results. Perhaps you can help me with mine. I had my annual physical in April and routine blood work. My WBC came back low 2.5. The doctor thought I maybe had a virus and to get it tested later. I just had it tested again. It is still 2.5 but now the RBC is also low, 3.54. I have an appt. on Monday with a Hemotologist/Oncologist. The Oncologist part of that terrifies me. I've been getting botox in my forehead for the last couple of years. Do you know of any reason botox could affect blood count? Thanks for your input.

results. Perhaps you can help me with mine. I had my annual physical in April and routine blood work. My WBC came back low 2.5. The doctor thought I maybe had a virus and to get it tested later. I just had it tested again. It is still 2.5 but now the RBC is also low, 3.54. I have an appt. on Monday with a Hemotologist/Oncologist. The Oncologist part of that terrifies me. I've been getting botox in my forehead for the last couple of years. Do you know of any reason botox could affect blood count? Thanks for your input.
I am afraid that I do not know much about Botox except that it is used for pain relief. I do know that opiate based pain killers will cause the White Blood cell counts to be "off". Also I know that there are steroid and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs that will effect the WBC counts. I am afraid that is the sum total of my knowledge. The one other thing that needs to be considered is that the WBC counts are very short termed. Some of the individual types of blood cells only survive for 3 days others go back and forth in and out of the tissues and into the blood stream so you may have quite a variable White blood cell count and still be relatively healthy. The best person to consult would be the hematologist because that is their specialty. Good luck.

results. Perhaps you can help me with mine. I had my annual physical in April and routine blood work. My WBC came back low 2.5. The doctor thought I maybe had a virus and to get it tested later. I just had it tested again. It is still 2.5 but now the RBC is also low, 3.54. I have an appt. on Monday with a Hemotologist/Oncologist. The Oncologist part of that terrifies me. I've been getting botox in my forehead for the last couple of years. Do you know of any reason botox could affect blood count? Thanks for your input.

Don't panic!! The two specialties ( Heme/Onc) often go together.
There many reasons for your blood counts to vary. You are going to the right place to find out. I know it is hard not to be frightened.
I hope all goes well.
Chayse

Actually, Botox is a form of botulism, a poison that paralyzes the muscles in the forehead. It's used alot by cosmetic surgeons to smooth out forehead wrinkles. It's been used for quite awhile and I've never read this has a side effect so I really don't think it could affect white count, but I'm trying to look at anything in my past that could be causing this. It's easy to say, "don't worry," but it's very difficult not to think about it. Thanks for your reply.

I have been diagnosed with MDS. The Hemotologist is referring me to a specialist in leukemia because my "blasts" are 20%. He thinks it will develop into leukemia. I am 53, 54 in September. I read that bone marrow transplant is the only cure. Is there a reason the cut off for bone marrow is 55? Is it an insurance thing or if you are healthy, can a bone marrow be done after 55?

I have been diagnosed with MDS. The Hemotologist is referring me to a specialist in leukemia because my "blasts" are 20%. He thinks it will develop into leukemia. I am 53, 54 in September. I read that bone marrow transplant is the only cure. Is there a reason the cut off for bone marrow is 55? Is it an insurance thing or if you are healthy, can a bone marrow be done after 55?
The main reason the cut off is 55 is that as we age, our ability to form new stem cells is reduced and also a lot of our natural immunity that we gathered over the years either from being exposed to germs, bacteria and viruses or innoculations start to wear off. So that there are many reasons the body could reject the bone marrow transplant, or that infection could ensue that our older body's are not able to fight. [ promoting another website removed ] Good luck to you on your fight.

LMM, Please respond!! I too have MDS I'm 29 years old. First I want to say how sorry I am to have this shared connection with you but I am glad to have read your post. Please respond and tell me how you are doing. I was just diagnosed 2 months ago. It is assumptive that I may have had this for quite a while. I had a bone marrow biop. done in may that showed the cell dysplasia. I don't know what to expect for the rest of my life. Right now I am being treated symptomatically and being monitored, blood test every two weeks bone marrow biop. every three months. Is this something like your dr are doing? I have been searching for someone like you for 3 months now. This is rare I guess. Even more rare for someone my age, apparently I may have been exposed to benzene in well water from corrosive underground fuel oil tank for 12 years as a child. Investigation pending.

Dear Super Girl, Thank you for answering my post! I was just diagnosed on Friday, so the information is still new. I am seeing a Leukemia doctor at the U. of Pennsylvania tomorrow. Although the hemotologist diagnosed me with MDS, the blasts are high enough he thinks it will go into leukemia, hence the reason to meet another specialist. Since you are only 29, I suspect you are getting the correct care with monitoring. There is no cure, as far as I know, short of a bone marrow transplant, and that is a big deal. You have your age working for you. At 54, I'm getting a little old, I think, but I'll know more tomorrow. I'll talk with you later.

LLM, Do you know what grade your dyplasia is? Mine is 0-1, in all precells very mild. Are blast the cell that are abnormal? I've had this thing for months and I still have so little understanding of what is going on, but on the other hand I know so much more that I wish I did about hemotology/cancer. I feel like I've been forced into joining a secret society that fortunately a lot of people will never get a membership to. I see a specialist in leukemia also at roswell park cancer institute. There is so little information on MDS, cell dyplasia out there. I am so frustrated. I just want answers. I want someone to tell me if this is going to turn into leukemia. No answers :confused: . Hope your appointment goes well, please post again. It felt good to hear from you.

Dear Super Girl: I'm back from my consult with the Leukemia Doctor. While my bone marrow biopsy indicates MDS (the doctor explained that MDS and Leukemia are "cousins" and MDS can lead to leukemia, but NOT NECESSARILY). In my case, the blasts are high enough that they think leukemia is just around the corner. She had not received the slides of my bone marrow biopsy to look at personally, so I go back next week when she will review the slides and perhaps do another biopsy to determine a correct, current diagnosis. I think you have very good news in the 0-1 range. And I think it is good you are going to a cancer center. My blasts are 20 and yes, it is my understanding that "blasts" are a bad thing. (I'm not up to speed on alot of this either. Even though the doctors have been EXTREMELY KIND, I'm in shock, so I don't take it all in. Fortunately, my husband is analytical and asks all the questions.) The treatment for MDS at 20 is a bone marrow transplant from a donor. The treatment for leukemia is bone marrow transfer from yourself, but after all the bad cells have been killed. She said I should look forward to 4-6 weeks in the hospital. Our correspondence will be curtailed for that time. I think your treatment makes sense. You wouldn't be needing the kind of treatment I'm going through because your blasts are so low. But at the same time, keeping up on them via blood tests and biopsies will let the doctor know when they change. In my case, I feel fine. In fact, I would NEVER have known about this if I hadn't had a routine blood test done at my annual physical in April. A good reason everyone should have a yearly physical. Well, that's it for now. Talk with you later.