High white blood cell count

[Emilycyster]

i just went to my doctor and she said i have a little above normal white blood cell count (said it could be that i was just getting over a cold, but i dont think i had a cold at the time) and ordered another test. the first time i got my blood work done, i was extremely stressed and suffering from anxiety, i was just wondering if that has anything to do with the results? also, i dont eat a lot of meat AT ALL...only chicken, so i was wondering if having low iron could also cause high white blood cell count...as she ordered an iron test also. my other tests came back normal except for the ones related to PCOS.

i'm just sorta freaking out about it

thanks in advance.

[soulfulqween]

Did you have a cut or anything when you took the test? Anything at all that could have been infected?

[ivetastedflight]

Only an immune system reaction causes white blood cell count to increase. But really, it could be just about anything. I had a high white blood cell count because of acne. So yeah, no big worries. If your doctor is concerned (or if you are) continue testing.

[june24saj]

Hi I've had a high white blood count as well and my dad (this is when I was younger) actually told the doctor to test me for leukemia (scary right) which I did not have, so yeah, try not to worry because it happens to everyone at some point. Thats a good question about the meat thing though, I don't eat meat either.

[Emilycyster]

Did you have a cut or anything when you took the test? Anything at all that could have been infected?

I can't remember it was roughly 3 months ago. I just read that Anxiety and stress can elevate white blood cell count levels...and when I got tested, I had been suffering from anxiety...feeling dizzy and paranoid and physically not well for about 3-5 days...so i'm thinking that could have caused it?

thank you to all who responded! makes me feel a lot better about this whole situation

[Beylia]

Normally a slight elevation in white blood cells is caused by an infection. You could have had a virus recently and not have known it, or currently have a small infection. My first time getting bloodwork for PCOS I had a slightly elevated count as well and it turned out that I had a small virus going around and didn't know it yet. I got sick about a week later. lol

[HOLLAND]

Did they happen to mention the actual # that your's came back at? I'm tested every year sometimes several times a year for my white blood cell count. My Dr did tell me that stress can elevate it.....just about anything can elevate it. Even a small cut like one sister mentioned or even a bug bite can effect it. If your trying to heal anywhere on your body that can effect the outcome of the test.

Try not to worry yourself I probably should listen to my own advice sometimes Keep us posted!

[Emilycyster]

Did they happen to mention the actual # that your's came back at? I'm tested every year sometimes several times a year for my white blood cell count. My Dr did tell me that stress can elevate it.....just about anything can elevate it. Even a small cut like one sister mentioned or even a bug bite can effect it. If your trying to heal anywhere on your body that can effect the outcome of the test.

Try not to worry yourself I probably should listen to my own advice sometimes Keep us posted!

ok, I definitely will keep you girls updated! thanks for making me feel better everyone

[MajorHart]

Hi I've had a high white blood count as well and my dad (this is when I was younger) actually told the doctor to test me for leukemia (scary right) which I did not have, so yeah, try not to worry because it happens to everyone at some point. Thats a good question about the meat thing though, I don't eat meat either.

My wife recently had a CBC and her white blood count came in at 15.2.

We're concerned but she doesn't have any bad symptoms - she is type 2 diabetic and overweight but exercises regularly and eat good most of the time.

A couple of month ago she had alot of pain from a carpal tunnel type muscle pull and was on acetomenophen (sp) for quite awhile.

Naturally leukemia is a concern but probably isn't the cause of this.

She recovered from bronchitis a month ago and was on antibiotics then and lately has been taking a lot of vitamin c.

She also has occasionally used one of my steroids for asthma as well as her thiazide diuretic for high blood pressure.

She feels great.

The doctor didn't say anything about the elevated high white blood count -it was just noted as "out of range" in the lab report we got in the mail.

Her blood sugar and blood pressure have been very good lately but her triglycerides jumped from 800 to 1200 in the last month or so. She took about a two month break from exercise and is not back at it - 1 miles a day on the treadmill and weights on our machine.

It seems the older you get the more delicate balancing you have to do with the body's chemistry.

I appreciate any information or ideas you can give me - and your wbc reading too - for frame of reference.

Thanks

And what is PCOS?

[MajorHart]

Normally a slight elevation in white blood cells is caused by an infection. You could have had a virus recently and not have known it, or currently have a small infection. My first time getting bloodwork for PCOS I had a slightly elevated count as well and it turned out that I had a small virus going around and didn't know it yet. I got sick about a week later. lol

Is 15.2 a slight elevation or a more serious one - needing followup?

Thanks

[lil annie]

Steriods such as prednisone can increase your WBC as can inflammation anywhere in your body.

[MajorHart]

Normally a slight elevation in white blood cells is caused by an infection. You could have had a virus recently and not have known it, or currently have a small infection. My first time getting bloodwork for PCOS I had a slightly elevated count as well and it turned out that I had a small virus going around and didn't know it yet. I got sick about a week later. lol

My wife got her cbc 4 days ago - is coming down with what seems like a pretty bad cold now - could this cold have been in her system but just not started and that caused an elevation of wbc to 15.6?

She's a rugged person - (58) can walk or run 2 miles on the treadmill and lifts weights (has for many years - at least 35) -yet she seems to come down with colds and bronchitis often - Every two months or so and I almost never do. We both take a lot of vitamin c and eschinea when we have a cold coming on.

I know that diabetes can cause a lowering of the immunity and she works with hundreds of people a day (casino) but her health seems frail and that worries me -how to get her immunity built up.

Thanks for any info you can give me.

MajorHart


Thanks
MajorHart

[flyfisher]

MajorHart, Does your wife have allergies? I have severe allergies and only in the last few years I started seeing an allergist and was put on shots. I suffered from pneumonia, bronchitis and head colds in the spring and summer months every year since I was a child. I also was a real sick child. I would get sick at the drop of a hat. Since I've been on allergy shots, I haven't even had the sniffles...hth

[MajorHart]

MajorHart, Does your wife have allergies? I have severe allergies and only in the last few years I started seeing an allergist and was put on shots. I suffered from pneumonia, bronchitis and head colds in the spring and summer months every year since I was a child. I also was a real sick child. I would get sick at the drop of a hat. Since I've been on allergy shots, I haven't even had the sniffles...hth

My wife doesn't have the flat out asthma that I've had all my life - but she does have sinusitis pretty often and the casino where she works has a lot of cigarette smoke.

Then our van a/c leaks so it doesn't work in the spring and summer so she drives to work and back - about 3 miles each way with a window down.

She is in constant contact with people that have colds and she gets one about every month it seems - that's what she has now but allergies are a problem for her too.

Did you get the desensitation shots and what did they cost and are they dangerous?

We're both on a heavy conditioning routine and trying to lose weight - they say a diabetic's immune system improves if the blood sugar is well controlled but here is usually under 100.

Thanks much.

[gothgrrl81]

A WBC count of 15 is slightly elevated. Normal is usually around 4-10 or 12. My count is always on the high side, but that's normal for me. As PP have said, a lot of things can make it go up, stress on the body, or any kind of infection, bacterial or viral. You can have a little bug that you're not even aware of and that'll make it go up. Long story short, it's nothing I'd worry about at all.