low white blood cells

[lansa]

My wife has had fibromyalgia for 15 years.  Over the years her white blood cell counts has been dropping, now it is so low we have to take action.

Anybody been through this?

[PlateletGal]

You could certainly have a low WBC if you have an overwhelming infection. And the fact is, two-thirds of CFS patients have a bacterial infection and/or high viral titers. For additional information, you can check out http://www.immed.org  or post a question for Prof. Garth Nicolson in the autoimmune diseases.. expert forum.

[marywholewheat]

I read your remarks about your mother's low WBC and Fibromyalgia.  Did you find any answers?  I also have been dealing with Fibromyalgia for quite some time.  My blood count has been flucuating.  Now it is very low.  I suspect that the Chronic Fatigue syndrome and FM are causing the low WBC.  I would greatly appreciate your sharing anything you have learned over the past year.
Thanks,
Marywholewheat

[lindz2829]

I've been tested for HIV and have had many complete blood workups, laparoscopy which revealed atypical endometriosis, lymph node biopsy revealed necrotizing granulatomas and chronic inflammation but catscratch disease actually came back negative twice. I've had 3 healthy children and been with my husband since I was 16 all of this started 2 years ago, my doctor tells me none of it is related?? I can't believe I'm that unlucky. If I could steer my Doc in the right direction for testing I know she'll do it  she's as frustrated as I am. Thanks for responding any ideas are welcome.
Thanks Lindz

[AeKatrina]

My White Blood cell count is found low now too after having fibro for several years and the Dr will be seeing me for the three-month re0testng results at the end of this month * Aug 2021*  He did not seem upset but I am. But he is watching it * Oncologist/Hematologist and was sent by my primary dr to him. They were worried about Leukemia and checked my spleen and kidneys and found they were alright.  They will now " take it all from there" But the Dr sure had many blood tests done and the lab people were even surprised! But it was not bad but the White count was too low. I am guessing but think maybe as my hips and knee need surgery I had Steroid shots and maybe that caused it but I am guessing? I am suffering now without them to see if it changes or not? The Oncologist did not want me to have any surgery now, and as the knee is 'bone on bone' I was to just wear a stretch band you buy in the store as it is hard to walk now. *pain all over and that is worse at times more than others as we all know about. The chances for the infections are higher perhaps. Just wants to make sure. Took the vaccine for this COVID 19 Pandemic as would be safest.. I pray for you and all those who are having this too. Fibromyalgia goes on and on, and yet other things keep going wrong with time. There has not been any let-up over the years with me anyway, *I know many people have worse though* Seems to be a precursor to other things and no one understands that. It does not mean we have this or any other problem, but we just need to be checked if the White Count stays or keeps going lower evidently, as that is how this Dr felt it was best to do anyway. So now we will see how it is this time, and they sort of hang on checking to see if it will become normal or go down, with time?No jumping to conclusions right away,

[PlateletGal]

Low white blood cell counts are seen in patients who have overwhelming infections or sepsis, viral infections, HIV & AIDS, immunosuppression, bone marrow suppression, anemias (aplastic, pernicious) and some medications (chemotherapy & antibiotics included).

You may want to talk to your physician about this and make sure that you don't have something else going on. You might also want to ask your physician about chronic fatigue syndrome.

All the best,

PlateletGal

[lindz2829]

I was diagnosed with fibro about a year ago by a rhumatologist. I have been sick for two years with fibro, pelvic infections, ovarian cysts, cat scracth disease, you name it I'm always at the Dr.'s my WBC count has also been low for awhile right now it is at 3.3 my Dr. says she'll test it again in 3 weeks but she doesn't seemed concerned, I'm concerned and tired of being so damn sick I'm 29 and used to be healthy. PLEASE respond if any of this is familiar.

[FemmeFugazi]

I don't think I've ever heard of Fibro effecting the blood cell count either; usually something that lowers your white blood cell count is more serious; I don't want to scare you, but I'd have it looked into in greater depth if I were you, or your wife.

I know that Fibro, and it's bigger, uglier brother, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, can create all kinds of symptoms in one's body depending on how the syndrome effects their individual body chemistry.

And several of these symptoms can mimic other diseaes (my Fibro/CFS symptoms manifested in pains in my chest and upper abdominal muscles giving me chronic IBS and convincing me I was having a heart attack in the early months of the syndrome so that now I have a panic disorder); so your wife's Fibro symptoms could mimic symptoms of other diseaes that have low white blood cell count as a symptom.

But, I don't think Fibro, itself can actually lower white blood cell count. So, if you're wife has actually been tested and told her white blood cell count is low, then there is probably some other medical gremlin at work here.

Dig deeper.

It may be a scary thing to get into at first... but in the long term you'll be better off knowing for sure...

[patsy10]

Sounds like more than fibro to me.  Fibro does not lower the WBC's as far as I know.

[PlateletGal]

How low is her WBC ?