Below range neutrophils and hypothyroidism - the Link between…….

[Alternatively]

This subject was touched on within another post but I’d like to open up a new post and discussion about this issue please?

I thought it was coincidental that Since becoming hypothyroid due to a partial thyroidectomy, my kappa lambada neutrophil ratio has been consistently testing just below range, My gp was concerned enough to request blood tests every 4 months to keep an eye on it because it could point to a possible blood cancer

But no link was made to this and my hypothyroidism and so I was very interested to read that some others on this forum have a low neutrophil count too ….,

Please could you share your experiences of this ? Is it anything to worry about?

I am feeling well now on my combined dose of T4 and T3 . MyTSH is below range since beginning T3 but the neutrophils were also below range when my TSH was within range. I’m not feeling any symptoms .

Looking forward to reading of your experience with this.

[Dancer57]

Hi

I have Hashimotos. I am on Levothyroxine. My Neutrophil count dropped for first time ever March this year as did my total White Blood Cell count which was below range. I did not have an infection or unwell at the time of blood test.

My GP requested another blood test a month later and my Neutrophil count increased as did my White Blood Cells but they are still below the reference range. GP said this is satisfactory.

At the same time I noticed on blood test result I had 0.3% nucleated red blood cells. Something adults shouldn't have as I understand it. On pointing this out to GP he wasn't bothered.

I have no idea why my Neutophil count has lowered but I feel with nucleated red blood cells it may be to do with my B12 deficiency at cellular level which at the moment the NHS have difficulty acknowledging.

All a mystery.

[Eton in reply to Dancer57]

Hi

I have had below range neutrophils for many years and am monitored quarterly by GP. I also suspect I was hypo for many years before I started levo and I do wonder if there is a link.

[Dancer57 in reply to Eton]

It is good your GP monitors you quarterly, mine just said although still below range it is satisfactory. I do wonder why it has dropped and has never happened before, there must be a reason but as its not too low they not worried. I suppose I will have to wait until next year for annual review to find out if its changed.

I was subclinical Hypo for 11 years before I received any medication but my white blood cells have always been ok other than Lymphocytes which have been slightly under range for as far as I can remember and I think that is the norm for me. Only since a hiccup with my health end 2022 have things started to go wrong with bloods etc. Perhaps I will get an answer one day!!!

[Caesard in reply to Dancer57]

Low neutrophil count here as well, I have always suspected that it's related to ATDs (PTU in my case)

My (mild) neutropenia is with me ever since discovering Graves disease and it seems it's connected to both the hyperthyroidism itself (or perhaps related autoimmunity) and PTU administration as treatment (limited administration, until TT)

It has been 10 years now, it's sometimes fluctuating, but I don't consider it a big issue.

[Dancer57 in reply to Caesard]

That's interesting I have Hashimotos but went into a Hyperthyroid state end of December 2022 which lasted approx 2 months. I had all the symptoms of Hyperthyroidism without actually having it and have never been the same since. It seems to have messed up just about everything.

I do wonder therefore if the Neutrophil drop has something to do with autoimmune condition. No good asking Doctors as I am sure they have will have no idea. Never mind.

[arTistapple]

Whilst I can’t categorically answer your question I would say, endocrinology is never considered for any possible knock on effects in an ill person. It’s treated at best as an entirely separate issue. I was just saying yesterday “Endocrinolgy (for hypos anyway) is always the bridesmaid and never the bride.” It’s entirely irrelevant, apart from tiny pieces of information that docs seem to know. e.g. Take the little white pill every day of your life and you will be fine. Or “Your TSH is fine. It must be something else that is wrong with you.”

The research proves different.

Your situation may not be related but even so, doctors are extremely unlikely to look any further than they have to and with quite a bit of pushing necessary.

[Dancer57 in reply to arTistapple]

I couldn't agree more, spot on!!!

[Cornishpasty007]

I have had Hypothyroidism , treated now for 10 years. I also have neutrophils below the range and at one stage below the " safe " range ( a range below the norm. below which treatment should be considered) I only found out once I asked for my full blood test results. Dr not available to discuss. Concerned as there is also a connection with blood cancer and my father died of lymphoma which has some genetic inheritance. I would like to know more about possible connection to Hypothyroidism too.

[Dancer57 in reply to Cornishpasty007]

I also thought about the blood cancer thing which is why I flagged my nucleated red blood cells to the GP as well as lowered Neutrophils.

All I got was your other bloods are ok!!!! Hopeless it is.

[PsmS]

Hi Everyone,

I was diagnosed with graves disease 3yrs ago, at that time both my white blood count and neutrophils were quite low.

Been in remission with normal TSH, ft3/ft4.

However last blood test my TSH has dropped to 0.13, my white blood count and neutrophils have again dropped below range.

I'm constantly tired and get intermittent sore throat and feel overall just awful.

So, just waiting for repeat bloods.

There surely must be some connection between thyroid issues and white bloods/neutrophils contrary to what some endocrinologists say ?

[Dancer57 in reply to PsmS]

Having read all the previous responses and yours I think you are right there must be some connection with the drop of white blood cells and thyroid/autoimmune conditions.

As I said in previous post, I have Hashimotos but went into a Hyperthyroid state as they call it for approx 2 months, nearly two years ago and have never been the same since, including my white blood cell count, my Neutrophils have never been low before always well within in range and not now??

Something must cause this.

Perhaps a Haematologist would have the answer, or perhaps not!!!

[Alternatively]

Thankyou to everyone that has replied to my post so far, it’s so good to share our experiences on here isn’t it. I would be a lot less well if I hadn’t found this forum. I’m so grateful 🙏🏼

I don’t have graves or hashimotos. I did recently see a private haematology consultant who specialised in cancer of the blood (near Cambridge) about the low neutrophils, and he wasn’t worried if they are just out of range, but he didn’t connect this with my hypothyroidism either. It seems that there could well be a connection though, but not very well researched. Maybe many more people with hypothyroidism have low neutrophils but have never been tested for this?

[klr31]

I have Hashimoto's and low neutrophils. Could it be linked with autoimmune disease? I just don't know but my mother-in-law had low neutrophils and autoimmune disease, not thyroid though.

Karen

[Yostie]

Hi,

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/260...

High Frequency of Thyroid Disorders in Patients Presenting With Neutropenia to an Outpatient Hematology Clinic STROBE-Compliant Article

I had some papers on this from sometime ago. A quick search on thyroid and neutropenia comes up with several articles.

[Nlob1]

HI I had my thyroid out back in 2007 , since then all kinds of weird stuff but recently for the past 2 years I’ve had t3 with my t4 and my white blood count is all jacked up but before it wasn’t ! So I’m going in to hemo for more testing but I find it odd that this happened after taken the t3 by the way I lost all the weight I gained when I was off level and it sent me into being very hyper instead of always being hypo