Low Neutrophils

Hey Everyone:) It's been quite a while since I've posted on here, months really...but that's a GOOD thing. I have been feeling pretty great. In Feb I started taking Imuran, which has really changed things for me from how I felt last year.

My question to everyone is what's the lowest number of neutrophils that you've had in your CBC count? Mine have been running in the normal range quite steady for months, but have recently plummeted down to a whopping 1.2 . I've had it as low as 0.8 once and got quickly called in to see my doc. If anyone cares to respond, it's plain mere curiosity on my part. I'm feeling sort of ok..just tired really. No complaints though, as life feels like a piece of cake compared to last winter, and even spring. I try to look on the positives. Take care everyone, and thanks in advance for replying.

-Ellie

Hi Amy. Thanks for your response. It's just nice sometimes to hear what other people experience, even if it's something on paper that's so impersonal as #'s of counts. I always like to hear when others have been somewhere similar, ya know? I can't imagine having such a low WBC as 0.8 Wow! and as for having high Neutropils, that seems foreign to me..maybe when I wasn't sick with Lupus (but then I was oblivious back then...so who knows). The thing about my neutropenia is that it's been one of those things that's just loved to hang around, and doesn't go away very often.

Right now my WBC is low too at 2.8, and my RBC is only slightly low at 3.62...nothing to worry too much about. The lowest WBC I've ever had way 2.3 So I still am wowed at 0.8 but I guess that's nothing to WANT to get is it now? So you REALLY think that I need to be wearing a mask? Is that what you do Amy? You're right, I would feel silly...up till now I just act fairly normally when I'm around sick people. I don't flock to them, but I have family staying with me with little kids (2 and a new born) who get sick/colds etc, fairly often...guess it doesn't help me. So far I haven't had an illness/fluish bug stick..just cold symptoms from time to time.

My doctor hasn't commented on the low neutrophils yet. I figure that he'd call me in if he was worried about it. I figure that my RBC is acting up because I just had a D&C for endometriosis fibroids, etc last month, and there's been a lot of bleeding...or at least that's what I'm hoping to chalk it up to. Thanks so much again for your response. I'm still curious to hear of others experiences. Have a great day Amy!
-Ellie

Thank-you for your reply Bill. I have only been taking Imuran for 6 months now, and I hope that my WBC doesn't get lower. "Hopefully" it's just temporary for me. I guess I'll know next month when I get my monthly levels taken. I am taking 125mg p/day right now. This is only the second time for me ever that my RBC has been lowered, and so I am not too worried about that..I figure that that has to do with the recent surgery I had a month ago, and the excessive bleeding that resulted. But as for the Neutrophils, I hope that it goes up, not down, that's for sure. Thanks for the link too...I checked it out and read it over. I had thought that the med targeted the RBC and not the WBC, what an interesting surprise for me...hmmmm lots to think on. It makes me glad that I am getting regular work and that it's available to help monitor.

I'd like to ask you a totally unrelated question Bill, if you don't mind? I noticed in your description of your conditions, etc, that you're recovered and very active. I think that's GREAT! My question for you comes with wondering about you going hiking. First of all, are you extremely sun-sensitive? And if the answer's yes, how do you manage to balance the hiking and being in the sun and keep from feeling ill effects? I LOVE hiking, but haven't quite found my way back to it yet since I've become sun-sensitive. I'm afraid of how the heat and UV rays will effect me once I reach the level out of the trees. Got any good advice, I'd love it. Thanks so much.

-Ellie