Please, doubts

[worried161]

Hi Doctors I'm writting from Argentina, the reason I wright is that I need someone to help me with a big doubt I have. I had a possible risky exposure 7 years ago for which I already recieved your kind answer. I never tested for hiv (I know is wrong) but I'm still scared like I never was in my life. 2 years ago I had a complete bloodwork because my cardiologist needed to check somethings to see if I had high blood pressure, that I have and I'm medicated for that. At that time my total white cells where 6100 (range 4000 to 10000) and lymphocytes where 33% (range 20-45%). 2 years later, today, I picked up the results of a new bloodwork and the results are total white cells 5500 and lymphocytes 30.6%. The truth is I'm really really scared, first because the total white cells dropped almost 600 in 2 years and the lymphocytes almost 3%. Don't you think the value of white cells is to close to the lower limit? should they be less or is common to have 5500 white cells, what really worries me is how they dropped from the other exam 2 years ago. I repeat it has been 7 years since the possible exposure. I know I have to test but at least I need to know if this could be an indicator of something
Thank you very much in advance for your answers

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome back to the Forum. The change in lymphocyte percentages that you note is no reason for concern- these percentages change on a daily and perhaps even hourly basis.   Further, your counts are normal.

The larger problem however is your failure to test if you are worried about HIV.  Please work to get over it.  Your over 70 posts related to HIV indicate that you are very worried about this.  It is most unlikely that you were infected, no matter what the exposure.  Had you been, you would likely have become sick by now.  Testing does not give a person HIV but it does give them the power to know what is going on and whether or not they have the infection.  Most tests are negative and if you were so unfortunate as to have HIV, the test would allow you to seek treatment sooner.  There is no reason to delay or avoid HIV testing.  

Your recent CBC results IN NO WAY suggest HIV.  I hope my comments are helpful- now please go get tested so you can put your fears behind you.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No change in my opinion or advice.  EWH

[worried161]

Thanks Doctor Hook, you are right. But as I asked you before, do you really think that as you said by now I should have had an illness or sympton? this was my last question. If I write any other feel free to delete the thread
Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The chance in your WBC is in no way drastic.  I would not be worried unless your WBC fell to less than 2000 and probably not even then.

Regarding your comment of the waiting being "the worst minute of your life", I would argue this is a small amount totrade for your YEARS of sorry since the exposure.  EWH

[worried161]

Sorry I forgot to add that the monocytes are a little high 13.6% (range 1-12%) and the segmented neutrofils are a little low 53% (range 55-65%)

[worried161]

Thank you very much Doctor Hook for your answer and quick response. I know you and all the people I drive mad with this are right and I need to test, but even if I have to wait 1 minute for the result it would be the worst minute of my life. Anyway, I'll try to confront my fears somehow and do it. Just a follow up question, I read that the can change from day to day, but if the one 2 years ago was 6100 wbc and now is 5500 wbc isn't it a drastic change for less? on the other hand 5500 isn't it to close to the lower range? or is normal to be so close to this range and last, you say that after 7 years I would have developed a noticeable symptom or illnes already if I in fact had hiv?
Thanks and promess I'll do my best to get tested