Low white count

[Lovey1000]

I went in this morning to do 2nd round after completing 4 so far, as I’m into it for 15 min , nurse runs and says Your white blood count is 7 00 and should be 1300 plus, so they kicked me out for a week, I did labs the day of 30 minutes before I started the infusion... any advice... common Denzie I’m counting on you🏆

[Denzie Moderator Volunteer]

I do have an answer! It’s called neutropenia and its happened to me three times. I had to have blood transfusions 3 times. Once each after #2,3&4.(4 being the total number of Chemo treatments I had. The week break is to give your bodies bone marrow a chance to recover and produce more.

Remember, Chemo works because it goes after fast growing cells. That’s why it affects hair, tastebuds, cilia in ear and nose and blood cell production. I had two pints each time They’re kept frozen. We joked and told the nurse we were looking for a couple of cold pints

Right now you are highly immunocompromised. Wear a mask and gloves in public. Stay away from little kids (they won’t share toys but they sure share bacteria and viruses). If you develop cold or flu symptoms let your dr know immediately.

There are shots and medication dispensers that patients can use now that imrove the body’s ability to stimulate cell production. Talk to your oncologist about them next visit.

[Lovey1000 in reply to Denzie]

I live alone and I was told to go back this Friday to see if I'm clear to do chemo Tuesday the 27th, Igor b12 shot and I'm wearing a mask in public we will see Friday in I can continue with round 5

[judg69]

Lovey, ask your oncologist about neulasta shots the next day after each of your regular chemo sessions. I did this for almost 2 years. Best Wishes, J

judg69

[Lovey1000]

Will do and thanks

[scifiknitter Blogger]

Lovey,

I had neutropenia after my first round of Chemo. I was hospitalized for 4 days because I was running a high fever, so I needed antibiotics.

There are 2 drugs used to rebuild white blood counts: Neupogen and Neulasta. Neupogen is given as a daily shot in the stomach, and is what I was given while hospitalized. Neulasta is given the day after a chemo infusion. I’m getting Neulasta OnPro now. It’s a plastic gizmo that is stuck on the upper arm. It contains a dose of Neulasta and has a little plastic tube that goes under the skin. 27 hours after your infusion, the gizmo beeps and gives you a dose of Neulasta while you are at home. You peel it off your arm after it's done.

The main side effect is bone pain. Claritin helps a lot with that!

Hope your blood counts rebound quickly.

Anita

[Steph60]

Request that your blood work be done the day before chemo, that way they can have the results prior to you even going there the next day. That is the way my oncologist office did it.

[Lovey1000]

Thankd

[anrean]

Lovey, that happened to me, even though I was receiving Neulasta. My oncologist said it is fairly common to happen without Neulasta, Hope this helps your feel better about it happening to you.

Lauri-Anne

[scifiknitter Blogger]

I'd like to add that doing your blood tests just before chemo is cutting it pretty fine, being as the blood tests are done to see if you are healthy enough for the chemo. I have mine done 2 days before. I don't know if travel to your cancer center is an issue that has led to same day blood tests, but if you can have them done before, this kind of snafu can be prevented.

[Pandora8205]

My facility does bloodwork same day but they cant start until bloodwork back i get the nuelasta onpro. They put on your arm so you dont have to go back next day to get shot.