Had routine bloodwork. Came back today with:

WBC normal
RBC normal
Neutrophils is HIGH 69.9% (48.0-66.0)
Lymphocytes is LOW 20.9% (29.0-45.0)
Transferrin is LOW 228 mg/dL (250-380)
Ferritin is LOW 9.1 ng/mL (11.0-306.8)

I am not a doom and gloom type of person, but everything I am reading with these results indicate Leukemia. Doctor called today and left me a message that important for me to get in tomorrow to discuss. When I called back, office was closed. I can't even go to doctor until Monday due to work. Any offerings?

What exactly in this information leads you to think you have leukemia. Your white and red blood cell count is normal, there is no problem with your lymphatic system?

Signs and symptoms of leukemia are many, some are frequent infections, fever (both of which would indicate a problem with your white and red blood cell count which there isnt), excessive bleeding and bone pain.

Have you been having any of these symptoms ?

[because everything I researched on the internet indicates that High neut. Mixed with low Lymph. Indicates Leukemia

I see my doctor today, he wants to run more tests but obviously I am nervous

Feel fabulous though! Just lost 65 pounds, down to 119 pounds, really feel better then I have felt in decades!

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Originally Posted by tickle

What exactly in this information leads you to think you have leukemia. Your white and red blood cell count is normal, there is no problem with your lymphatic system??

Signs and symptoms of leukemia are many, some are frequent infections, fever (both of which would indicate a problem with your white and red blood cell count which there isnt), excessive bleeding and bone pain.

Have you been having any of these symptoms ?

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First of all, there are many different types of Leukemia. Not just one.

From Davis's Comprehensive Handbook of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests with Nursing Implications we find the following.

Decreased Lymphocytes can be caused by the following:
Antineoplastic drugs
Aplastic Anemia
Bone marrow failure
Burns
Gaucher's disease
High doses of adrenocorticosteroids
Hodgkin's disease
Malnutrition
Pernicious anemia
Pneumonia
Radiation
Rheumatic fever
Septicimia
Thrombocytopena purpura
Toxic chemical exposure
Transfusion reaction.

High neutrophils can be caused by
Addison's disease
Felty's syndrome
Infections
Extremes in temperature...

And on and on.

While some of us on the site have medical experience, none of us are doctors nor are we diagnosticians. I could continue to list what is the lab manual, but we will only be guessing by narrowing down common denominators. There is more that goes into diagnosing than simply narrowing down these denominators. Most likely other diagnostic tests will have to be run as well.

Tick, lymphocytes are part of the lymphatic system, or did I misunderstand your response? An increase or decrease in lymphocytes can indicate a disruption in the lymphatic system.

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Originally Posted by J_9

First of all, there are many different types of Leukemia. Not just one.

From Davis's Comprehensive Handbook of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests with Nursing Implications we find the following.

Decreased Lymphocytes can be caused by the following:
Antineoplastic drugs
Aplastic Anemia
Bone marrow failure
Burns
Gaucher's disease
High doses of adrenocorticosteroids
Hodgkin's disease
Malnutrition
Pernicious anemia
Pneumonia
Radiation
Rheumatic fever
Septicimia
Thrombocytopena purpura
Toxic chemical exposure
Transfusion reaction.

High neutrophils can be caused by
Addison's disease
Felty's syndrome
Infections
Extremes in temperature.............

And on and on.

While some of us on the site have medical experience, none of us are doctors nor are we diagnosticians. I could continue to list what is the lab manual, but we will only be guessing by narrowing down common denominators. There is more that goes into diagnosing than simply narrowing down these denominators. Most likely other diagnostic tests will have to be run as well.

Tick, lymphocytes are part of the lymphatic system, or did I misunderstand your response? An increase or decrease in lymphocytes can indicate a disruption in the lymphatic system.

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Hi J, yes I knew lymphocytes are part of the lymphatic system, and dusruptions can happen for different reasons. Doesn't necessarily mean a form of leukemia.

I was just hoping, while waiting for my doctors appointment this afternoon, that there were some hopeful reasons that these values were higher and lower than normal, hoping it is not leukemia as most medical websites indicate that is the main reason

Nope, doesn't mean leukemia. But a normal WBC and RBC

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Your white and red blood cell count is normal, there is no problem with your lymphatic system?

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doesn't necessarily indicate that there isn't a problem with the lymphatic system either.

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Signs and symptoms of leukemia are many, some are frequent infections, fever (both of which would indicate a problem with your white and red blood cell count which there isnt), excessive bleeding and bone pain.

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Not in all cases. A very close friend of mine found out she had leukemia (I can't remember what kind right now and it's too early to call her) simply by leaving work one day and vomiting profusely in the parking lot before getting in her car. Many times, with certain forms of leukemia, there are either no symptoms or subtle symptoms that are brushed under the carpet.

While the OP gave us the test results, he/she forgot to mention the signs and symptoms. What led him/her to the doctor for these tests? Also, age matters. Lab values vary according to age and, sometimes gender as well.

One thing I live by is that the internet can be a very dangerous place to go searching around when uneducated in certain fields. I mean no disregard to the OP, but for someone outside of the health care field, what may appear as cancer, for instance, might be something as simple as bronchitis. This is why we try to help, but in the end it is up to the person to follow up with their health care provider rather than grasping at straws searching the internet or asking strangers for advice.

I was hoping those were good signs

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Originally Posted by J_9

Nope, doesn't mean leukemia. But a normal WBC and RBC doesn't necessarily indicate that there isn't a problem with the lymphatic system either.



Not in all cases. A very close friend of mine found out she had leukemia (I can't remember what kind right now and it's too early to call her) simply by leaving work one day and vomiting profusely in the parking lot before getting in her car. Many times, with certain forms of leukemia, there are either no symptoms or subtle symptoms that are brushed under the carpet.

While the OP gave us the test results, he/she forgot to mention the signs and symptoms. What led him/her to the doctor for these tests? Also, age matters. Lab values vary according to age and, sometimes gender as well.

One thing I live by is that the internet can be a very dangerous place to go searching around when uneducated in certain fields. I mean no disregard to the OP, but for someone outside of the health care field, what may appear as cancer, for instance, might be something as simple as bronchitis. This is why we try to help, but in the end it is up to the person to follow up with their health care provider rather than grasping at straws searching the internet or asking strangers for advice.

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What are your symptoms? What was the reason for the blood test?

No symptoms, dermatologist ran routine bloodworm

I feel fabulous!

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Originally Posted by J_9

What are your symptoms? What was the reason for the blood test?

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We really need the whole picture here. Why the dermatologist?

My mother was almost bald by the time she was 70. In the last year I lost 70 pounds and have had slight hair loss, could be from weight loss or genetic or low iron, or other. Dermatologist was something I read about, can detect if genetic, low iron, low protein, etc so I electively made appointment with derm.

Derm insists it is from weight loss but ran routine bloodwork. Low iron came back positive and is also noted on above results I posted. When she ran bloodwork we cc'd my general practitioner. He is who called me to say abnormal blood results, wants to see me today to discuss






QUOTE=J_9;3484130]We really need the whole picture here. Why the dermatologist?[/QUOTE]

I'm trying to get the whole picture here, but it's like having a 100 piece puzzle with 70 pieces missing.

I still don't know your age. That's important. I still don't know your gender. That's important. Have you ever had your thyroid checked? That's important.

In the end, you are going to have to wait until you see your GP to discuss the results of your lab work. Here at AMHD we are only playing guessing games which would place you at a high risk of stress and anxiety which could cause an exacerbation of your symptoms.

I wish we could help you more, but that's impossible. However, I would like to hear what the results are this afternoon once you see your GP.

49 year old femaie, weight 119, thyroid normal, always get great bill of health

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Originally Posted by J_9

I'm trying to get the whole picture here, but it's like having a 100 piece puzzle with 70 pieces missing.

I still don't know your age. That's important. I still don't know your gender. That's important. Have you ever had your thyroid checked? That's important.

In the end, you are going to have to wait until you see your GP to discuss the results of your lab work. Here at AMHD we are only playing guessing games which would place you at a high risk of stress and anxiety which could cause an exacerbation of your symptoms.

I wish we could help you more, but that's impossible. However, I would like to hear what the results are this afternoon once you see your GP.

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As I've mentioned previously, we are neither doctors nor diagnosticians. We don't know your medical history or your familial history. But your doctor does.

This could be menopausal in nature, hormonal, genetic, etc. It is virtually impossible for us to tell you what, exactly, is going on.

I still don't understand why you made an appointment with a dermatologist. Dermatologists deal primarily with skin disorders. Most doctors can detect deficiencies, i.e. low iron, genetic, etc. Again, dermatologists deal with skin, such as acne, skin cancer.

We have really exhausted all of our avenues here on AMHD. You will have to discuss this with your doctor. Please keep us informed on what you find out this afternoon.

I have researched mild hair loss and using a dermatologist was recommended, that is why I made that appointment

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Originally Posted by J_9

As I've mentioned previously, we are neither doctors nor diagnosticians. We don't know your medical history or your familial history. But your doctor does.

This could be menopausal in nature, hormonal, genetic, etc. It is virtually impossible for us to tell you what, exactly, is going on.

I still don't understand why you made an appointment with a dermatologist. Dermatologists deal primarily with skin disorders. Most doctors can detect deficiencies, i.e. low iron, genetic, etc. Again, dermatologists deal with skin, such as acne, skin cancer.

We have really exhausted all of our avenues here on AMHD. You will have to discuss this with your doctor. Please keep us informed on what you find out this afternoon.

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This is why you don't use the internet to diagnose yourself. It will, along with yourself, assume the worst. I have mole. Cancer. I have a strange lump on my leg. Cancer. My poop is green. Cancer.

First off, as many have wasted their breath trying to say to you, nothing in your results indicate leukemia or really many illnesses. The man reason doctors what to talk to you about results is because they can't do it over the phone. Even if everything is normal. You might just have high cholesterol, or maybe the blood test is showing the early signs of menopause, or one of a number of things.

The point is that we can't really tell you anything, you're going to need to see what the doctor says. Don't look it up on the internet because all you're going to do is scare yourself.