Hi, I originally went to see my dr. because I have been feeling very tired and just worn out, and I have been having these horrible head aches. He did blood work and they came back with a high white blood count (14-15). We both kinda thought that maybe I had a sinus infection because of where my headaches are so he ordered at CT Scan of my entire head and of just my sinus area. Came back good for my sinuses. Since then I have had repeated blood work, once a month since Dec. 2004 and everytime my white blood count is the same (14-15) and the headaches and fatigue is still there. He has since set me up to see this specialist and now I have to wait til June 2. That is a long time when you are worried. He also put me on high level of antibiotics two different times thinking that I had an infection somewhere, and that didn't help. I am at a loss and don't want to talk about it with anybody in my family. My daughters are only 14 and 16, so I don't want to worry them and my loving caring husband whom I adore lost his mother to cancer, and I don't want him to think that something is the matter with his wife too.
Please somebody tell me something so I will stop worrying so much. Or just give me some answers
Thanks

Regardless of what is causing your symptoms, it is unhealthy not to at least discuss this with your husband. Im right there in the boat with you, Ive had alot of unexplainable problems over the past year and I cant see my specialists until early june (ENT, Rheumatologist and a CT Scan). Nonetheless while I dont want to worry my family friends, if I couldnt talk to them about it I dont know what Id do.

How about Anemia? Did your doc mention whether you had this (low platelets or red blood cells) or any other blood abnormalities besides the high WBCs?

Hi Avrod6

To be honest, high WBC sometimes could mean Leukemia. BUT, Acute Leukemia almost always attacks rapidly, it means from the beginning of the symptoms until you will be diagnosed with Leukemia will not take long time. Also Leukemia is progresive disease. If it has been 5 months, it will be very small possibility that you have acute leukemia.

I hope that only chronic infection.

Thanks for the advice, my Doc didn't say anything about the other results. He has only mentioned the white blood count. It is sooooooooo nerve racking playing this waiting game. I know that medical offices deal with this everyday so it is not a big deal to them to have to tell somebody to wait, BUT it is a big deal to me, this doesn't happen to me everyday. Could I have an infection that just won't heal with high doses of antibiotics? How high would my white blood count need to be for something serious? What do I expect when I go and see this new Doc? Thanks so much for writing me back, I really appreciate it.

Please remember that a white count can be elevated for any number of things. It could be stress or inflammation, not just bacterial infection. I knew someone who had consistently elevated count who just had an ulcer. And of course, 14-15 white count could be your normal-only 95% of the population fits in the normal rang...thats a lot of ppl whose white counts are above normal! Also I agree with whats stated above, if it were acute leukemia it would have progressed rapidly within a short time and you would know by now if something were horribly wrong. A count of 14 to 15 is not really to worrisome and just remember because you are seeing a hematologist does not mean cancer! He is just more equipped to look into the causes if any at all. So be positive and remeber there are 101 benign reasons for that white count as well!

Thanks for that. It really did help my nerves. I don't think that it could be stress. But you are right this might just be my norm. Although it won't explain my really bad headaches and my overwhelming fatigue and just absolutely no energy at all. This board is a huge help, I am glad that I found it. Extremly highly intelligent people.