White Blood Cell Counts

[Beths]

I hope someone can answer this question for me. Is there any standard of care for low white blood cell counts? How low will they be allowed to go before something is done? (such as Neupogen, hospital, etc). Any information you can provide me with will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Beth

[Cathya]

Beth;

I found that my onc allowed my white counts to get quite low. For instance, my friend who was going through treatment at the same time was not allowed to take her chemo if her count was below 15 (guessing at that as I can't totally remember) while I was allowed to go to 10. One day I was borderline and the nurses and pharmacist were talking and called the doctor to check. He said to go ahead as I was ........ (what a mind...I can't remember the word). So in any case they gave me the chemo and I sat there wondering about that word and really not wanting to ask...you know what I mean?! In any case I did ask...and the nurse said.....cureable!!! Made my day, week, month. So, bottom line is from what I have observed...if you are palliative....they won't let your blood counts get too low so you suffer, if you are stage 1 or something they also won't let your blood counts get too low but if you are on the line (i.e. stage 3c...lol) they go for it!!! and thank god.
So......treatment fluctuates......lol.

Cathy

[RhondaH]

I hope someone can answer this question for me. Is there any standard of care for low white blood cell counts? How low will they be allowed to go before something is done? (such as Neupogen, hospital, etc). Any information you can provide me with will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Beth

I had 6 rounds of dose dense TEC (Taxotere, Epirubicin and Cytoxan). Because of the dose dense chemo, I got a shot of Neulasta the day after every chemo and was fine until the 3rd one (then the vomitting started). I did fine (my onc called me his "chemo poster child") until the week after my last chemo which hospitalized me) I was hospitalized as I was vomitting non stop for 24 hours and while I was at the clinic and my nurse was trying to get it to stop, my fever spiked to over 101, so she called the hospital and told them to expect my. While there my wbc got down to 200 and they WANTED to give me a blood transfusion...my platelets were 8.1 and the MANDATORY transfusion limit was 8.0, so I declined (I didn't want to add to my problems)...I was there 3 days. My goal the entire time was to get all of my treatments on time and at full dose (I've heard of them lowering the dosage) and I did and continue to get the Herceptin every 3 weeks until 8/10/06. My onc said last Thurs that my blood work was strong and that he didn't need to see me (but continue the every 3 week Herceptin...5 more to go) for 3 months. My suggestion is to eat/drink lots of protein and walk as much as you can each day ( I was doing 2 miles a day until the 3rd chemo...then I slowed down). You can do it. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

[cherylynnie]

My understanding is that the normal white count is 3.5-10.5 (3500-10,500). I received Neulasta on day 15 from when I start dose dense chemo A&C, then every two weeks there after. Then when I started Taxotere my white counts were okay. My lowest wbc where .7, 1.5, and .5, from what I recall. I just stayed at home. The only place I went while on AC was to the onc. office and the surgeons , and the gyn and back with very few exceptions.