going through.
A persistently elevated or progressively elevating white blood cell count level warrants further investigation to elucidate the cause.  Both benign and malignant conditions can cause such elevation.
I suggest you bring your mother to a hematologist for further evaluation.
Good luck.

[rocksbabi6]

you know i've tried to talk her into being more presistant with the Dr but part of her doesn't want to know and i know that but me personaly i would want to know b4 it is to late..also i lost my grandmother to breast cancer when i was 10 and its been 12 years and it still hurts everyday i was very very close to her and my 5 year old son is the same with my mother that i was with my grandmother and i don't want the same thing to happen here ya know what i mean....i try to tell her if she doesn't do it for herself do it for her grandson but i don't know what else to do at this point..its just very scary and I want to know what is going on with her..........