Hi all,
Blood results today show abnormally high WBC and Neutrophils and they've told me to go and get another test this week so that's twice in a week for the needlephobe! Can't get hold of anybody medical, first day back after all the bank holidays it must be more than hectic for them, so you lot will do just as well! Anybody else had these go up? I know that the MTX can lower them but can it make them go up as well? I'm assuming I was just fighting off some foreign infection from the surrounding friends and family up country last week. But some re-assuring words would be good, or otherwise even, its just all those silly thoughts racing round your head, how do you stop them?!
Cheers
Sara

Hi Sara

I don't know how you stop them.

When I was first pregnant 20 years ago, my white blood count was high and they sent me to the hospital for checks, but all came back normal, since then on two occasions many years before I was diagnosed with RA my white blood count was high and the doctor sent me again to the hospital for checks and more blood tests but the specialist told me then I was fit enough to run a marathon.

I am aware that the white blood count is raised if there is an infection in the body, but I am now wondering if RA has been laying dorment in my body for many years and now just come to the surface.

I have never worried about it because everytime I've had a blood test the white blood cell count has always been high even when I've been feeling fine, so I always assumed it was just my body makeup, maybe naively.

I was also told that smoking can raise your white blood count, and as unfortunately I'm a heavy smoker (20 a day) I tend to not like to hear things that can stress me out and try to make me give up when I'm not ready.

Please try not to worry to much, a slight infection can raise your count.

Take care

Anne x

Thanks for the re-assurances I've decided not to worry about it now. But when you ring up the surgery for the results and they say oh yes we sent a letter on 31st I just started to panic! The letter still hasn't arrived! Anyway, re-test is tomorrow so we'll see. Reading another post about lower back pain, thinking about it I felt more dreadful than normal the day after the MTX and had a slight lower back pain which isn't normal for me so I put it all down to the MTX hangover but maybe it was a slight UTI? AND I managed a pirouette without falling over at my dance class last night so maybe the MTX is starting to work and so I don't want anything to upset the applecart. Hmm, smoking Anne, I'm with you there. If somebody could wave a magic wand to put me in the right head for it I'd be giving up tomorrow, I just can't face having to deal with anything I don't have to at the minute, its a tricky one, maybe 2011 is the year for it, I'm waiting for the right frame of mind to start trying to give up again and I'm sure it'll happen, hope it does for you too.
Keeping everything crossed for me and everyone else.
Thanks again, the support on here is incredible, just what the doctor ordered!
Sara
x

Ok panic over everything back to normal. I'm going to try very hard to stop worrying about these things and go with the flow, obviously easier said than done but if I write it down it and tell you all then it makes it more real somehow. Thanks for your support, still waiting for miracles but if you click your ruby red slippers and believe................
Sara