Worried about causes of low white blood count.?!

Worried about causes of low white blood count.?

I had a bad fall and bruised the side of my face pretty bad and was in the hospital running test. When I was admitted my white count was normal 7.7. In a day it dropped to 3.4. The next day it dropped to 3.1. I am to go for follow up in 2 weeks. In the mean time I'm a nervous wreck. Any words of encouragement. My grandmother died of acute Leukemia.

There are lots of causes of a low white count, including infection and medication. The fact that you had a normal white cell count initially, which then fell suggests that it is something acute.

I think that the most likely explanation is that you contracted a viral illness, which precipitated the fall and then lowered your white cell count. Another explanation is that you were started on some medication in hospital which caused your white cell count to fall.

Leukemia can cause a low white cell count by invading your bone marrow and destroying it. However, it would also cause anaemia and a low platelet count. Leukemia normally presents with abnormal white cells. Either of these would have been picked up in hospital before being discharged.

If the hospital doctors were worried that it was leukemia or something equally serious, they would have investigated you further prior to your discharge. They are recalling you in a few weeks just to be thorough and to ensure that your white cell count has returned to normal.