High White Blood Cell Count and Anemia

Hi everyone

Ok I hope I am just freaking out for nothing but I am almost 25 weeks (on Friday)andhad my glucose blood screen and other bloodwork done today. I didn't expect a call so soon and I just got off the phone with my doctor.

She said that the glucose screen looked great, BUT - no only am I slightly anemic, but my white blood cell count was "up". She told me to stop taking the prenatal vitamins for now and repeat the bloodwork in 5 days. She said I may need a supplement for the Iron, but didn't say anything about the white blood cells, other than it COULD be from a "lack of fluids". So I'm drinking water like it's free booze at this point and will stop taking the prenatals tonight for next round of blood drawing.

Well of course like a dumbass I go and look on the internet. High white blood cell counts CAN be indicative of a bunch of things, one is infection, BUT I FEEL FINE, NO FEVER - another is friggen Leukemia!

Other than feeling kinda tired (which I thought was just pretty normal for a pregnant person), and other typical pregnancy loveliness, I feel OK. Well, not now I'm crazy worrying!

PLEASE tell me someone elseout there has had high white blood cell counts (she didn't give me a number but I'll ask for it tomorrow when I call back) during mid-pregnancy and they don't have Leukemia!

Thanks guys

I didn't, but I definitely would not be worried about leukemia at this point. Infection is sooo much more likely. You can feel fine and still have a minor infection, if that is the case your body is doing EXACTLY what it is supposed to.  

Your increase of white blood cells could very well be nothing... It sometimes happens during pregnancy... It's more likely an infection. I was looking it up, and apparently a lot of women have an infection and not even realize it.

Don't stress yourself out over it. People get high WBC counts everyday, but when you google it everything that shows up is Leukemia. I will almost guarantee you it's some sort of infection. And you feel fine because your body is doing a good job at fighting the infection.

As for the anemia, take some iron and ask for a B12 injection. B12 is a great vitamin for energy and helps your body use the iron more effectively.

Good luck! Don't worry too much.  

Quoting KSmith515:“ Don't stress yourself out over it. People get high WBC counts everyday, but when you google it everything ... [snip!] ... B12 is a great vitamin for energy and helps your body use the iron more effectively. Good luck! Don't worry too much.  ”

My mom gets the b12 shot, she feels a lot better from them.

Thanks girls. I'm not freaking out QUITE as badly  

My doctor said to stop taking vitamins for the repeat bloodwork - She did say if the Iron is still low she will get me on a supplement, and she did mention B12. I had allergy testing done years ago, and they had said I was borderline anemic then, but this is the first bloodwork during the pregnancy that it's showed. I guess I'll just take it easy until the repeats. Maybe I will ask if I can take the B12 anyway - I could always use more energy!

Hopefully it is just a mild infection that I'm not aware of. I thought for sure if I had one I'd be able to tell, with a fever or feeling badly somehow.

Keep the responses coming though, it is sure making me feel less stressed!

I would still like to hear if anyone has gotten the high wbc and had it be nothing...

I wouldn't worry too much about anything serious. I think that when someone has leukemia, the docs, (or the lab) can kind of tell just by looking at the cells under the microscope. Unless your doc told you to worry, I wouldn't! Increased white blood cell count can happen for many benign reasons, typically infection. Just wait until the next lab draw and if it's still elevated the doc may look a little further into the cause 

I stopped taking my prenatals 'cause I forgot them at my boyfriends place... Then when I got them back, I kept forgetting to take them... I feel horrible. xP

I'm pretty sure I'm anemic... With all these bruises I develop from thin air! I'm going to the store soon to buy b12.

Quoting my-eggo-is-preggo:“ My mom gets the b12 shot, she feels a lot better from them.”

I have to give myself a B12 shot every 3-4 weeks for my anemia. I always feel better the next day.

Well actually hubby is doing it these days because my belly is too big for me to reach around to my butt, lol.

This might be a little TMI...

I stayed home from work today. I had massive heartburn or indigestion last night and work up feeling like I was gonna puke. When most of the nausea passed, I had diarrea from the time I woke up and still all day. (sorry tmi!) I called the doctor and she thinks I have a bug/virus. She said that *could* be why the white blood cells were high, Icould be brewing something virally.

So I am slightly relieved, although feeling physically run down, that that may be the cause. I told her I was a bad girl and did lookin's on the interwebs about the high white blood cell count, so hopefully I've got myself all worked up over nothing. She told me to stay away from dairy for at least 3 days and only get the repeat bloodwork when I am feeling better.

I don't think I'll be 100% not worried about this though until I get that repeat bloodwork back and all the levels are NORMAL!!

Thanks everyone for comment, opinions and advice.  

Hi Everyone

An update on the repeat bloodwork:

Got the bloodwork done yesterday and they called me today to say I am"still" anemic and white blood cell count is still high. They are having me see a hematologist in a couple of weeks. I really hope it is all because of the pregnancy that these numbers are all out of whack - and hurry up and figure out the issue so I can start taking some vitamins and/or supplements! They are still having me not take them till the appointment so the bloodwork is accurate. Ugh

Quoting KSmith515:“ I have to give myself a B12 shot every 3-4 weeks for my anemia. I always feel better the next day. ... [snip!] ... the next day. Well actually hubby is doing it these days because my belly is too big for me to reach around to my butt, lol.”

My mom goes to the doctors office for them... She doesn't like doing them herself. ha.

Quoting my-eggo-is-preggo:“ My mom goes to the doctors office for them... She doesn't like doing them herself. ha.”

It's not that I "like" doing it myself, but I have to pay a $25 copay each month to get it at the office. Or I can buy a 10 month supply at the pharmacy for $9. I'll give myself shots all year long to save $241.   And I don't have to drive over there and find parking, wait in the lobby, etc.

Quoting KSmith515:“ It's not that I "like" doing it myself, but I have to pay a $25 copay each month to get it at the office. ... [snip!] ... give myself shots all year long to save $241.   And I don't have to drive over there and find parking, wait in the lobby, etc.”

Really? That sucks! My mom gets the needles for free... But we live in Ontario, so... Aha. And people who only need their needle get in right away, and have it done by a nurse.