HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Eosinophilia - need advice

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 4/25/2014 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
Yesterday I had my blood count and the number of my white blood cells was 9,3 (the maximum is 10), but what worries me is that the number of my eosinophils was much above the range: it was 1,26 (the range: 0,04 — 0,40). In percentage it is 14 % (the range: 0 — 5). Has anyone had similar results? I have no parasites and no allergy.
Posted 4/25/2014 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
If you use the search tool at the top of this forum, and search for eosinophil, you will find plenty of BTDT posts.
Posted 4/25/2014 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks a lot, actually I've been looking through some old posts, but I was thinking that perhaps someone new has been coping with a similar problem. When I saw the results today, I got a bit depressed.
Posted 4/25/2014 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
I can't help with this topic but wanted to wish you well and hope this resolves soon!
Take care!
Posted 4/25/2014 11:34 PM (GMT 0)
are you flaring??

mine are always high during flares.
Posted 4/26/2014 9:20 AM (GMT 0)
thanks so much for replying and nice words!, i'm so scared because i'm a hypochondriac and always see the gloomiest scenarios in everything. I'm not flaring and surprisingly things with my colitis are better than ever, so that's why i don't understand this high count of these bloody eosinophils!
Posted 4/26/2014 4:15 PM (GMT 0)
OK, so you're not on any meds, right?

q
Posted 4/26/2014 7:14 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for replying Quincy, yes, i was off the meds for about two weeks now, but everything has been really perfect so far. This was my first thought anyway that maybe there's something going on without the symptoms so I've started taking asamax again today and i'll see if there's any difference when i repeat the blood tests. Another thought that came to me is that perhaps progesterone is the culprit because i had to take it for several days because of menstruation problems. Overall, i'm so deeply frustrated, i'm not afraid of any flare up or any colitis issues in fact, what makes me panic is the thought about hematological problems. I'm wondering if anyone here had a similar high eosinophil count.
Posted 4/26/2014 9:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Ewa,

After 25 years on Sulfasalazine/Salazopirine for my UC (in remission) I started developing Eosinophilia. My values were so high my GI actually freaked out. When the eos were at their highest I got episodes of oedema and dermographism. I did a lot of tests to rule out parasites, allergies, and nastier causes... without any success.

My haematologist got in contact with a eosinophilia specialist (a reference in the field). She suggested that in very rare cases, 5-ASA drugs can cause eosinophilia (couldn't even find something on google about this). Together with my GI I tapered off the Sulfasalazine (making me flare) which brought the eosinophils back to normal levels (took a few weeks to see an effect).

It looks like I developed an intolerance to Sulfasalazine after all this time. Mesalazine has to same effect on me. Once I quit those class of drugs, my eosinophilia strongly improved. I do have to mention my values go up and down, but it has never been as high as when I was taking the Sulfasalazine.

(Ironically, I need to take much stronger drugs now to keep my UC barely under control, whereas Sulfasalazine keeps me in remission).

hope this helps,
m
Posted 4/27/2014 10:27 AM (GMT 0)
Hi menos, thank you so much for your reply, it really helped me a lot to know that high eo numbers don't mean anything serious. Now I'm waiting two weeks to repeat the tests and I will see what will come out. I hope your UC will be in perfect control and I wish you all the best!:)
Posted 4/27/2014 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Ewa,

Very high eos long term can in fact be a problem, or can mean there is an underlying problem, but it can also be harmless. I was trying to say that in my case it was caused by a medication similar to the one you are using.

Just talk to an haematologist if you have any doubts.

hth,
Menos
Posted 4/27/2014 10:03 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks again, Menos, actually i wanted to say that it's good that high eos can be a side effect to the drugs, but not the worst scenario, now i'm waiting to have the next tests. Best wishes!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply