Low Red Blood Cell Count

[IrishSetterLover]

Hello everyone, I went to my regular 4-month visit in July and my RBC count was below normal. Has anyone experienced this? I have ET, taking 500 mg daily. Thanks for your input.

[hunter5582]

There can be a number of reasons for lowered RBCs, including iron deficiency and as a side effect of hydroxyurea. Suggest you follow up with your care team regarding this issue.

[Manouche]

Mine are below normal for a couple of years on Pegasys. The most important is to have an acceptable haemoglobin level.

[kiwitraveller]

Mine are always below normal am on Hydroxy - have pretty much always been below but steady and I feel fine so we don’t worry about it. Talk to your medical team if you are worried or don’t feel well

[UKZA]

Mine were always normal on Hydroxy for 4 years , but now I am on Interferon only, they have dropped below normal. They are uncertain as to the cause being my MF or interferon or a bleed but my 4 weekly monitoring will determine this. Hopefully they will continue to monitor you closely.

[Fuzzy_Duck]

Before I started on HU my RBC count was normal, it's only my WBC count that was high. The nett result is that now my WBC count is in the normal range but my RBC count is below normal. This is as expected in my case.

[ChillyAsh34]

I have just had the same so they reduced my sat and sun dose from 1000gms to 500 so every day I take 500 gms hydroxycarbamide. And appointment in 6 weeks

[Wyebird]

Hi, it sometimes means you need to alter your meds. Think your heamo team are the best to discuss this with.

[Devilgirl]

Just had my bloods done a couple of weeks ago & for the first time in 4 years my rbc count & haematocrit were both below normal. Haemoglobin was still in normal range. My haematologist has checked my ferritin & vit d levels. Ferritin normal & vit d higher than normal. He has adjusted my hydroxycarbamide reducing it by 2x 500mg per wk & made me a 6wk appointment instead of the usual 12wk.

[Caryopteris]

In March my platelet count had gone up to 486 considerably higher than normal.This was fairly soon after a nasty bout of Covid. In June, my platelet count had gone down to 229, way below my normal count. Also this had lowered my red blood counts below normal for the first time in 13 years and I was feeling even more tired than usual with E T. I contacted MPN Voice experts, who are always extremely helpful and they said that Covid was having bad effects on blood counts. My consultant has now reduced the hydroxycarbamide and prescribed iron tablets and I am feeling a bit better. Hope the information is useful.