Lymphocyte, Retic, Lymph Nodes - Celiac Related?

[stilltired]

Hi,

Over the last two years I've had array of things go wrong, from getting a pacemaker at age 22 for low heart rate, to low blood pressure, to now tachycardia events (so am on betablocker), to finally a diagnosis of Celiac Disease in November.

Over these two years, I've always been either mildy anemic or borderline low, never any higher. Also my WBC has always been between 4.0-6.5 and I've had chronic mildly low lymphocytes during this time (avg 800-1200 normal is 1500-4000).

Over the last few months I had an ultrasound that found Lymph nodes in my neck (largest 1.4cm x 0.8cm) and in my armpit (largest 2.5 x 0.8cm). The ultrasound also found an 8mm thyroid nodule. I was scheduled for an FNA of the nodule, but over a month the nodule now appears to no longer be there, but I have had a more worrisome looking nodule starting to grow on the right side at 6mm (hypoechoic and ill-defined margins).

During the time of all these findings my Absolute Lymphocyte count has gone done from 1100 to 900 to now 650 (reference range 1500-4000), while my WBC count has stayed the same at around 5.5 (ref range 4 - 11). My GP is getting a little concerned as why my lymphocytes continue to go down while my WBC stays the same, as usually with an infection your WBC goes up. Also in the past, I had three blood tests come back with low absolute retic count (around 13, ref range 25-80). I did see a hematologist, but she said my numbers were not low enough to warrant a bone marrow biopsy. Wouldn't low retic count, on and off mild anemia, chronic low lymphocytes (now even lower) and lymph nodes be enough to warrant a look at my bone marrow? I am scheduled for a biopsy of my armpit lymph node but I am not worried since the ultrasound said it didn't appear to be malignant.

I have just felt really worn down of the last few months, not sick, just really weak. Does anybody know whether Celiac Disease could be having an affect in all of this? I was diagnosed last November by blood test and endoscopy showing near total atrophy. My antibodies have come down, but they are still not within reference range. Also, along with Celiac I have a pacemaker for bradycardia/dysautonomia which my neurologist says is due to undiagnosed Celiac causing autonomic nerve damage. I also have low blood pressure that goes with the dysautonomia and I am a 24 year old male.

Here are my latest lab results from Tuesday.

WBC: 5.76 (range 4 - 11)

ABS Neutrophils: 4.19 (ref range 2.0 - 6.3)

ABS Lymphocytes: 0.65 (ref range 1.5 - 3.5)

ABS Monocytes: 0.57 (ref range 0.2 - 0.8)

ABS Eosinophils: 0.31 (ref range 0.04 - 0.4)

ABS Basophils: 0.03 (ref range 0.00 - 0.1)

RBC: 4.3 (ref range 4.3 - 5.6)

Hemoglobin (HGB): 135 (range 130 - 170)

Hematocrit (HCT): 38.5 (range 40 - 50)

PLT: 190 (range 140-400)

B12: 276 (range 220 - 1000)

Ferritin: 71 (range 50-80=reduced, >80=normal)

Thanks.

[Skylark]

Hi there. As far as I know, only iron deficiency anemia is a common effect of celiac. There are also some T-cell lymphomas (particularly EATL) that are rare but associated with celiac. That said, we've seen an amazing array of health problems resolve with gluten-free diets.

This is the kind of thing best left to doctors. The lymph node biopsy is the next logical step. It's much less invasive than a bone marrow biopsy.

Do be sure you are really careful with your diet. Getting into traces of gluten can definitely make you feel worn down and weak. It can take a couple years for Marsh 3-4 biopsies to improve and five years for full healing, and the falling antibodies mean you're on the right track.

[YoloGx]

Hi there. As far as I know, only iron deficiency anemia is a common effect of celiac. There are also some T-cell lymphomas (particularly EATL) that are rare but associated with celiac. That said, we've seen an amazing array of health problems resolve with gluten-free diets.

This is the kind of thing best left to doctors. The lymph node biopsy is the next logical step. It's much less invasive than a bone marrow biopsy.

Do be sure you are really careful with your diet. Getting into traces of gluten can definitely make you feel worn down and weak. It can take a couple years for Marsh 3-4 biopsies to improve and five years for full healing, and the falling antibodies mean you're on the right track.

I agree with the above reply. Just want to note that with untreated celiac its a lot easier to get cancer. Treating it by going off all trace gluten however makes one much less at risk than average. Go figure, eh? So it is worth all the trouble.

I also suggest you start taking some good detox herbs like dandelion root and milk thistle regularly, with maybe some Oregon Grape root alternated with yellow dock now and then assuming they don't make you have D. You can take t he Dandelion caps or tea and milk thistle caps regularly; with the others go off them after 10 days and back on a week later. You can boil the dandelion and Oregon grape or yellow dock for thirty minutes. I make it concentrated and then keep in the fridge. Thus I often have two heaping tablespoons of each herb to roughly one and a half quarts of water to boil on the stove. When I want to use the tea I heat up fresh water and add 2/3 cup to 1/2 cup hot water to 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the tea.

Other good herbs to use are either echinacea or cleavers. Both are good lymphatic cleanses. Cleavers is stronger so you might have to work up to it. With these leafy herbs you can just add after the rest is boiled and steep 20 minutes or make separately. 1 tsp. to one cup water is the general rule.

Just make sure when you use herbs or any supplements that they are gluten free. Avoid alcohol and thus most all tinctures. Personally I don't even trust the glycerin ones since they are usually made in the same facility as the alcohol based

tinctures.

Other advice: make vegetable smoothies in your blender. It really is a big energy pick me up. The chlorophyll really acts against toxins in the body. I use some zucchini, parsley, celery, cucumber, lettuce. Some like to add part of an apple or a carrot.

Further--eating chard, kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts and the like is a godsend against anything like cancer. Iin effect just gobbles up the cancer cells I hear. They are too potent to put in a smoothie I think but great to eat knowing you are winning against the cancer critters! As well as detoxifying in general.

I would also look into other possible allergens. The villi get damaged with celiac and often causes other food sensitivities as a result. Milk is the likeliest culprit. Much better to eat yogurt--and if you are lactose intolerant like me, make your own 24 hour yogurt. Its easy, cheap and really good for you since it has billions of acidophilus etc. plus has no lactose.

You should for the time being go off all grain flours and sugars, and if you are serious, you might want to consider going off all grains for a while to clean out your system. It wouldn't be at all unusual for you to have candida overgrowth for instance which also mucks up the works and makes you tired and more susceptible to cancer beasties as well as mental confusion and everything else. Its not easy to get rid of fungi but you can get a good start. Maybe your docs eventually will give you stuff to combat it. Just make sure you are ready for the process (i.e., strong enough). Herbs help a lot but often don't entirely route the stuff. However they are a relatively safe way way to start the process without messing up your liver etc. in the meantime--which is one reason taking the dandelion is so essential since it helps your liver and kidneys deal with all this so much better. Thus eat lots of garlic, onions and the like, lots of veggies, home made no sugar yogurt and avoid all sugars and flours. There are many herbs good against it too like olive leaf but I wouldn't want you to have to deal with too much all at once. Go slow, read about it on the internet and here on celiac.com (google the subject; my name may come up).

You are in your early twenties and thus have the resiliency of youth working for you despite all. I had some similar issues at your age and made it through. At least you have the advantage of knowing you have celiac whereas I did not. Even so the herbs and veggies helped me. Good luck!

Bea