Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Persistent Diarrhea When Hemoglobin Level Is Low In The Blood?
Question: I recently had a virus or food poisoning or not sure. Diarrhea for two days.
My white blood cells were at 11.1 two days ago, today they are at 3.6. I looked at the average and they averaged about 5.4. The only other high result was my monocytes are at 12.4 a little raised. In the CBC with differential, everything else was within normal limits. My question is should I be concerned that this is an infection that needs to be treated or did my body fight the infection and now it dropped below normal and needs replenishing?When I put in 5.4 that was my overage over the last 5 years.
My white blood cells were at 11.1 two days ago, today they are at 3.6. I looked at the average and they averaged about 5.4. The only other high result was my monocytes are at 12.4 a little raised. In the CBC with differential, everything else was within normal limits. My question is should I be concerned that this is an infection that needs to be treated or did my body fight the infection and now it dropped below normal and needs replenishing?When I put in 5.4 that was my overage over the last 5 years.
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Monocytes can increase in reaction to a virus or inflammation. They may be higher today than a couple of days ago because the increase may not happen instantaneously.
I wouldn't make much of your monocytes being elevated this one time. If it was in response to an underlying chronic condition, the monocytes would have been elevated when they were drawn 2 days ago also.
An average of them over time is not much use. More important is what they are now and how that compares with how they were before, and if there are any identifiable trends, such as a a progressive decrease or increase. I don't see anything to be concerned with regarding your monocytes, but if you want to make sure, have a CBC repeated in 4-6 weeks.
The one thing that I did note and am wondering about is your hemoglobin. This was lower than it was before. Sometimes hydration can make hemoglobin value lower (although it is more likely to affect the hematocrit). But blood loss can do it too. Were you vomiting or passing any blood when you were sick?
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Monocytes can increase in reaction to a virus or inflammation. They may be higher today than a couple of days ago because the increase may not happen instantaneously.
I wouldn't make much of your monocytes being elevated this one time. If it was in response to an underlying chronic condition, the monocytes would have been elevated when they were drawn 2 days ago also.
An average of them over time is not much use. More important is what they are now and how that compares with how they were before, and if there are any identifiable trends, such as a a progressive decrease or increase. I don't see anything to be concerned with regarding your monocytes, but if you want to make sure, have a CBC repeated in 4-6 weeks.
The one thing that I did note and am wondering about is your hemoglobin. This was lower than it was before. Sometimes hydration can make hemoglobin value lower (although it is more likely to affect the hematocrit). But blood loss can do it too. Were you vomiting or passing any blood when you were sick?
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Hello,
I wasn't so worried about my monocytes as my white blood cell count. It went from 11.1 to 3.6 in two days. Please let me know your thoughts on this. A little high to below average.
I wasn't so worried about my monocytes as my white blood cell count. It went from 11.1 to 3.6 in two days. Please let me know your thoughts on this. A little high to below average.
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
When looking at white blood count depression or elevation, the thing to do is to look at all of the white blood cell counts that contribute to the whole sum (neutrophils, lymphocytes, basophils, etc). There isn't anything apparent there that is alarming.
Also, if there were a problem with leukemia or leukopenia, the values wouldn't change so remarkably in 2 days. They would either be very high or very low and stay that way or get worse. So what we are seeing here is your body's reaction, most likely to a viral infection. Recheck in a month, and things should be back to normal.
Information
Detailed Answer:
When looking at white blood count depression or elevation, the thing to do is to look at all of the white blood cell counts that contribute to the whole sum (neutrophils, lymphocytes, basophils, etc). There isn't anything apparent there that is alarming.
Also, if there were a problem with leukemia or leukopenia, the values wouldn't change so remarkably in 2 days. They would either be very high or very low and stay that way or get worse. So what we are seeing here is your body's reaction, most likely to a viral infection. Recheck in a month, and things should be back to normal.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
