Low white blood count and unwell

[Kathryn82]

Hi! I've been taking Carbimazole from approx 18 months (only 5mg/day). I developed a sore throat about 10 weeks ago (but no cold), I feel tired, generally unwell, dizzy, feverish, mouth ulcers, bleeding gums, sore joints/bones (but that symptom might not be relevant to this) etc. Blood tests have shown I have a low white blood count so was advised to stop taking Carbimazole a couple of weeks ago and that things should improve in a few days. However my symptoms are getting worse and my white blood count is still low. I don't understand it all so any help would be much appreciated. Any ideas please? Thank you.

[Clutter]

Kathryn82,

If your white cell count is too low for you to resume Carbimazole perhaps your GP could enquire of your endocrinologist whether you should be switched to Propylthiouracil (PTU).

[Kathryn82]

'Clutter' - thanks for replying. Yes that's certainly an idea and I will ask my endocrinologist when I see them. Do you know what can cause Carbimazole to lower the white blood count (assuming that is what's causing it) and whether it can cause permanent / long-term issues? There's been mention that it might have caused a bone marrow suppression and I just wondered if this is serious / permanent?

[Tiredmum75 in reply to Kathryn82]

Hi I had have low wbc after and diagnosed of epilepsy funny enough it turned out I didn’t have epilepsy it was my coeliacs disease giving me the seizures anyway I still have low wbc even though I dropped the epilepsy meds