Freaking out?

[drummerman]

Kind of freaking out here... 2 weeks ago I went to doc cause I thought I had strep throat.  Turns out I didn't (quick test) but he did prescribe a Z-pack, in case the long test came out positive.  It didn't but I did have some of kind of cold, so I finished the Z-pack.  I addition they did a blood draw and called and told me that my wbc was on the high end, I think it was around 9.5, so they said come in and we will do another blood draw.   They just called and told me my wbc was still elevated (10.5) and they wanted me to do a 10 day, 2 pills a day, antibody.

With some internet research I learned that high wbc is usually caused by an infection (I am over the cold), or worst case scenario..Leukemia.

But I also found that a high wbc could be caused by stress and overexertion.  That being said, for the past 2 months I have been incredibly stressed...semester tests, semester grades, end of year band concert, graduation ceremony, retiring and find a replacement, wife's dad is on dialysis and she takes him every other day and sees him everyday for dinner (usually a 2-3 hour ordeal) and she just recently came down with shingles and spent a week in bed and I had to take her dad, who should be in a nursing home, to dinner.... a 2 hour ordeal......and now this call that I have a high wbc.  ps - I also get very stressed when they draw blood.

I also tend to overexert..... mowed two yards, installed 2 water pumps, cleaned daughter's house, cleaned other daughter's carport, repaired daughter's ac.... I just tend to over-do it and always have to be doing something.

All of this occurred during the same time period as the 2 blood tests.

Past wbc - August 9 = 10.8 (while on viekira)
                Dec. 1     = 8.5   (no viekira)

All of this stress has caused me to have a sour stomach and I can't eat as much as I used to... in fact I am eating half as much as I  used to.  This has been going on for the past 3 months.

So here is what I am wondering... I have an rx for xanax and when I take it everything is fine... I am relaxed and can eat,... I feel normal.  But I try not to take it everyday cause I don't want to get hooked. I also practice mindfulness meditation.   When I do take it I take .5 mg.  I have an appt. at 3:10 to talk to him about all this and see if it is ok to take xanax everyday.  I think I need to,... I know it is addictive but if I don't get my stress down, the wbc count is going to be high at the next blood draw as well.  Then I am sure they are going to want to do more tests.

Has anyone else experienced high wbc after completing Viekira pak?
I know I keep reading posts where people believe the tx really messes with your autoimmune system and that is another cause of high wbc.

 I am also seeing lots of posts on the internet of people with low vitamin D (which I have) along with high wbc.  But apparently there is  no connection (weird).

The only sups I currently take are vitamin D, fish oil, calcium/magnesium.

I feel pretty good, although achy all the time (probably from all the physical activity),  but I do have this nervous stomach thing going on.

Any opinions or advice would be appreciated.

Sorry for the lengthy post and thanks for taking the time to read it.

dm

[beto]

Hey DM,

I was a Harvonian, however, interestingly S hit the fan for me just recently following an extremely stressful time in the form of probably a thyroid issue that could be auto immune in nature.  It's on another thread so I will not go into details.

Thing is though, stress makes us vulnerable to so many things and especially auto immune issues, but also exacerbating dormant conditions viral and otherwise.  Shingles for example usually follows a stressfull time.

We are all fragile I think after the years of HCV.  Not just physically but the sustained mental fortitude we all must maintain to survive just might set us all back.  My anxiety level has been up there as well.

Xanax is taking the edge off of your sympathetic overdrive.  That is what it is designed for.  Yes a concern if you take a drug and you are suddenly feeling "home."  I meditate and achieve very relaxed states but still have a speedy resting pulse and high BP...even on meds...go figure.  Perhaps my thyroid is false signaling my adrenals to over perform...yet I am fatigued...Ironic.

Hope things level out for you.  I don't know what advise to give you regarding the concerns about Xanax, you have cause for concern.  I would just experiment with other things to take that edge off as well.  Also, keep looking for physiological reasons for high adrenal activity...like thyroid.

[KimInTheForest]

Hi DM. The only idea that pops into my head on this is perhaps add a daily B-complex vitamin. I am doing that now (along with a sublingual B-12 daily). I do feel I get a slight reduction in stress and slight improvement in coping ability with the B-complex. I go off it periodically because, unfortunately, it also contributes to my insomnia, even if I take it at 8 am. But when I go back on, I feel a bit more relaxed, less quick to stress. (I think it is the choline or the inositol in it that keeps me awake at night.)

kim

[FutureThinker]

DM, just reading your recent activity level is making me tired! If there's any way you can slow down some, that surely will help more than not. Maybe your body just needs a break and you need to take care of you right now.

I just skimmed over the Viekira side effects, as I remembered it could increase liver enzymes, so take a look at that to see if this might be what's going on.

Perhaps we all need to recognize that we've just put our bodies thru a lot and try to do whatever we can to help it recover from these very powerful drugs. If there's a way to reduce stress, that probably will help vs. hurt. Keep us posted, FT

[drummerman]

Thanks Beto,Kim and FT,

Just got back from doc.  He wants me to cut back on my activities ,.... said it was ok to take xanax everyday for a while and wants to recheck wbc in a week.  Hopefully I will be less stressed and get a lower reading.

I went back and checked all my wbc counts for the past few years and found several outside the upper limit.  My viekira doctor never mentioned it.  I also notice that every elevated reading was at a very stressful time.... exact correlation.   interesting.

dm

 

[drummerman]

still trying to get my activity level down.... was going to go bank fishing... yeah, right... moved a piano and a big screen tv instead. 

I need a road trip just so I can get a break!

dm

[beto]

go fishing...and a road trip!!!!

[AllShookUp]

I have been taking Xanax 0.5mg (sometimes I half the pill) once a day for years. As long as you do not start upping the dosage, you should not have any serious addiction issues.
It helped alleviate pains in my wrists and other joints which I think were due to active HCV. Now that virus has cleared, the pains have subsided. I still take it because it also improves my appetite and reduces anxiety.
For me, a lazy 69 year old man, taking a ten cent generic pill is a whole lot easier than trying to mediate and get involved with a bunch of questionable supplements.
Take it slow - things will get better.

[drummerman]

go fishing...and a road trip!!!!

working on it!

There is just so much that needs to be done and can't be done during the winter months.  ugh.

dm

[drummerman]

I have been taking Xanax 0.5mg (sometimes I half the pill) once a day for years. As long as you do not start upping the dosage, you should not have any serious addiction issues.
It helped alleviate pains in my wrists and other joints which I think were due to active HCV. Now that virus has cleared, the pains have subsided. I still take it because it also improves my appetite and reduces anxiety.
For me, a lazy 69 year old man, taking a ten cent generic pill is a whole lot easier than trying to mediate and get involved with a bunch of questionable supplements.
Take it slow - things will get better.

thanks asu,

Kind of the way I feel...
and so much better to be able to eat normally and get the calories I need for all the projects I have going.

dm