Neutropenia

The immune system blood counts on the last blood lab were low. This was more than likely due to the last chemo on 1/14. This was 10 mg/day of melphalan for 4 days and 20 mg of Dex once a week for 4 weeks.


Here are some of her lab results from 2/24/2011:

WBC = 1.8 (4.8 - 10.8)
RBC = 2.75 (4.2 - 5.4)
HGB = 9.2 (12.0 - 16.0)
PLT = 111 (130 - 400)
NE# = 0.8 (1.56 – 6.13)
Creatinine = 1.1 (0.4 – 1.1)
BUN = 16 (6-20)
Calcium = 8.5 (8.6 – 10.2)
GFR = 51 (>60)
Albumin = 3.7 (3.2 – 4.8)

IgG 397 mg/dl (700 - 1600
IgA 31 mg/dl (70 - 400)
IgM 5 mg/dl (40 - 230)

IEP - No monoclonal band identified.

Lambda Free Light Chains 49.001 mg/l (5.71 – 26.3)
Kappa Free Light Chains 1.74 mg/l (3.3 - 19.4)
Kappa/Lambda Ratio 0.0356 (0.26 – 1.65)

Her immune system is down based on all the numbers of wbc, neutrophils, IgG, IgA, and IgM. We go to the doctor this Thursday. Hopefully the immune system counts will be back up.

She is still taking the two drugs for the brain seizures. I notice that when she is sleeping that she has a fair amount of limb motion. The neurologist doesn’t think they are seizures. He said even if they were that he would treat her with the same drugs and dose he has her on now.

The lambda count has an increasing trend if you look at the last 8 months. This number has started out low and has not yet doubled the high range. I consider this a low count overall and would typically indicate a low count of myeloma cells. The increase is what is worrisome. Without chemo it could rise to a level of say 200 and then stabilize. That would be good. Even if it went to 600 and then stabilized would be good.

Rebecca has been dealing with a nasty itch for the last few weeks. She has tried some fungal medicine and creams. It will get better at times but still battling it. The pain from the fractured vertebrae has increased. Still taking oxycotin and oxycodone.