White blood count

[Grandimose]

Hospital phoned to say my white blood count was 1.8 instead of 2 - not to worry will see what next month's say! I inject 15mg of methotrexate and Enbrel! Easy to say not to worry - I could just be more prone to infection - but I'm sure someone on here can tell me more!

[oldtimer]

It's more the trend that they look at rather than an individual reading. If it goes on falling then they will probably stop your medication for a bit and monitor it. I should hope that you are immune suppressed - that's the whole point of the medication isn't it?

[Sarahg62]

Hi. My wbc is constantly low now, hovering around the 0.9. - 1.6 mark. Every so often I am asked to do weekly blood tests. When it gets to the lower mark, I have to come off the methotrexate for a few weeks so that the wbc can build up again.

You are more open to infections when it is lower, but that is what your meds are doing to dampen down your immune system, so you don't get flare ups ! Good luck.

[Grandimose in reply to Sarahg62]

Thanks Sarah62 - I was hoping it was the methotrexate and not the embrel that causes it - have they tried just lowering the amount of methotrexate to see if that helps?

[Sarahg62 in reply to Grandimose]

Funnily enough, saw my rheumy last week and that's what we have done. My wbc was down again, so re did blood tests, and it has crept back up again. Now on 5mg of methotrexate. Let's see how I cope !

[Grandimose in reply to Sarahg62]

Hope all goes well!

[Sarahg62 in reply to Grandimose]

👍 x