Already a member? Sign in
What - Inspire is a place where you can connect with people who share your health concerns and find information and advice in groups sponsored by organizations you know and trust.
Why - As a member you can use Inspire to let friends and family know how you're doing, contact others who share your health concerns, receive personalized updates and information about participating in surveys and clinical trials, and more.
How - Joining Inspire is completely free and usually takes less than a minute. Join now!
Hi all,
I was wondering if anyone had a low white blood cell count. I have been on a down hill slant since my bypass in September. I am not in the dangerous zone at this point, but it goes down every test and they are getting concerned.
I think it is most likely one of the drugs, though they tell me the ones I take don't effect that. I take toprol, altace and lipitor.
Lori
hi Lori,
I didn't have low white cell count I had low red cell count. I panicked worrying about what was going on with me now, was my body shutting down or giving up!
my blood is checked every 3 months and we are watching the results. My PCP (primary care) is great and sits and explains everything and helps me understand stuff and we work on any issue. My cardiologist is more blunt and tends to make me feel like a 10year old.
so I worked with my PCP on this and other questions and issues and found it was due to the massive amounts of blood I had to have during and after my surgery. Over time, good diet and exercise it has balanced itself out. Just so you know - I started off being on toprol but have since been taken off of it, been put onto niaspan (which has some interesting side effects!) take Lipitor and aspirin every day.
why am I taking up time saying all of this?
"if" you trust your doctors they will work through this and get you straight and if you don't find one that will explain what is going on with you and why. It was my PCP that helped me not my cardiologist. Once I knew how to get the help and answers I needed it has been easier to get better and healthier.
find that doctor that can answer these questions and work with them to get solutions....and then do what they say, it's worked for me.
not sure if this helps but it seems to be a thread through many questions on this site.
I take Toprol, but I have not had any problems with my white count. Like Collin, I was a little anemic after surgery, but it quickly resolved itself. I used to take Lipitor, but never had any problems with it. I don't know about Altace, but here is a link to webmd about its side effects - it does mention a rare side effect about a deficiency of Granulocytes and Neutrophils, types of white blood cells. Be sure to talk to your doctor about that, but don't panic!
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-8982-altace.aspx?drugid=8982&drugname=altac e&source=1&pagenumber=6
I agree with Collin in that you need to continue to work with your doctor(s). Make sure to ask also about how the various drugs interact with each other. Everyone is different and is affected differently. Make sure they explain it to you so you understand - if you are not sure what they mean, ask them to explain it again and keep persisting. This is your health we're talking about!
You'll be in my prayers, and keep us informed!
Hi all,
Thanks for the answers. Seems that my lab did not do differentials, so they have no clue which white blood cells are low! Arghhh, very frustrating. I am going to the doc either today or Monday and getting another blood test. I did have a nuclear stress test on Wednesday and the results came in last night and I am fine, passed with flying colors! One major relief, now to figure out this white blood cell stuff.
I am almost 10 months out of surgery and still don't feel really well and I do believe it is my medication. They have my bp so low and my ldl is now 51 and I crave fat! They say I need this to stay alive. I am considering getting a new team of docs that I can trust more than this team.
thanks for all your answers.
Stay well,
Lori
Lori,
Avocado and fish replace bacon and eggs for me! At times I think they are a poor substitute but figure I've just been given a new lease on my life so going to watch what I eat and do....and having those once in a while is OK too! A small price to pay in my opinion.
as to new doctors make changes a little at a time and don't "throw out the baby with the bath water". Try changing your approach or questioning first. Educating new doctors on what happened to you takes a long time. I suffered from that as I had my surgery in AZ and live in CA!
hope you continue to improve and get better
Collin
Add to the discussion