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758371 tn?1234198413

high white count

My Neurologist is 95% certain at this point I have MS.  I have scattered foci on my brain and fit all the other criteria although my spinal tap was OK.  I have lyme and that has complicated diagnosis. Mycoplasma levels are hard to control and one non lyme specific issue is my white blood cell count has been high for 3 years can anyone please tell me if this is common with ms?  I am having the visual test again and mri of spine.  Last opthamologist appointment I was told I had occular rosacea? and by chance had missed one of the color charts red plate.  4 months prior I had no issues. Since the birth of my son (surprise baby) I have been on a downward spiral. Pain, balance, muscle spasms, walking issues, tremors, sleep issues and fatigue.  I take medication to help but not much seems to help provigil is not too helpful anymore.  I have severe neck pain and back pain. I take hydrocodone Ibuprofen, clonipin (sp?) Lyrica, medication for arthritis, antibiotics, sleeping meds...you name it.  I think the side effects are awful but not taking them would be worse. Lots of the meds have caused weight gain and although a small issue it bothers me.
I suffer incontinence in bouts also have bowel issues.  I have numbness and tingling and am very weak. I try to exercise but it leaves me suffering for days after.
If the tests being peformed now are negative my neuro wants to send me to UVA to specialist. After all the docs I was reserved to go to yet another dr but at this point I know I have to and will run there if I have to. For the first time in my life I have ADD.  I cannot focus have issue with word finding and just feel like a doofus sometimes.  Reading and keeping on the same line is tough.  I am so blessed in so many ways I have wonderful children but it is a challenge with the baby.  On antibiotics all this time surely my count should be normal or low!?  Thank you for any help you can offer.
18 Responses
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669758 tn?1242330751
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
1. There is no such thing as 100%. 95% means they are basically sure.
2. No other causes need to be looked into.
3. Migraine, hypertension, diabetes to name a few (also could just be normal).
4. Visual problems in one eye could be a history of optic neuritis. Double vision could be seen in MS (but also in many other conditions). A neuroophthalmologist could help clarify this.
5. Compared to an Asian individual.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
i have m s and i was told i had a high count ms. All I know is that I haved dealt with this for 3 years and finally was told it meant I had high protein and that Ib was in the middle of an ms attact as I was being diagnoed. It's crazy I have been sick all my life plus with a avm in the brain, along with lesions kissed right besideb it. I am paralized on my left side and my comprehension is kida messed up. I could go on but I think you get it. I live in Tennesse and I am 38.

Helpful - 0
758371 tn?1234198413
Yes that is true lyme can mimic ms.  I have been treated for 3 years now and we are trying to determine if the lyme is mimicking ms or if I have ms which is also not unusual for lyme patients also if they went without treatment for an extended period of time which I did.  My wbc are high again 17.8 my neutrophils abs are crazy high 14080 as is my EBV  5.0 and mycoplasma.  all very frustrating.  my CD57 is looooow  at 1 and 29 which indicates I may still be battling chronic lyme I am so tired of looking for help.
Who has high wbc for 3 years consistently with the other issues too?  Where is House when you need him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Helpful - 0
333672 tn?1273792789
So far as I know, high lymphocytes/white blood cell counts don't cause MS and aren't caused by MS. As Dr. Kantor pointed out above, the T-cells are "misdirected" in MS and start attacking self instead of the invaders they're supposed to be attacking.

However, I have read that infections or other things that rev up the immune system can exacerbate MS or trigger an attack so if your lymphocytes are high for some other reason, then the misguided ones might also be high and do more damage than they otherwise would. I often seem to get worse after being sick.

sho
Helpful - 0
744256 tn?1234842664
Sorry, I meant "trial," not "trail."
Helpful - 0
744256 tn?1234842664
I was reading your posts about the lymphocytes and you have peaked my curiosity. For years, I have had enlarged lymph nodes, for unknown reason. I ended up being diagnosed with Thyroid cancer in 2000, which had spread to lymph nodes in my neck. Since then, I have had multiple surgeries to remove and biopsy lymph nodes, as well as needle biopsies. Other than when the cancer was originally found, all tests have come back clean for cancer. The biopsies have just shown "reactive hyperplasia." Everyone has always blown this off and just said, "Oh, they could just be enlarged because your body is fighting off a germ." As I said, this has been ongoing for several years now. I was dx'd with MS in 2007. After reading your statements about the trail that you are on, Shoshin, and your remarks, Dr. Kantor, does that mean that my lymph nodes are enlarged because of the lymphocytes going crazy and attacking due to the MS?

Just curious
Thanks! :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Im not a doctor, but I heard that untreated lyme can also cause lesions in brain and spinal cord especially if undiagnosed for more than a year. I could be wrong, perhaps the neuro can correct me if i'm wrong. Hey since your reading this perhaps you can take a look at the rear diseases section at my forum by alloyweight. I have symptoms that might be related to MS or some other type of neuro disorder. Thank you....Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Helpful - 0
758371 tn?1234198413
Thank you!  I am going to be going to UVA soon.  One Neuro feels 95% the other who is a neuro/opthamologist said not.  My confusion just grows all the time.  I am willing to try anything!!!!!  I just want to be well.  I am so glad you are doing better.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was diagnosed with MS about a year ago.  Once I got on an interferon most of my symptoms disappeared, though it took about 8 months for the fatigue to go.

MS symptoms tend to go away during a pregnancy and come back afterwords.  I suspect new treatments are examining this.  Good Luck!
Helpful - 0
669758 tn?1242330751
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thank you, yes a comma was left out in error.

FTY720 keeps lymphocytes inside lymph nodes, but note because there are too many, rather because the T-cells are misdirected in MS and so you don't want them entering the central nervous system throught the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB).
Helpful - 0
333672 tn?1273792789
I wonder if Dr. Kantor didn't mean to have a comma in there as in "No, other causes need to be looked into"

I have never heard of high WBC being linked to MS. On the other hand, I am in a trial for a drug (FTY720/fingolimod) that is supposed to keep the lymphocytes (a kind of white blood cell) from leaving the lymph nodes so there are less of them in the blood and thus less that are able to go to the brain and attack the myelin as part of MS. That would make it seem like a high WBC might not be such a good thing if you have MS.

Don't know anything about the other stuff you asked about.

sho
Helpful - 0
758371 tn?1234198413
Hi Dr,

I know you mention no other causes have to be looked into when asked the questioin about EBV,high WBC and mycoplasma.  Is it not required to treat for example the mycoplasma?  Prof. Garth Nicholson has written many papers on this matter and I wonder if I treat the mycoplasma the prognosis with the MS is better due to the fact I am treating what may be one of the underlying causes?  Or is just damage is done and that is why not needed to look into other causes?

I appreciate your help.  I am sorry I have lots of questions I just want to be well and so what I can to help myself

Sincerely,

Carolyn
Helpful - 0
758371 tn?1234198413
Thank you heather.....  Is there somewhere or someone that looks at your mri for second opinion?  I know brain tumor mri's are  reviewed by other docs if requested....
thank you,
carolyn
Helpful - 0
195469 tn?1388322888
I happened to be a past patient of the Neurology Department at UVA in Charlottesville, VA.  It's called the Neurology "clinic," where you are seen by Interns.  They do the exam and history gathering then report to their "boss."  The "boss," in MY experience, only comes into the examining room for just a few minutes.  Rarely if ever did he perform a physical exam during his brief time with me.

Of course, everything that is ordered and done at the N. Department at UVA, is overseen by the "boss."  ( I really do not know the proper name for the head of the department, so I apologize for sounding insensitive)  

If a diagnosis of MS is in question, I do believe this is the place to go, if you live near the area.  I definitely would not come from another state just to visit these doctor's.  There are too many other good MS Specialists to go to.  UVA isn't anything super special.  Nice men and women, but just being seen by the head of the department for less than 5 minutes, is not my idea of a well run department.

The interns only are there for about 2+ years, then they are gone and you have to start over with another intern.  It seems that alot of my time as a UVA patient (10 years) was spent seeing one new intern after another.  I was so tired of telling my story, I thought I was going to pull my hair out.

I settled on an excellent Neurologist in private practice in Charlottesville, where I could get more personalized attention.

UVA is good, but remember that it is a teaching hospital.  You DO feel like a guinea pig of sorts, when you are a patient there.  Forgive me again, if I sound a bit cold about UVA.  I just was not that impressed.  And this is a statement from someone that went there 10 years for care.

Heather
Helpful - 0
758371 tn?1234198413
Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Carolyn
Helpful - 0
758371 tn?1234198413
yes thank you shoshin :)  D Kantor... last 3 years suffered weakness legs arms, fatigue, bladder disfunction, eyesight issues, burning/tingling feelings, muscle spasms, walking issues, sleep disorder, balance issues and non specific foci on brain.  Spinal tap negative IGG top of normal EBV reinfect showing on bloodwork for 3 years with elevated wbc and consistent mycoplasma infections. After birth of my child I became extremely ill and have not been able to get back. I am in much pain and the foci appeared after the birth of my child not there 6 months prior clear.

questions are
1.  does this appear to be possible ms.  I am told 95% chance what do I need to get to the 100%?

2. WBC Is it common to have high WBC?  EBV reinfect? Mycoplasma infections?

3. Small scattered non specific foci- what other reason would they appear other than MS? I also suffer terrible tremors

4. Red color defficiency occular rosacea that appeared within a 3 month period.  Blindness in one eye in dim light and double vision (these are the new symptoms) are these common with MS?

5. I am European does this increase my chance of MS?

Thank you
Helpful - 0
333672 tn?1273792789
I think the question was are high white blood cell counts common in MS?
Helpful - 0
669758 tn?1242330751
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thank you for sharing all this with us and please let us know in the MS community what they say at UVA (there does not seem to be a question in your post).
Helpful - 0

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