CBC's-Need Help

[merlino]

Hi All-Here are my lab results
WBC  3.1
RBC  3.83
Hemoglobin  11.7
Hematocrit  33.6
MCV         88
MCH         30.7
MCHC        34.9
RDW          13.4
Platelets   127
Neutrophils  49
Lymphs      37
Monocyles   11
Eos          3
Basos         0
Neutrophils (absolute) 1.5
I haven't a clue what this all means, Please help.

[merlino]

Thanks shelly, sx hit me hard today. Dr's appt at 1 - takes too much effort to post oday. Take care shel

[chellski]

friole - i'm very happy your biopsy results were good, it must be such a relief....
chev & friole:  the first few months i was absolutely euphoric about being off those drugs, i felt wonderful, even kidded myself thinking my hair was growing back, but alas is just stopped falling out, no new regrowth yet....then all of a sudden like the drop on "steel force" (best roller coaster at our local "dorney park") into the depression....it sucks....i put one foot in front of the other to do what i have to for work and the kids....other than that i'm just an aching lump.  its a depression like no other i've felt...i am over due for my 6mo post tx...its actually been 8 months, i just haven't gotten to get the blood drawn...

merlino:  trust your doctor...mine was the same as you and thought i was jumping the gun asking for procrit (my hbg drop was much slower than yours tho) and lo and behold my next checkup the hbg went back up again and i was feeling a little better....mine did go up and down a little...good luck to you..you are such a strong person....between your ex and the kids...i think all that extra baggage helped me thru tx...who knows?   i need something to help me now...

[NYgirl]

Epogen / Procrit are the same thing...a rescue drug used to help with our REDs (hemoglobin - oxygenate the blood that is pumping around in us - without enough oxegen in our blood you get the ringing in your head, shortness of breath, trouble walking distances...all the sides of the hemolytic anemia we get.)


Neupogen / Neulasta drugs are to raise your WHITES to help prevent infection that can happen while on Chemo.

My whites have gotten pretty low but we never put me on the neup...and they rebounded on their own however the reds are a whole different story and the hemoglobin level won't just go up on it's own I don't think.

I think that is as easy as I could make it.

[merlino]

The last visit I had we spoke about this high amount of Riba. This is the way he feels is best to start this fight. Hit it  hard immediately. I trust him. He has had quite a bit of success with type 1's. My only concern is the fact procrit takes 2 weeks to kick in. I want to start now. I can't imagine feeling any worse.You were right FLGuy, I was in such a hurry to start this poison, little did I know what I was in store for.

[FlGuy]

Good to hear the pcr results.  I'm doing ok. Just got a call a few minutes ago - managed to find enoungh Peg to continue the dose thru week 4. It's not as bad as I thought, just had to surrender pleasant weekend time to this junk.  Will gear back to the regular dose for week 5 and beyond.

[merlino]

Hi Michelle, always happy to hear from you. Things a little tough right now but I know it has to get better. Kids think I have the flu. It took a lot for me to even start tx and now that I have I will do the whole dam thing and be done with this disease. I want to be where you and kids are. Moved on with life and this behind us.

[FlGuy]

I think it's great that the doc is aggressive.  And, the theory is hit it hard and hit it early, which he's doing.  But with that approach come a few risks.  Dos who are aggressive need to have an equal measure of reaction in case things (labs) begin to go south.

[NYgirl]

Yup I just want to ditto what FLGuy said - there would be no need to repeat it all!

your labs aren't bad but keep a CLOSE eye on the hemo - at 11.7 you're really entering territory where you can feel BAD (worse than I thought possible from such a thing) FAST.

I agree that treating aggressively is the RIGHT way to go but you have to be VERY diligent in making sure you are really on top of the hemo BIG TIME.

Offhand I'd say it's time to have the Epogen Talk with your doctor so you know the info - when will he prescribe etc.

It does look like you are going to be needing it. Bad news is it's another shot but good news - it works GREAT!

[Russian]

Re: "I was in such a hurry to start this poison"

Whenever I even start to think that way, I change "poison" to "wonder drug" and remind myself over and over again how lucky I am to live in a time when it is available.

And there's the trusty old Neitzche quote:  "What does not destroy me, makes me stronger."

Not being destroyed being the trick, I suppose.. *smile*

[merlino]

Please don';t think I'm stupid but need you guys to explain something. I am in such a fog this morning (Brian ha Ha)Procrit is for? and Eupogen is for? I have them confused.

[merlino]

PS forgot nuepogen

[FlGuy]

Just a couple of more things. If I had hgb at your level, my insurance company (hint) would cover the cost of procrit/epo/etc if administered in the doc's office. (this is one of the reasons I see a hematologist for labs, instant cbc results and resuce drugs on the spot and no insurance follow-up for me and no perscriptions to deal with).  You've probably read here 'say no to dose reductions', I've said it myself many times.  But if the doc brings it up you might have some room to eliminate a riba a day (with the amount you're taking now) to help fight the hgb battle. But, say no to anything under 800/day.

[merlino]

You are right. I am very fortunate that I am able to treat and be at a stage if it doesn't work I still have time for new drugs. I guess I was feeling sorry for myself. Shame on me. I know there are others suffering more than I am. Sometime we need a reminder.Thanks

[merlino]

Thanks. Hopefully this will work. Will ask him tomorrow of he can do this. I dont' want to lower dose! Afraid if I do it won't work. I want to see what happens after my 4wks.

[Kalio1]

Hello and welcome to the forum. It's always nice to see new people join in. Love the Nietzsche quote, thanks for posting it and reminding me to keep that in mind.
Are you treating now? If you have posted your stats before and I missed them I apologize, do you mind posting them again?
Hope you are feeling good and life is treating you well.

[pln]

Hi, I hope you are doing good, I have been thinking about you doing double shots, good luck with your pcr this week. would you know the detected level of this test. HCV RNA, PCR, Q1 (QUANT RFLX). this was done by labcorp, I came back negative but would love to know how low 615, 50, 10,. Thanks Pam

[merlino]

Thanks Deb,

[Tallahassee]

I would like to answer a few questions from 11/01/06 Infergen tread:
- Dr. from Gainesville thinks that I had a viral break through after 10 months of Infergen/ Riba treatment... not as I was hoping for a lab. error.  The following blood test was ~2 weeks after the break through. I took the liberty and increased my dose of Infergen from 15 mcg to 24 mcg (later, I confessed to Dr.) I took higher dose of Infergen, I guess, from a desperation ... but it was for about 10 days only. The following lab. tests were <10 UI.
- Yes, I think dR. in Gainesville was very concerned about my small lesions.  My treating Dr. was monitoring it for a few years, but my latest MRI prior to treatment indicated that they are somewhat increasing in size (or measurements variations?).  "Liverhead" said that I will not qualify for new trials anytime soon, because I never took pegalated version on Interferon... the future Vertex trials for non-responders were quiet specific. But he thought that later in 2007 Vertex probably will have trials for all Interferons non-responders.  Buy that time I'll know if I need one.  Dr. thought that there is no need for me even try Peg.,  since I was on initial clinical trial of regular Interferon and Riba for 48 weeks (in 1996) and my viral load was never lower than 300,000 copies per whatever units (ml?).  So far, the only drug that keeps my "load" undetected is Infergen w/ Riba... will see what will happen next...

- How are you doing, especially on double dose?  I have been working almost all the time (I noticed in my previous post I said that I'm seldom working now ... what I wanted to say that I'm seldom walking now).  But I'm grateful that my work is not physical... I'm like you an engineer... but, oh boy, my brains sometimes don't work at all... and lately I may wake up in the middle of the night with a clear head ... and start working on the projects... my husband thinks that I'm nuts!

I wish the best to all my new friends (& strangers :))


Talla

[FlGuy]

Spouses who think their spouses are whacked out on tx have it sized up about right. It could work to your advantage some day, under the right circumstances. ('Oh Honey, that was the meds talking not me, you know that") Sometines the perfect answer to a problem is a 'false positive' test.  But as many of us have experienced that feeling is sometimes replace by a cold smack in the face.  I'm doing ok, but am still in week 2 so the grind is just barely starting. Infergen - just stepping up to that regimens deserves a medal.

[Tallahassee]

Yes, you need to keep an eye on reds since Procrit take some time to start working...  But Neupogen is quick acting, the very next day my whites can be sky high.

But you are doing really well by monitoring results... I have to ask my nurse each time after she faxes my results.
_______________________________________________________
To Russian person:

- What genotype you have?  I'm trying to figure out the "heritage" of my gen 1c :)

Respectfully,

[merlino]

I am a little concerned. My Dr just called me. He had my cbc's and he thinks I am doing fine and no procrit yet. I told him how I feel and he still said you are doing ok. I am to see him anyway tomorrow, How far can I push this? I don't want to end up on the floor. He wants me to give it 2 more weeks.

[Tallahassee]

Schedule an appointment with hematologist

[FlGuy]

Going back to a statement you made earlier, you trust the doc right?  The rest of us are internet chatterheads, right? See him tomorrow and talk about the trends you've established (pre tx levels, current levels) and maybe make a plan and come to agreement with him.  If he sees your concern and you tell him the effects you're feeling maybe he'd at least monitor it a bit more frequently (maybe weekly for a few weeks).  But, he's the doc right?  He's got to assume that your high-dose riba will have some impact eventually.

[friole]

I agree with all - your white blood count and red blood count look good.  The Neutrophils look fine.  But you hve been whacked in the head with the hemoglobin.  Most doctors will not rx the PRocrit in the 11's but as fast as yours has dropped please ask for a CBC this week too.  It couldn't hurt.  

Chellski - how the heck are you?  Long time no hear from.  Getting ready to sock it in in that cold Pennsylvania winter?  How are you feeling post tx -- grown a good head of hair yet????
frijole