What Causes Low Lymphocyte Count While Suffering From Diverticulitis?

Posted on Fri, 21 Aug 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 21 Aug 2015 Answered on

Thu, 10 Sep 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I have recently been diagnosed with diverticulitus. I was looking at my blood work and am a little concerned. I have a high WBC of 19.3 and a normal Lymphocyte count of 2% but the Lymphocyte % is low at 10.5. Should I be concerned that something else could be causing the low lymphocyte count. I am in a committed relationship and have been for a few years but before that when I was married my ex husband had multiple affairs. WebMD scares me and says low lymphocyte is HIV related. Please help. I am a very healthy woman who maybe gets a cold once a year until this recent diverticulus incident.

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (-5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Please upload the report

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

please scan and upload the report or a good quality photo of it.
Also please provide more details about your current condition and medications.
Do you have fever? What symptoms do you have and when did they start?
What drugs do you take right now? Do you take corticosteroids?
Any other medical history?

Kind Regards!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (17 minutes later)

I have stomach cramps and diarrhea. They gave my flagyl and cipro and it seemed to go away and then tuesday of this week I started diarrhea again I was using the bathroom about 20 times per day and it is getting better and now about 10-12 and it is not the consistency is getting better (not as mushy and slimy looking) I was also taking Ultram due to falling bowling and spraining my knee. Other than that I am healthy I just had a healthy pap and mammogram.

I will upload my records as well

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
please answer the rest of the questions too!

Detailed Answer:
Please also tell me if you had (or have) fever and if you take any other drugs...

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (10 minutes later)

No fever and I don't take any other drugs
I also rarely catch the colds that that mine or my boyfriends kids get. Overall very healthy
I apologize I thought I answered all of the questions.

I don't take meds other than the ones I listed. I don't have a fever I may have had a slight one on Tuesday for a couple of hours my head felt warm I slept and then felt better. The only med history I have is that I have been very healthy the only surgeries were tubal and hystorectomy and I had three normal vaginal births with my children. So until I was diagnosed with the diverticulitus and gallstones everything else has been normal.

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (12 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
this is normal for diverticulitis

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for the helpful report!

The results are what one would expect to find in a patient with active diverticulitis! There is no reason to worry about your lymphocytes because their absolute number is normal (2000/microliter). The low percentage (10.5%) is caused by the increased neutrophils, which is also normal in acute conditions like an active diverticulitis.

So in conclusion, there is nothing worrisome in this report. If you're still worried you can just do another complete blood count a few days after you get well!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (0 minute later)

Thank you so much

Answered by Dr. Panagiotis Zografakis (0 minute later)

Brief Answer:
You're welcome!

Detailed Answer:
Glad to help!

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar