A new fighter has entered the chat:
Recent routine blood work revealed that I have a low lymphocyte count. I contacted my oncologists to see if this could still be caused by radiation. Radiation oncologist called me today to say it couldn't. He said maybe it is nothing but he is still referring me to *hematology*.
Common causes of lymphopenia
The most common causes of lymphopenia/lymphocytopenia are:
Medications like chemotherapy, which suppress the immune system
Aplastic anemia
Autoimmune disorders such as lupus
Cancers such as Hodgkin lymphoma
AIDS
COVID-19
Viral hepatitis
Tuberculosis
Severe illnesses and traumas
I wouldn't panic. You've been under enough stress that this could just be how your body is reacting to it. Are any other values out of whack?
@BenA
No other unexplained or unexpected values looking weird. There are other as-yet-unexplained complaints I have, though.
I'm obviously not a doctor, but I'd think that those low lymphocytes would be accompanied with other skewed values if it was something serious. How soon before you see the hematologist?
@BenA
No idea yet. They will call me to schedule once they have the referral from my radiation oncologist
@publickovacs yikes!