Panic asked to stop drugs

[Ninnin67]

Afternoon hoping someone can advise me as in a panic,just had GP ring ,my white count and iron low so asked to stop my metho and leflo anyone else had this. Feel so anxious now thank u

[helixhelix]

Don’t panic! It happens and 9 times put of 10 is a blip, and you will be back to normal on next blood test and can restart drugs without problem. And even if it is a result of these specific drugs there are plenty of others you can use. There are lots of causes of anaemia and associated WBC drops and it is rare that this happens suddenly because of something extremely evil.

[Ninnin67 in reply to helixhelix]

Thank you just cant help worrying

[lucymead in reply to helixhelix]

Do you or anyone on the site know why I would need to have a HEPB vaccine before I start Abatacept injections. My bloods show I have no immunity to it Hep B1! I have had lots of bloods done in the last 6 years because of RA and this is first time for vaccine. I have been on many dmards and biologics too.

[Skymollie]

Hello, I was on metho but even before that my iron is always low, caused by the inflammation in body. Rheumies don't think supplements of iron will help this type of low iron in the blood. Usually, blood shows 11 when it's suppose to be 12. They don't seem to worried about it. They just want to clear up the inflammation which will then put a stop to the low iron. Don't worry, everything will work out. Good luck.

[Neonkittie17]

I was asked to halt Mtx a couple of times several years ago and it was because Ibuprofen caused a blip/anaemia and so do other anti inflammatories to the red blood count. The nurse phoned and said if on Ibuprofen (I was, daily) then stop it for a short while. The RBC then came back up to more normal readings after a week or two off the anti inflammatories. When I asked my nurse she said it happened all the time and only if it kept repeating like that without a reason would they be concerned and sometimes the rheumy will recommend to have iron supplements. As HH and others have said, it is a blip.

You don’t have to be taking anti inflammatory relief for it to happen. Our bodies are often depleted of a lot of essentials when we have RA, especially if it isn’t controlled well which mine wasn’t at all then. Yes it worried me too as it was new to me but my rheumy nurse reassured me. You are usually asked to have a blood test a couple of weeks after stopping anti inflammatories. Betting it goes back to normal for you. x

[Gilliancheche]

No insult to your GP but I would speak to rheumatologist/specialist nurse for clarification. They see stuff like this all the time, GP not so much. I have problems with white cells and neutrophils and have to be closely monitored.

[Angjoplin]

Yes. I've been told so often i now recognise the signs myself without a blood test. Don't panic.

When I say often I've been on various drugs for decades.

[Jaxine]

Hi there, yes me! For the last few months my white blood count has been steadily declining. My last blood test showed my white blood count to be 1.8 which they said was low. I was extremely worried about this myself as white blood cells help fight infection. However, I was offered another full blood count and my white blood cell count bounced back to 3.5 in one week. My consultant rang me the other day and we discussed this. Biologics can cause your white blood count to bounce up and down and rarely do they have to stop your drugs. They will just keep an eye on you. I'm due to give blood in 5 weeks. Try not to get to anxious about it and this is can be normal.

[Jaxine]

Meant to say, just ring your Rhymy nurse that way you cxn find solice that you don t need to panic.

[nomoreheels]

As you'll have gathered it can happen. I had stop my meds for a few weeks due to severe iron deficient anaemia which in spite of ferrous fumarate & something else that escapes me, didn’t help. I had investigations, colonoscopy & gastroscopy, thankfully just being cautious, no bleeds. So it’s was put down to RD inflammation, which in your case could be why yours has reduced your white cell count, it turns on them sometimes.

Keep us updated?

[BonnieG123]

They’re not telling you everything. Get someone knowledgeable to go over your results with you.