Includes: Low red blood cell count, Low white blood cell count, Low platelet count, Infection-prevention guidelines for immunosuppressed patients. Show Other words you may hear:
What Are Low Blood Counts?Many of the chemotherapy drugs temporarily stop cells from dividing, especially the cells that divide quickly. Blood cells; red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are made by the bone marrow. These blood cells divide quickly. Chemotherapy may lead to low blood counts, causing the possibility of a variety of symptoms. The symptoms depend on the type of low blood cell count. (Anemia, low hemoglobin, low hematocrit) Red blood cells carry oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. A complete blood count (CBC) is a blood test used to check your blood count. The RBC, hemoglobin, and hematocrit are tests to see if you have low red blood count. Normal Adult ValuesMaleFemaleRBC4.5 - 6.0 M/ul4.2 - 5.4 M/ulHemoglobin (HgB)14 - 18 g/dL12 - 16 g/dLHematocrit (Hct)40 - 52%37 - 47%Note: Normal values will vary from laboratory to laboratory.When you have low red blood cell count you may feel:
If you suffer from low red blood cell count, you may experience:
Things you can do to help manage your low red blood count:
When to call your doctor or health care provider about low blood counts:
Your doctor or health care provider may prescribe or suggest to treat your low red blood count:
(low WBC) Leukopenia - A decrease in the total number of white blood cells, which may lead to low white blood cell count. White blood cells fight infection. The white blood count (WBC) is part of a complete blood count (CBC) that is used to check your blood counts. There are several types of white blood cells. A differential test will show more detail about your white blood cell count: White Blood Cell Total4-11 k/ul Lymphocytes22-44% Monocytes0-7% Granulocytes Neutrophils40-70% Eosinophils0-4% Basophils0-1%Note: Normal values will vary from laboratory to laboratory.
One measure of risk is the absolute neutrophil count (ANC). The ANC is calculated by multiplying the total white blood count by the percent of neutrophils (also called segmented neutrophils, segs, polymorphoneucleated cells or PMNs, polys) Total white blood count x % neutrophils* = ANC * Neutrophils may be reported as segs & bands (a band is slightly less mature form of a seg). In this case add the % of segs to the % of bands then multiply by the total number of white blood cells. (% segs + % bands) x Total white blood count = ANC Risk of Infection based on Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC)ANC greater than 1500No increased risk of infectionANC 1000-1500Slight increase in risk of infectionANC 500-1000Moderate increase in risk of infectionANC 100-500High risk of infectionANC less than 100Extremely high risk of infectionThings you can do to reduce your risk of infection when you have low white blood count:
When your white blood cell count is low you may NOT have the usual signs and symptoms when developing an infection such as:
Therefore, it is extremely important to be alert to any change in how you feel and report and discuss what you are feeling with your doctor or nurse. When to call your doctor or health care provider about low blood count: Call immediately if you have:
Call within 24 hours if you experience the following:
Your doctor or health care provider may prescribe or suggest to treat low white blood cell count:
(Thrombocytopenia, low PLT) Platelets help blood to clot. They are found in the blood flowing through the blood vessels. Platelets also line the inside of the blood vessel. When low blood platelet count is present, this layer thins and tiny drops of blood can leak through the spaces made when this layer thins, causing red dots on the skin called petechiae (pa-TEE-kee-eye). Normal Platelet Count150,000 - 400,000 cells/mm3Note: Normal values will vary from laboratory to laboratory.When low blood platelet count present a person is at an increased risk of bleeding. Risk of Bleeding is based on the Platelet Count100,000 - 149,000 cells/mm3Little to no risk of bleeding50,000 - 99,000 cells/mm3Increased risk of bleeding with injury20,000 - 49,000 cells/mm3Risk of bleeding increased without injury10,000 - 19,000 cells/mm3Risk of bleeding greatly increasedLess than 10,000Spontaneous bleeding likelyWhen you suffer from low blood platelet count you may notice:
Call your doctor immediately if you have sudden, severe unexplained pain. Things you may do to decrease your risk of bleeding if you have low blood platelet count:
When to call your doctor or health care provider about low blood count:
Your doctor or health care provider may prescribe or suggest for low blood platelet counts:
For Immunosuppressed Patients and Post-Transplant Patients: These precautions are intended for people with absolute neutrophil count (ANC) less than 500 or for people with prolonged neutropenia. Consult your physician to discuss precautions specific to your low blood count. The basic holistic tenets of good hygiene, a well-balanced nutritious diet, stress avoidance, sufficient sleep and moderate exercise are more important than ever for a person with low white blood cell count and a recovering immune system. Any activity or practice that enhances the body's basic immune structure or does not stress it will help to prevent endogenous (from within yourself) and exogenous (from outside yourself) infections. Food selection and preparation
Immunizations:Influenza vaccine is recommended annually before the influenza season.
Prophylaxis (prevention):
Infants, babies and children:
Pets:
Gardening/Farming:
Camping/Fishing/Swimming:
Travel:
Housekeeping:
Construction/Renovation:
Public Places (Restaurants, Shopping, Sporting Events, Church):
Masks:
These guidelines for persons with low white blood count are based on the following: Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional about your specific medical condition and treatments. The information contained in this website about low blood count and other medical conditions is meant to be helpful and educational, but is not a substitute for medical advice. What is the most common cause of low platelet count and WBC?One of the most common causes of low platelets is a condition called immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). You may hear it called by its old name, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
Can low platelets indicate leukemia?Certain cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma can lower your platelet count. The abnormal cells in these cancers can crowd out healthy cells in the bone marrow, where platelets are made. Less common causes of a low platelet count include: Cancer that spreads to the bone.
Does low white blood cell count mean leukemia?Leukemia can also present with very low white blood cell counts, because the immature cells get trapped in the bone marrow and are not detected in blood tests. A decreasing number of blasts in the blood indicates that you're responding to treatment.
Is low platelet count serious?If left untreated, a low platelet count can be very serious because it can cause internal bleeding of the brain or the intestines. In the worst cases, this may even cause death. That is why it is essential to seek medical care if you think you might be at risk.
|