Hello. I’m a 78 year old female in the U.S. who has been in W&W since 2017 when I was diagnosed with CLL. At my bi-annual checkup with my hematologist on August 21, for the first time she voiced some concern as my WBC had gone from 25.1 (in February) to 45.8. We set up a follow-up bloodwork and appointment for mid October to recheck with the possibility of a discussion about treatment if the WBC numbers continue upward. My question has to do with what possible light some recent surgery may have had on my WBC jumping around. Back on July 3 I was diagnosed by ultrasound with an abdominal cyst at the ER where my WBC on that day was 24.9, just a month and a half before my 45.8 WBC at my hematology checkup. Fast forward to the lab work associated with my surgery on August 29. The surgery was a bit more complex than expected as the cyst had grown very large, impinging on my kidneys, pancreas and stomach. Here are the WBC numbers starting with pre-admissions testing through date of discharge: day before surgery: 31.8; day of surgery just prior to the surgery 26.6; WBC for 3 additional days at hospital 40.2; 36.9; 46.0.
I’m wondering if anyone has experienced a similar jumping around of WBC due to surgery and hospitalization. I’m getting a bit nervous about what my October bloodwork will show with my hematologist, and I guess looking for some hope that things other than CLL might have caused a jump from my “usual” WBC of 25. Many thanks for any thoughts.