WBC still low, seven months after finishing chemo

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sumomo
sumomo Member Posts: 49
edited February 2019 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

Hi. I finished chemo in April this year so it's been about seven months. I just found from my recent bloodwork that my white blood cell count was still very low, even lower than when I was tested three months ago. According to the info available, it seems the recovery takes a few months to six months at most, so mine seems to be a unusually slow case. Has anyone experienced the same?

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  • Castigame
    Castigame Member Posts: 752
    edited November 2018

    sumomo,

    It took me 15 mos to go back to pre-chemo WBC. that is despite eating leafy greens.

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  • fishingal68
    fishingal68 Member Posts: 56
    edited November 2018

    Mine has been low since this time last year. I did 5 (of 6) rounds of TCHP, surgery & 25 rounds of radiation, followed by a cholecystectomy. I am now on every-3-weeks Herceptin & I just cannot seem to catch a break.

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  • sumomo
    sumomo Member Posts: 49
    edited November 2018

    Hi Castigame. Thank you for sharing your experience. Wow, 15 months!? I'm still at halfway then. I will keep up with a healthy diet and see how it goes. Take care, and thanks!

    Hi fishingal68. I know, there seem to be no break. I guess we just have to enjoy good days and rest on bad days. Pleases take good care of yourself. Thank you for replying to my post.

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  • shadylady1
    shadylady1 Member Posts: 75
    edited November 2018

    I am 8 years out from chemo and my WBC is still on the low end. I haven’t had any issues as a result.

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  • sumomo
    sumomo Member Posts: 49
    edited November 2018

    Shadylady1, thank you for your comment. Good to know the low WBC never troubled you. I won't worry too much about my WBC and just try taking care of myself.

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited November 2018

    My WBC count is in the normal range now, but the Neutrophils are still low. It's been about a year and a half since I finished the chemo drugs and almost a year since finishing Herceptin. No one seems to care.

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  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited November 2018

    My WBC count is in the normal range now, but the Neutrophils are still low. It's been about a year and a half since I finished the chemo drugs and almost a year since finishing Herceptin. No one seems to care.

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  • sumomo
    sumomo Member Posts: 49
    edited January 2019

    Hi NotVeryBrave. Thank you for your comment. Sorry, I didn't realize your post until now. I'm also concerned about my low Neutrophils count.

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  • CBK
    CBK Member Posts: 611
    edited January 2019

    Sumono-

    I went to my one year PFC follow-up and my WBC and neutrophils were lower than they have been in the last year. I was very upset about it and my oncologist dismissing my concern so I went to a hematologist for a second opinion about two weeks later. They drew blood again.

    My WBC came back in my normal range. The hematologist said my WBC could bounce around for the rest of my life! He performed a bunch of other bloodwork as due diligence and all came back in normal ranges. He assured me prior to doing that bloodwork that he did NOT expect to find any abnormalities. It was reassuring though to have the tests done.

    Although my WBC has been low for over a year now, I have not been sick with a cold or flu yet. Knock wood.

    I am a little concerned about an upcoming surgery with low WBC and healing. If anyone can provide any suggestions and advice on that I’m all ears!


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  • Sassa
    Sassa Member Posts: 1,588
    edited January 2019

    I did four AC (December 2006 - February 2007) followed by one year of herceptin.

    My white blood cell count would hover around the low end of normal, sometimes below, for about four years following the end of herceptin. There would still be random dips below normal for several years after that.

    For the last three years I seem to have stayed in the low end of normal.

    In spite of the low end of normal counts, I have a good immune system and very rarely will become ill (I am talking maybe once every two - three years).

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  • sumomo
    sumomo Member Posts: 49
    edited February 2019

    Hi CBK. Thank you for sharing your experience. Good to know you are well in spite of low WBC. Maybe their activeness is more important than their count, and some exercise for the good blood flow would help our immune system. Just a thought.

    Hi Sassa. Thank you for your comment. Good to know you rarely become ill. How encouraging that I should be fine with low WBC.

    Many thanks, and take care!

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  • santabarbarian
    santabarbarian Member Posts: 3,085
    edited February 2019

    re surgery healing and low WBC - hyperbaric oxygen can help

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  • CBK
    CBK Member Posts: 611
    edited February 2019

    Sumano

    I’ve been exercising nonstop since my PFC with some breaks for surgeries but even then my breaks are really short. My PS let’s me get back and moving really quick. I wonder if Arimidex is keeping my WBC down, it is a side effect or the overload of antibiotics I’ve been on, which I’m refusing go forward!

    Santabarian-

    I’ve never heard of that. I guess I’ll hit the Google machine. Would they administer that post-op? Thanks!!

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