What is the normal white blood cell count range?

[TLHB70]

My dear friend had double by pass surgery last week on Monday. He was discharged from the hospital on Friday. On THURSDAY afternoon the cardiologist told him that his white blood cell count was 26,000. The doctor also said that the count was 22,000 Monday for the surgery. Apparently the white blood cell count was up all week, but they didn't notify the family until Thursday. They told my friend to return to have the blood retested this week on Wednesday (two days ago). My friend just sent me an email and said that the count is down from 26,000 to 15,900 and that the cardiologist suspects leukemia. He has to return to the cardiologist's office next Tuesday and find out the next step. The blood test was done in a lab, not the office. Results were just given today. I don't understand why so much time seems to be wasted here. What is the normal level? Is this really high? I am concerned for my friend.

 

[chris1gill]

That's so strange... Our DD had a serious infection when she was 3, her count was 29000 & she required 3 days of IV anti-biotics... maybe it's different for children, but Good Lord, with a level like that I would have thought (wrongly apparently) that somebody would have told your friend SOMETHING... he should be going in for bloodwork to determine what is causing this

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

Usually 11.5 is the high normal range in adults.

 

[TLHB70]

but Good Lord, with a level like that I would have thought (wrongly apparently) that somebody would have told your friend SOMETHING... he should be going in for bloodwork to determine what is causing this

That is what I thought. He was in a HOSPITAL having a surgery. I would think that they could have gotten an answere there! I don't understand why they sent him home and have him getting all of these appointments now, almost 2 weeks later. He was in a HOSPITAL! I don't understand it!

Usually 11.5 is the high normal range in adults.

So his 15,900 is definitely high and a sign of something wrong.

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

So his 15,900 is definitely high and a sign of something wrong.

I should clarify 11.5, as in 11,500. But yes, 15,900 is too high. The docs I work w/ start getting furthur tests, at about 13,500.

Some labs have slightly different norms, but it is still high.

 

[TLHB70]

This friend I am talking about is married to one of my best friends, so I consider them both dear friends. I just talked to my best friend, his wife, and she said that she thinks stress will cause the white blood cell count to go up. Is that true? Could stress cause them to be this high? She is thinking that the stress of the surgery may have elevated them and that is why they are now starting to lower. She is worried that just telling him leukemia is suspected will cause extra stress, which is not good for his heart either since he just had the surgery. I don't imagine stress could raise them that much though, huh?

 

[Jen_in_NH]

The range depends on the lab running the test, but they are all close. At the hospital we use, it is 4500-11000. High WBC counts are indicative of infection, as well as some other diseases. You usually need to see the differential as well as the WBC count (the % of certain types of WBCs) to really tell what is going on. Around here, a white count over 15000 tends to get further worked up.

Good luck!

Jen

 

[TLHB70]

One more question.................
they are from South Mississippi, and they have a house there. However, they have lived in Africa for his job for the last 2 1/2 years. They came home, to their home in Mississippi, about a month ago because he was having heart pain. The doctor found the problem and that is why he had the heart surgery. I am concerned about AIDS since they have lived in Africa. Surely, though, with all of the blood test checking the WBC levels and before surgery they have checked for AIDS. Right?