About Meir Wetzler <B>M. D.</B> Expertise Leukemia acute and chronic; from chemotherapy to transplantation. Done clinical and translational research on leukemia for the last 10 years at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.
I am a 27 year-old woman and I have had some alarming symptoms for the past 3 years. My problems started out with numbness and tingling in my hands, arms, and legs. I attributed this to my limbs falling asleep, but they get numb even when I am in the middle of walking or engaging in activity. The next red flag was a constant elevated white blood cell count. Every single time I go to the doctor or hospital, my white blood cell counts are elevated, even when I am not sick and am only going to the doctor for yearly check-ups. My white blood cell count is usually around the 10,000 range, which I'm told is quite high. This has been going on for at least 3 years.
Second, I have noticed tiny, pin-sized, red dots on my arms and chest that I have determined are petechiae, because they do not blanch when pressed.
Also, about 2 months ago I had an episode where I hyperventilated and had chest pains. Since nothing like that had ever happened, I went to an urgent care clinic. 4 hours and several tests later, I was sent home with a heart monitor becaue the entire time I was there, my heart rate never got below 175. The 24 hour heart monitor results revealed constant alarmingly high heart rates and I was given a beta blocker.
I have lots of other sypmtoms like migraines, constant diarrea, constant fatigue, muscle aches, along with a few others that I won't get into! Some of the symptoms I have researched indicate leukymia and I was wanting to know if these sypmtoms warrant a visit to the doctor. I am a stay-at-home mom with 2 small children, so I rarely have the time and/or money to make superfulous trips to the doctor. Any help of advice you could give me would be much appreciated!
Thanks for your time,
Holly
ANSWER: Dear Holly,
A white blood cell count of 10,000 is within normal range in most laboratories. I'm somewhat confused about your statement that this is a high white blood cell count.
Thx, Meir.
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QUESTION: It may very well have been a different white blood cell count...I honestly can't remember what it was, but for some reason, 10,000 kept popping into my head. I do know that I have had 4 occasions just within the past year and a half when I've had bloodwork and he doctor has said my white blood cell count was "really high" and he couldn't explain why.
This in conjuction with the other little things add up to a puzzling conclusion to my untrained eye. I can't figure out why I have the chest pains, high white blood cell count, constant diarrhea, petechiae, etc. My father has multiple sclerosis and when I first started experiencing the numbness and tingling in parts of my body, he suggested I be tested for it, but I'm pretty doubtful that I have anything like that.
Like I said, I am the mother of two small children, I just started going back to college for my masters in education, and I'd just really appreciate any advice to rule out any possible cancer symptoms. I've had very rapid weight loss in the past 3 months, and I have hypochondriac family members telling me I could have lykemia, so I'm wanting to see if any of the symptoms warrant a visit to the doctor, or if it's unrelated.
Thanks,
Holly
Answer Dear Holly,
I'm a leukemia expert, so high white blood cell count is something that I can relay to, if you have the blood results. Otherwise, I am sorry but cannot help with the other symptoms that you experience. However, when in doubt, it is always better to consult a physician than ignore persistent symptoms.
Thx, Meir.
