Had a call from my GP this morning, concerned that my white blood cell count has gone up to 19.1, showing signs of infection. I feel ok-ish, not feverish or anything. Anyone else had this? Apparently it could be down to the steroids?
Roweslady, I had a very high white blood cell count for a while following diagnosis and commencement of 40mgs of Prednisolone. Blood tests also showed signs of anaemia. All these returned to normal within quite a short time, probably as I reduced the steroids, so as you say you are feeling "ok-ish and not feverish", then just continue to give yourself plenty of rest and TLC and hopefully when your blood test is repeated it will show an improvement.
I was only told about my esr. Nothing mentioned of my crp or blood count. ....as my esr was 18 my go told me wait 8 weeks for another.blood test....should I be asking more questions..as I'm now unsure pmr is what I have reading all of yr messages...I have no idea of anything.
Thanks MrsO, I was on 60mgs for a week & now down to 40mgs, so am hoping this is the cause. I am just very tired & feeling Lethargic atm, hopefully this will improve in time :-)
8 weeks seems a long time to wait to me!? I have been having blood tests done weekly & my ESR was 97, now 31
As my esr was 18 and not higher he said he didn't want to start pred treatment maybe even tho he thinks I have it maybe it'ssomething else aany ideas ...gail
Yes this has happened to me and just in the last 2 weeks. Sometimes she says a flare up or got too low to fast. Not sure yet which I have gone up to 10 first time since July.
Steroids also raise the white cell count. It is only if you feel ill or something else appears - like a rash - there is any need to worry.
My ESR was 7 at its highest, even when I couldn't move. When I was given pred the stiffness and much of the muscle pain went in 6 hours.
About one in six of patients never develop this "acute phase reactant" as it is called, and it is more likely in younger patients who tend to present atypically. CRP may be more use - but I never had an even slightly increased CRP either. Nefret on this forum is another.
Even if they do increase it often lags anything up to a few months behind the symptoms starting although CRP may be faster than ESR to show something.
The diagnosis should be made on clinical symptoms and response to a moderate dose of pred - if 15mg pred gives an improvement of 70% in symptoms within a few days and they return in a similar time frame when it is stopped the Bristol UK paper by Quick and Kirwan takes that as confirming the diagnosis.