Leukocytes

[tjrusert]

I felt like I was getting a UTI a few days again so I did a home test and I tested positive for leukocytes and nitrates. I have felt so bad lately that just drank a lot of water instead of going to the Dr. Today I felt better so I retested. Negative for nitrates but positive for leukocytes. Leukocytes are white blood cells which usually means you are fighting am infection. Then I thought well of course I'm fighting Hep C with tx right now. My question is this. I have been UND since week 4 of tx. I'm in week 45 now. Is my body still fighting this virus after 41 weeks of being UND?  Or should I go to a Dr even though. The UTI symptoms have subsided. And if I am still fighting the Hep C at this point, what will happen once I stop med. I don't think I could take it if I ended up with a VL again. I don't feel like fighting any more. The end of tx is so close. And that's good because I feel weaker than ever.

[tjrusert]

Thank you for your answer.  I am amazed at the amount of knowledge that ppl on this website have.  It was a simple home test so Im not sure how accurate it is.  But as I understand it, my white cell count in my urine was high.  The end of tx has been really difficult for me.  I have a hard time getting to sleep but once I fall asleep I cant seem to wake up.  I am weak and I have body aches and my memory is shot. As one person put it I sometimes feel like I have Clorox running in my veins.   I am so glad to be at the end of this. Im just so scared of it coming back after all of this.  Congratulations to you also for being at week 42.  Im sorry that you havent felt well either.  I think I was at about week 42 or 43 when it got harder for me.  I hope you start to feeling better soon.  I found that drinking as much water as possible helps.  The problem is that I dont feel like eating already and when I try to drink more water, my appetite drops even more.  My husband has started making me a plate of food every night and insisting that I eat as much as I can.  Usually its on a dessert plate because he knows I wont eat that much.  My hemoglobin has be going between 9 and 10 for months now.  So I know I am a little anemic too. That will make you feel worse.  Again thanks for the informative answer.  And I hope that you start to feel better soon.  We can see the light at the end of the tunnel my friend.  Just hang in there.  We can do it.  

[frijole]

Hey -- wanted to add, congrats on getting to week 45.  I am on week 42!  It sounds like you have done very well, being UND at week 4.  I find the end of treatment particulary grueling.  Besides, I am on VIC and the anemia is relentless.  I hope it is not so bad for you.

bean

[frijole]

From Wikapedia

White blood cells, or leukocytes (also spelled "leucocytes"; from the Greek word leuko- meaning "white"), are cells of the immune system involved in defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials. Five[1] different and diverse types of leukocytes exist, but they are all produced and derived from a multipotent cell in the bone marrow known as a hematopoietic stem cell. They live for about three to four days in the average human body. Leukocytes are found throughout the body, including the blood and lymphatic system.[2]

The number of leukocytes in the blood is often an indicator of disease.
There are normally between 4×109 and 1.1×1010 white blood cells in a litre of blood, and ranging from 7 and 21 micrometres in diameter, they make up approximately 1% of blood in a healthy adult.[3] An increase in the number of leukocytes over the upper limits is called leukocytosis, and a decrease below the lower limit is called leukopenia. The physical properties of leukocytes, such as volume, conductivity, and granularity, may change due to activation, the presence of immature cells, or the presence of malignant leukocytes in leukemia.

I don't think the leukocytes have anything to do with your hep C virus.  I think you probably have a UTI like you thought and need to get that treated.  I am not familiar with a leukocyte count and am not sure what that means.  Does it mean your WBC is high?

frijole

[tjrusert]

I also can't type obviously. I would try to correct my numerous mistakes but I think you can get the idea. The first thing though was that I thought I was getting a UTI a few days ago not again. Thanks for your patience