Hi there, this is my first post (I have never used an online forum before, so bear with me!) and wondered if anyone is going through a similar thing…
I finished chemo at end of Aug then had 4 weeks of Rads. Was neutropenic during chemo, so had the shots which helped. However, just had a routine bloodtest early Nov and my cell counts for neutrophils, white blood cells and platelets are lower than norm - just outside the range. ONC said he thinks it’s a rare side effect of Tamoxifen (I’ve only been on it for 2 months) and a BCC nurse thinks it’s my system still trying to get back to normal after intense treatment (I had taxotere and cyclophos). Has anyone heard of this? Been googling, and convinced myself I have chemo-induced leukemia 
!! Have 2 young kids and keeping my sanity in front of them is really hard. Was finding life after treatment difficult enough to adjust to without this worry. Would be really good to hear that a few others have experienced this (not always known as I don’t think routine blood count tests are offered after most chemo treatments are completely finished?).
Thankyou
Caz
Hi Caz
Your experience sounds very similar to mine last year. I was on chemo March - July 2011, had low neutraphils (0.9), so had the white cell boosting shots. The chemo regime was 3 x Cyclophosphamide / Epirubicin, then 3 x Taxotere. I had multiple toxicities after first Tax so dose reduced 20%. Then had 3 wks of rads, and started on Tamoxifen. And my neutraphils were still 1.9 in Nov. I have been taking a low dose (25 - 50mg) of Quetiapine for several years and after doing some Googleing I asked the Onc if this was causing false lows in my Neutraphils when my bloods were taken in the morning (a syndrome called Morning Pseudoneutrapenia). She thought it might, and she tried doing bloods in the afternoon which did show higher neutrphil counts! But it was never really established whether it was the Quetiapine or just a weird anomaly.
Despite continuing to have low Neurtaphils for a while after treatment I didn’t seem to suffer from it: no more infections then average, tho I was tired a lot. Now 12 months later I’m physically fine. Not had my neutraphils checked for some time but assume they are ok. Here’s a link which tells you a bit more http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning\_pseudoneutropenia
Don’t know if that helps. But hope you feel better soon.
Best wishes
Fran
Hi Caz and welcome to the BCC forums
In addition to the valuable support you have here please feel free to call our helpline, they are here too offer you further support and information and lines open 9-5 Monday to Friday and 10-2 Saturday on 0808 800 6000
Take care
Lucy
Hi Caz
DON’T PANIC!
At only two months post treatment, you are still recovering and it could well be the lingering effects of chemo.
Also Tamoxifen can cause both low neutrophils and low platelets (you bruise more easily). I finished chemo in July 2011 and so was surprised when a blood test a year late showed a WBC of 1.3! I was retested two weeks later and they were 1.9 - still a bit below average, but didn’t seem to worry my GP or onc at that level.
My GP has put it down to the tamoxifen. Like Fran, I don’t seem to have suffered any ill effects from it - still a bit tired, but that could just be the hangover from treatment generally.
Take care
Dx
Hi there, thanks so much for taking the time to reply. It has reassured me and I saw my breast nurse today who also said I’m expecting too much of my body to suddenly get back to normal so soon after intensive treatment. Both your situations sound similar to mine in that I feel ok generally, just a bit stressed out/dizzy/tired in the afternoons. Maybe low counts are my ‘new normal’. I may try that iron supplement - floradix - that helped during pregnancy. Fran, I will take a look at that link, thanks.
Again, thanks so much, your replies have made a lot of difference to my level of panic!
Best wishes
Caz