how low is too low?

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kimber3006
kimber3006 Member Posts: 586
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Just curious if anyone knows how low is too low with WBC, RBC and platelets for chemo?  I've never really paid attention to my numbers before but I asked for them today, since for the first time she said "good enough" rather than "perfect".  I should have asked while I was there but the nurse had to run to help another patient and by the time I saw her again I forgot about it (gotta love that benedryl).  I see that my WBC & RBC are low (according to the range on the side of the report), but how low is too low?  Anyone know the the #s?

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited February 2010

    Your Chemo Clinic will have a cut-off value, I don't know if all are the same. I know one time they sent mine back for clarification, as the whole number was too low, but the part that matters was OK. 

    To tell you the truth, I can't remember what mine was! What is your WBC currently?? You could just call your Clinic, I bet they could tell you.

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  • Pure
    Pure Member Posts: 1,796
    edited February 2010

    What is yours?-pm me I can look at my chart -it has the norms listed. 

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  • kimber3006
    kimber3006 Member Posts: 586
    edited February 2010

    Right now it's 3.7 and my paper says 4.6-10.2 is normal.  So it doesn't look terrible, but I'm wondering how close I am to the cutoff.  It's no big deal - I'll just ask at my next appointment if no one here knows.  The nurses are always so busy that I hate to call unless it's actually a health problem or something I'll lose sleep over!

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  • clariceak
    clariceak Member Posts: 752
    edited February 2010

    I'm on Taxol (round 9 of 12 tomorrow) and a few weeks ago my wbc went down, but bounced back up on its own the next week.  I'm a lazy patient who doesn't keep track of my numbers so I'm no help in that department.

    The hospital was lucky I was doped up with Benadry when they almost gave me Taxotere instead of Taxol.  The pharmacist called down to the chemo room and said to check the the bag because he had a feeling he gave me the wrong chemo.  Oops.  I was so groggy I barely cared.  But now I check the bags.

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  • Kathy044
    Kathy044 Member Posts: 433
    edited February 2010

    My cancer centre checks the neutrophil count on the WBC Diff, over 1.5 and it's a go ahead for the next session. Last time mine was 1.3 but as this was two days ahead my onc said it would be high enough on the day of chemo, which wasn't very reasurring really.

    During my first session I had a fever during my nadir and the copy of test report from hospital emergency shows I had an L (Low) WBC of 0.7 and an LL (critically low) neutrophil count of 0.1. Before the next session the count was up to 2.2 and the onc was all set to go ahead for the next session until she heard about the fever event.

    As I didn't have much time to make a decision about taking Neupogen shots I elected to reduce the dose for the second session by 25%. For the third session I did decide to take the shots (covered  80% under my extended health insurance ) and despite the cost was glad once I saw that my neutrophil counts barely made it. (Any cancer drugs are totally covered by the prov. gov't system in BC {British Columbia} but anti-nausea drugs and Neupogen are not)

    So yesterday I phoned my onc and said I really wanted to know what was happening to my neutrophil counts at my nadir (because of the previous LL count and risk of serious infection) even if it meant paying for the lab work myself. Though she repeated that having the extra bloodwork was not necessary under the protocol, I think she got the idea that knowing this information was important to me in deciding whether or not to go on to the next session so she agreed to send a requistion to a local lab. Yay.

    Meanwhile today (day 12) my husband gave me the final (of eight) Neupogen shots, my energy is improving, my appetitite is back, and all's right with the world. 

    .
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  • Wonderland
    Wonderland Member Posts: 3,288
    edited February 2010

    Kimber,

    I did dose dense AC/Taxol over 3 years ago and had the Neulasta shot after 7 of the 8 treatments. I always asked for copies of my lab reports.

    After the 4th and last AC treatment, my WBC was .5 - I was SICK and put in the hospital for 3 days during which I was given IV fluids and blood transfusions. Turned out I had chemo induced colitis. I had to have a colonoscopy to make sure my colon was OK (it was). I got to take an extra week off from treatments and felt GREAT during that week. I realized there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

    Keep a close watch of your counts. Your treatments may be postoned or reduced due to your values.

    Good luck and I hope your treatments will be over soon!

    Wonderland

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