Treatments For Low White Blood Count
Diagnosis of low white blood count involves identifying the type of white blood cell causing the problem. A low white blood count means that the individual has a weakened immune system and at risk for infection. The longer the count stays low, the greater the risk for the person to become ill. The most important treatment for an individual suffering from low WBC is prevention. Avoiding germs by frequent hand washing, vigorous cleaning of kitchen and bathroom surfaces using a disinfectant cleanser, all foods should be properly stored and cooked (hot foods served hot, cold foods served cold) and shellfish and fish may need to be avoided until the person’s system is back on track. Take additional care not to scratch or burn the skin; many bacteria enter the bloodstream in that manner. For existing skin irritations, keep them covered with an antibacterial gel and an adhesive strip.
It is also best to avoid social gatherings as much as possible during the period that the white blood count is diminished. Especially in areas where children are often found, germs and bacteria thrive and provide the perfect environment for infecting someone. A mere cough in an elevator could launch numerous bacteria into the atmosphere; harmless enough perhaps for a healthy person but potentially deadly for that one person with low white blood cells.
Medications for those cases when prevention does not work, or before chemotherapy is administered, can be quite effective. Called growth factors, they contain a protein that encourages new cell production by the bone marrow. Filgrastim and pelfilgrastim are the two most common drugs prescribed. They do involve some side effects, such as itchiness and reddening at the site of the injection, fever, chills, aching of bones and joints as well as fatigue. Undergoing current research is the application of stem cells that are believed to stimulate white blood cell production, but are not yet available for use as treatment.
What to do if diagnosed with low WBC
For people who have a chronic illness or disorder in which white blood cell count is typically reduced due to either the condition or its treatment, the treatments and cautionary preventative measures may be part of their daily routine by now. Others, whose diagnosis is new, may find the news frightening and be confused as to how to continue on in their daily routines while being treated. It is important to discuss your condition with your doctor in order to fully understand its implications and how it will affect your life from this point forward. Knowledge is the key to understanding. Be prepared at your next doctor visit, and arrive armed with a list of questions you have compiled. Once you understand how low white blood cells will affect your body, and the overall function of white blood cells within your body, you will have a better and more positive frame of mind with which to battle your disorder.
It could be that your condition may be a temporary one, or it may be one that you will need to learn to live with for the remainder of your life. Either way, it will without a doubt require some adaptations and concessions in your daily life. Learning to live within the confines of the disorder with the ultimate goal of growing stronger and healthier will be your armor to fight the condition. Heeding the doctor’s advice of keeping yourself protected from possible exposure to bacteria and the ensuing infection will be to your advantage, as well as any medication that may be prescribed.
Being diagnosed with leukopenia, or low white blood cells, can be a frightening thing. While there are many reasons why this could be happening to your body, the important thing to remember is to do everything within your power to overcome the disorder. There are medical treatments and preventative measures that are designed to ensure as much as possible the health and safety of those suffering from low WBC and to get them back on a healthy track.