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Real members of MyLupusTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

Has anyone have to deal with neutropenia, a really low white blood count?

A MyLupusTeam Member asked a question 💭
Aurora, CO

I had my normal cbc test, and my doctors office was alarmed with. It was 0.050. it was a symptom of neutropenia. I had never heard of it. But apparent I was at high risk with the count. after about 6 weeks, it was determined the cause was combination of propranolol and a meds for gerds. They still can't tell me which med is the culprit, I had to stop taking the methotrexate I was taking for my lupus, the thinking that was the cause. It was a frustrating time because it limit my independence. I… read more

August 25
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What a frustrating and scary experience — having your independence suddenly limited like that is genuinely tough, and it makes complete sense that it was overwhelming.

You're definitely not alone. A MyLupusTeam member once shared that their blood test results showed lower than average lymphocytes and neutrophils, and they Show Full Answer

What a frustrating and scary experience — having your independence suddenly limited like that is genuinely tough, and it makes complete sense that it was overwhelming.

You're definitely not alone. A MyLupusTeam member once shared that their blood test results showed lower than average lymphocytes and neutrophils, and they too wondered what was causing it. Neutropenia means your neutrophil count (a type of white blood cell) is lower than normal. Normal levels sit above 1,500 cells per microliter, so a count as low as yours would absolutely set off alarm bells.

In lupus, neutropenia can happen for a few reasons:

- Lupus itself — the immune system can mistakenly attack white blood cells
- Medications — including methotrexate, which is a known possible culprit
- Combination effects — sometimes it's multiple medications interacting

Neutropenia in lupus is often mild and doesn't always need treatment, but when counts drop as severely as yours did, the risk of serious or prolonged infections becomes very real — which is exactly why avoiding crowds was necessary. Methotrexate can affect blood cell production, so stopping it while investigating was a reasonable precaution. It's worth having an ongoing conversation with your doctor — and possibly a hematologist — about monitoring your counts regularly and finding a lupus treatment plan that keeps both your disease and your blood counts stable.

As one MyLupusTeam member wisely put it, regular blood tests are really important to keep an eye on what lupus may be doing to other parts of your body.

August 25

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