Blood Work Results & Anxiety

Forums General Melanoma Community Blood Work Results & Anxiety

  • Post
    Lisa13
    Participant

      After getting good news on my CT scan from ipi, my blood work showed something completely different.  4 weeks ago, my blood work was great – high lymphocytes and normal blood work in general. After my CT scan, it was all different – low lymphocyte, high WBR, low everything else.  My oncologist is looking into this and wondering if the prednisone I took 13 hours before CT and 1 hour before had anything to do with it. He's also questionning if the gamma knife treatment I had 2 weeks ago is causing some changes in my bloodwork due to inflammation, etc.

      After getting good news on my CT scan from ipi, my blood work showed something completely different.  4 weeks ago, my blood work was great – high lymphocytes and normal blood work in general. After my CT scan, it was all different – low lymphocyte, high WBR, low everything else.  My oncologist is looking into this and wondering if the prednisone I took 13 hours before CT and 1 hour before had anything to do with it. He's also questionning if the gamma knife treatment I had 2 weeks ago is causing some changes in my bloodwork due to inflammation, etc. I feel good, but now worried about these blood tests. How can I sit here and feel good about my CT when my blood work is telling a different story??  All I can think of is my brain now, but they didn't want to scan me again (last scan was 2.5 weeks ago) unless I had symptoms.  Funny thing is, I never had any symptoms when they found the 2 in my head.

      I'm too much like a Dr. sometimes when it comes to bloodwork, treatment, etc. I know so much about this disease, that I sometimes surprise my oncologist with some of the medical questions I ask. When you're fighting for the longest life possible, you do everything you can, not to mention your due dilligence!

      I truly think my blood work will return to normal in a couple of weeks. Since the day I had my blood work done, it was right after 2 prednisone, benadryl,  CT scan iodine and major stress – not to mention the gamma knife radiation I just had 2.5 weeks ago. Yesterday, my Dr. said "Have a Merry Christmas, your scans look good" and now I"m letting myself get stressed again. 

      Just so know, 4 weeks ago, my lymphocytes were 1830 (1.83) and now they're 0.58!!!

      Lisa

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    • Replies
        FormerCaregiver
        Participant

          Lisa, there are a number of things that could give you a low level of lymphocytes in the
          blood. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocytopenia and
          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocytopenia#Causes

          As your oncologist has suggested, prednisone and gamma knife treatment could be causes.
          However, I feel that blood tests have fairly limited diagnostic significance in this
          situation.

          It is the scan results that are really important, and as the latest ones were really
          good I don't see any reason to be overly concerned.

          Take care

          Frank from Australia

          FormerCaregiver
          Participant

            Lisa, there are a number of things that could give you a low level of lymphocytes in the
            blood. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocytopenia and
            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocytopenia#Causes

            As your oncologist has suggested, prednisone and gamma knife treatment could be causes.
            However, I feel that blood tests have fairly limited diagnostic significance in this
            situation.

            It is the scan results that are really important, and as the latest ones were really
            good I don't see any reason to be overly concerned.

            Take care

            Frank from Australia

            FormerCaregiver
            Participant

              Lisa, there are a number of things that could give you a low level of lymphocytes in the
              blood. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocytopenia and
              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphocytopenia#Causes

              As your oncologist has suggested, prednisone and gamma knife treatment could be causes.
              However, I feel that blood tests have fairly limited diagnostic significance in this
              situation.

              It is the scan results that are really important, and as the latest ones were really
              good I don't see any reason to be overly concerned.

              Take care

              Frank from Australia

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