White blood cell count

[Keca]

Hello!  I am new here so hopefully I am doing this right.  I was diagnosed with Sjogren's in July and have been trying to figure everything out over the last few months.  I am 36, and I'm pretty sure I have had symptoms since I was in my teens.  I was recently told by my rheumatologist that my white blood cell count was low in my last blood work.  She said it was around "2" which I assume means 2,000 something.  I looked at a copy of my blood work I have from last February when I first got a general CBC done by my primary care physician (before anything showed up) and my count was 6.4 within a normal range of 3.8-10.8.  So I am a little nervous that within less than a year I went from 6 down to 2.  Also I am confused because I thought this whole thing was about my white blood cells attacking things they weren't supposed to, but now I don't have enough of them?!  Does anyone know why that happens? 

Also I have recently had tests and seen a pulmonologist due to shortness of breath, which he thinks is because of acid reflux because I don't really have specific "asthma" symptoms or test results, but I also read that shortness of breath is a symptom of low WBC count, and so is fatigue, which had been improving on Plaquenil but has recently seemed worse (but maybe I'm just imagining it because I am a hypochondriac?  )

Anyway, if anyone has some experience with low white blood cell count or knows what might happen next with that, as well as anything I can do to help with it, please let me know!  Thank you!

[Navigator]

Hi

First off, if your doctor did not suggest any follow up on the low white blood cell counts you should not panic.  I have had SJS for 10 years and I have also had low white blood cells in every blood count they have done.  There are components of white blood cells as well and some are normal and some are not. I tend to not get infections and my PCP said as long as I am not getting infections what I have is obviously working.

You should, as a matter of course, get copies of your blood work every time it is done.  Some providers now allow you to have an on line ?My Chart? account that uploads the results after each blood test so you do not have to track down hard copy.  See if your doctor has that. I have mine done yearly.  That way you can see yourself what is ?normal? for you.

You can not ?do anything? to influence your white blood cell count except to just live a healthy lifestyle and have regular checkups with blood work.

[SjoGirl]

Keca, Welcome, though sorry at the same time that you have to join us.

I have had low then normal then really low white counts for years. My docs tell me -- PCP, rheumatologist, and hematologist -- that it is part and parcel of having an autoimmune disease. I have been told to have my counts checked at least annually to be sure that they are not too low.

One time my counts did take a dive, which I believe was medication related. I had a Neulasta injection (yes the drug they give to chemo patients). The drug that I was on, Mexotrethate, is giving to people with cancer (though in higher doses), but is also used for some autoimmune diseases. What I learned from that situtation is that Mexotrethate is not for me.

As Navigator noted, ask your docs at what level you should be concerned and whether you should have counts checked at least annually.