Low white blood cell count?

Alyce · 11-22-2008, 01:51 PM

Hi all-
I am currently on my last 5 rounds of Herceptin and am taking Femara. No side effects with the Femara and only the runny nose witih Herceptin.
I had blood work done with my Primary Dr. and the white cells are only 2.5
I remember back in the Chemo months having to deal with neutropenic fever, hospital, hazmat suits, the whole deal!
Does anyone out there deal with low white cells?
Anything we should be doing? Dangerous stuff?

Jackie07 · 11-22-2008, 03:00 PM

Hi,

I don't remember the name of the stuff. But I was given a shot each time my [white] blood cell count was low. It made my legs feel like having lead in them - very 'heavy' feeling.

Check with your medical provider. Be positive about your treatment so they will do what you want done.

ElaineM · 11-22-2008, 04:20 PM

The name of the shot is Neulasta. However, you can also help yourself by eating more foods that benefit the immune system. The white blood cells are part of the immune system. Vegetables, fruits, various kinds of mushrooms all benefit the immune system and white blood count. Th supplement Echinecea also benefits the immune system and the white blood count, but with that supplement you should take short breaks once in awhile. You can get information on foods that benefit the immune system by doing an internet search on the subject. You may also be able to find books about it at your local library or bookstore.
Good luck. Stay strong.

Melissa · 11-22-2008, 04:37 PM

Hi,
My white cells continued being low while on Herceptin. My oncologist was concerned but three months after finishing Herceptin my counts returned to normal. My white cell count is still barely within normal range but everything seems okay. Wishing you great health. Also try to get rest, it's important for the white cell count.

jhandley · 11-23-2008, 02:10 AM

Immune Support made by Greeridge is a reishi mushroom extract that raises wbc. Worked for me!
Jackie (down under)

mariapiedra · 11-23-2008, 09:56 AM

At the begining of my treatment my chest port became infected and I had to be hospitalized. My white cell count was very low, they gave me a nuetrogen shot. ( I think that's what it was called), that brought my white count back up to the normal range. Since then I have been getting weekly acupuncture and all of my blood work has been normal. I just finished 12 weeks of taxol/herceptin last week. Yeah! Good Luck!

Rich66 · 11-23-2008, 11:09 AM

Maria,
Neupogen

AlaskaAngel · 11-23-2008, 12:26 PM

Hi,

Before doing CAF x 6 followed by rads in 2002, my WBC was on the high end of normal. While in treatment I knew it would be very low quite often, and that it might take a while after finishing treatment to become more normal. But even without ever receiving Herceptin, at 2 years out my count was still below normal. It continued that way for several years. The more weight I lost, the more I was able to exercise, but weight loss was extremely slow and it took until my 6th year out to lose 20 pounds and feel lighter on my feet. My WBC is still on the low end of normal, and sometimes just below normal, but I think the exercise might be helping.

Anyway, since I never had Herceptin, probably the continuing low count is due to the chemotherapy and rads.

A.A.

Paty · 11-23-2008, 05:42 PM

I would also get Neupogen for my low count white cells. Eat a lot of green vegetables (spinach) and took Ferranina which active ingredient is ferrous fumarate.

weety · 03-12-2010, 11:38 AM

Hi, I did a search and came across this old thread. I know a lot of women have the low white blood cells while on chemo & herceptin together. Mine is continuing to stay low, though, even though only on herceptin now. It was 3.8, then 5.6, and then yesterday's treatment it was back down to 2.6. I'm getting worried. Did anyone else's WBC stay low during herceptin only (I saw Melissa's post above that said hers did--anyone else?)

v-ness · 03-24-2010, 11:49 AM

hi weety- i finished chemo back on 1/21/2010 and at that time my WBC was 4.8. last monday i got a CBC done and was startled to find out my WBC was down to 2.8 and i haven't had chemo in 2 months! in fact, it never dropped that low during my entire 4 months of chemo. i am over half-way through radiation right now but my radiation oncologist said it wasn't caused by radiation. if i am not in chemo.... and it's not caused by radiation, then why do i have it? i see several people got low WBC counts post-chemo. i guess i will start taking echinacea again (my rad onco said no supplements during radiation) because i don't feel like getting sick at this juncture. my oncologist didn't seem terribly concerned, but i like knowing why things happen and have no answers right now. the good news is that at my own insistence i got another CBC run this past monday and i have risen to 3.6 so at least that's a relief. they asked if i was fighting anything off but i never felt at all sick. i'm going to get another test on april 5 so i will re-post if i continue to hover low. i hope yours rises soon too. valerie

SuzEQ · 03-24-2010, 03:03 PM

Chemo is pretty hard on your counts and my guess is that now that you're not on neulasta or steroids, which can mask the damage of chemo, the true counts are showing up. I finished chemo in Nov. 2008 and Herceptin Aug 2009 and still run a WBC that's a little lower than normal, although it's occasionally popped up into normal range. I also noticed that when I had surgery it would dip down again so I'm going to see if it's come up now that I'm done with reconstruction. Check your ANC, this is the number that lets you know your infection fighting capabilities which is probably within normal limits and is why your onc does not seem overly concerned. This low WBC can go on for a few years and if you've had carbo, this may be the cause. I had TCH so I'm assuming it was carbo that caused the low WBC. I'm planning to start a mushroom supplement to see if this helps but other than that, I'm eating healthy foods, fruits, vegetables, etc.. If anyone has suggestions on mushroom supplements and a reliable source, please let me know. Hope this helps.

Sue

Becky · 03-24-2010, 05:57 PM

I get my mushroom supplements from Viable Herbal Solutions. I also get curcumin and cranberry there. They are fresh and an extremely reliable company.

http://www.viable-herbal.com/

Ellie F · 03-25-2010, 03:10 AM

Hi everyone
Just wanted to chime in here regarding blood counts and herceptin. As you know I recently had a bone marrow aspirate due to low platelets. My white cell count was also low six months after taxotere and herceptin.I read that low counts can be a side effect of herceptin but my onc was not convinced and said he had never seen this before!! My aspirate was normal-thank the Lord but my counts are still on the low side. The haematologist my onc spoke to said that as blood cells contain growth factors it is entirely possible that herceptin can interfere with their production.
Hope this helps
Ellie

Karen Wheel · 03-25-2010, 07:08 AM

I have heard good things about the 'reishi mushroom extract " - but I have not found it here in Italy and I'm doing great - so not changing anything these days on my diet and nutrition front... my blood is normal the docs say. WHEW! But I would suggest you read two of my favorite books:
Cancer Battle Plan Sourcebook and Beating Cancer with Nutrition. (the last has a great CD that is an overview of the book and easy to listen to even in the car) but they both have helped me so much deal with strengthening the body so I can give it what it needs to battle the cancer.

Favorite Books:

The Cancer Battle Plan Sourcebook (this is the updated version) - by David Frahm
Crazy Sexy Cancer Survivor – by Kris Carr
Beating Cancer with Nutrition – by Patrick Quillin PhD, RD, CNS
Eat to Live – by Joel Fuhrman, MD
The Gerson Therapy – The amazing nutritional program for cancer and other illnesses – by Charlotte Gerson and Morton Walker, DPM

Good luck - Karen

weety · 04-05-2010, 12:08 AM

Thanks for all the responses about the low blood counts. I have since had another CBC and my white blood cells are just barely within the normal limits at just 4.1, but they have gone up. Platelets went up a bit,too. Hopefully they will both continue with this trend. My hemoglobin doesn't seem to be affected--was 12.6 and now is 13.1. ( I think normal is over 12)

cbritt · 02-11-2011, 08:15 PM

Hi, I am new to this. I just started my radiation therapy, and my herceptin is every 3 weeks. Had my first radiation and herceptin yesterday, they took my cbc and my wbc was at 3.7, my rbc was low, hemoglobin low and something else was low. I am not worried, but was glad I read the replies on this site. I am looking forward to everything getting normal, hopefully soon.

NanaJoni · 02-11-2011, 08:48 PM

I have finished my chemo and radiation treatments but my wbc, rbc, hemaglobin and hematacrit numbers are still low. It seems I have developed macrocytic (used to be pernicious) anemia and my onc checked my B12 levels which are low. Now I'm on B-12 shots which I give myself. This is probably going to be chronic so I'll be doing the shots long-term. Not a problem at all and I have had more energy since starting the shots. If the low counts persist you may want to ask your onc to check the B-12.