How to boost low WBC count?

[pink86]

Hello everyone,

Just wondering is there any way that I can do to boost my low WBC count? My lab test came out and it shows that in 09/03/13 my WBC was1.8 and in 09/12/13 came as 1.3 .. The standard range is 4.0 - 10.0 10e3/uL!

I just took my 5th injection yesterday. My doctor want me to take CBC test after a week to monitor my WBC count and if it's still decreasing, I think he will put me on Neupogen!

To be honest, I don't prefer taking more medications, although in my previous treatment my doctor also put me on Neupogen, but this time I feel that I'm taking too much medications because this time I have to take boceprevir later on.

So, did anyone try anything helped them before or have any suggestions?


Thank you! :)

[pink86]

Thank you all for the big help!

I think I will start to drink green tea daily and see how it goes this week! :D

Nuhepper > I didn't know that fatigue has anything to do with WBC! Good to know!

Best o luck to you all :)

[flcyclist]

It sounds like you react in a similar way to interferon than I did during my 48 wk tx.  At around week 8 my ANC dropped below 0.4 and I was referred to a hematologist to monitor my CBC's weekly.  I was given Neupogen 2x per wk for the remaining 40 wks of tx and my ANC never rebounded on its own while continuing the interferon.  Protocol calls for a dose reduction of interferon, but my doc didn't like dose reductions and I was fine with that.  Neupogen allowed me to continue tx, otherwise my doc might have stopped due to the extremely low ANC.  It was 0.2 and below at times.  

From what I've learned here and on other sites, that many of the more qualified hepatologists who have tx many patients, don't consider neupogen until the ANC goes below 0.5.  Some not so familiar get excited when they see it go under 1.0.  The big concern for risk of infection due to a low ANC is a carryover from those undergoing chemo tx, which in this case is a bigger concern.  Not so much for HCV tx.  You can search on your own and come up with many documents supporting this.  

Hopefully, your doctor will provide the best guidance possible and you will successfully SVR this time.  Best of luck to you.  

[nuhepper]

To Pink,

My doctor has had me on Neupogen since the 4th wk of tx.  Once the count went up to mid range and he changed the interval from every 5 days to every 7 days.  It quickly dropped to 1.4 and my fatique level increased a bunch. After returning to one shot every 5 days and making some dietary changes my WBC went up to about 8 and my fatigue level has improved.  There may be safer, healthier ways to get your WBC back up, but according to my Doctor, at 1.2 he would have suspended Tx.  You are only .1 away from that.

I know that it is awful to have so many toxic drugs in your system all at one time.  But if my Doctor is right then it may be time for you to consider  taking this additional drug.

I am doing ok with it, as long as insurance pays for it. (very expensive)

Hope you get to SVR, once and for all.

[ActingBrandNew]

When I was treating my WBC's got real low too. I was a hop, skip, and a jump away from Nuepogen as well. After a few hours of googling how to boost WBC's naturally, Green Tea seemed to come up often. So....I started drinking 1-2 cups every day. My WBC's didn't go down any further after. Is it because of the Green Tea? I have no clue. Maybe....maybe not....just sharing my experience.

"Drink green tea to boost your immune system and allow your body to create more white blood cells. Green tea is a source of antioxidants, which helps your body fight off infection. According to a study performed by Canada's University of Sherbrooke, green tea slows the replication of some viruses, which in turn means that you may not lose as many white blood cells to fighting the virus."

http://www.livestrong.com/article/17407-increase-white-blood-cells/