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Increased white blood cells

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increased headache frquency/severity
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Determining the cause for increased whit...
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User Profile
January 19th, 2010
i am asking this on behalf of my husband as we dont no were else to go. no known allergies or major health problem up until now. he was due to go into hospital for surgery to remove a disc in his spine and have the vertebrae fused. during the rountine blood tests the hospital found his white blood cell count was extremely low and he had lost nearly 2 stone in weight! they asked him to be totally honest and could he think of ne thing that could be causing this, he informed us he had been taking amphetamines regular each wk end. we then found out that they were laced with heart rythm tabs and rat poison, he has never touched it since and his white cells slowly atarted to improve. he went for bloods to be done again and he has to go back immediately for more as now his white cells are high! they dont tell us any thing just to do the bloods, could you please advise on what this could be as i'm starting to think there may be a severe underlying problem the docs aren't telling us


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replied January 20th, 2010
Blood Disorders Answer A9340
Hi and welcome to the forum! I am glad that I can help you.

You would like to know whether increased white blood cells may indicate an underlying problem.

Usage of amphetamines among all the other effects may cause anorexia and weight loss. Due to the anorexia there can appear a decrease in the number of all the blood cells, not only of the white cells. After stopping the intake of this drug there can be withdrawal symptoms, but if everything goes well the body should return back to normal. Increased white cells may indicate infection or leukemia.

Given the data that you described, you husband may or may not be experience any medical condition. He should consider seeing an infectologist if he experiences increased body temperature, fatigue, sore throat, cough, back pain, or any other symptom that may suggest infection. He may need to have a bone marrow biopsy to rule out leukemia. He may also consider having blood tests for common tumor markers to rule out cancer.

Please keep in mind that I provide medical information only. I am not able to diagnose medical conditions online. Please contact his doctor or other qualified healthcare provider such as an infectologist or a hematologist for further advice and information about diagnosis and treatment option for your husband's current condition.



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