Blood tests low white count

Hi. I have high blood pressure, take medication for it and have an annual full blood count to check for kidney function. I don’t think my tablets affect the blood count, so just putting it down to the cold I had before the blood test.I’ll have to try harder though with my diet and exercise ?

Are you taking medication?

I am on Carbimazole for Graves Disease, and my white cell blood count is often low as a result. I also suffer from Pernicious Anaemia, which can affect the results too.

They can get really quite low before you'd notice without a test. If they are picked up by a routine test and you wouldn't have gone to the doctor yourself, I wouldn't worry.

Obviously it's better if these things are in range, but they are more for medication control than an indicator of something in themselves, if that makes sense? My results are used to determine whether I need to alter the dose of my medication.

Good to hear katyj

Hi. Just a little update. I’ve had my blood tests repeated, their classed as normal now, phew ! Their only just over the lower limits though. Going to try and improve my diet and hopefully improve my health.

Hi Jeanie. Do you seem to catch a lot of viruses ? I’m wondering if my blood count is normally low, I have no way of telling really this is the first time the Gp has said anything about it.

I have a low white blood count have had it for years at least 12 years. GP said this must be normal for me but he's never done any follow up for me.
I'm not sure if there is anything you can do about it.

Ha I do that BlueSky. But it’s a good thing if the GP didn’t say anything. I’ve just read that stress can cause low white count too. Says it all really ?

Katyj yes probably the cold but I’m just like yourself. I’ve stopped looking up my results as even when the GP didn’t mention them, I still googled them and worry they were borderline high/low!

Thank you ladies, the panic is subsiding ? I’ll let you know what the next results are, it might be useful to someone else.

Probably the cold virus using them up plus being older (maybe) means it takes longer to get back to normal ?

Oh I’m a right worry wort. The receptionist said I don’t need to see the Dr just a repeat blood test in a month ?I had that cold virus that’s going about three weeks ago, thought it was COVID but had a negative PCR maybe it’s that. Just hope I don’t catch anything else.

White blood cells fight infection and die in the process, so it may just mean yours have been busy recently.

As your count is low do your best to avoid any kind of infection and contact your doctor if you get one. You may need antibiotics or antivirals to support your blood cells.

Another blood test in a month should be enough unless you get ill with something.

It might just be one of the inevitable consequences of old age. Our stem cells get tired and our blood just isn’t as good as it used to be?

If that's the WBC then it's just a little below the range (4 is the bottom, right?). If so, I wouldn't worry too much. Sometimes numbers can be a bit out of range temporarily and it's not an issue. My doctor said that sometimes there's a little variability in counting too. What did your doctor say? I'm not medically trained but this is my understanding. That said, I'd probably worry if it were me, even though it's probably nothing and I'd know it.