I haven't heard of this. Normally an elevated white count means you have some kind of infection or something going on that your white blood cells need to fight. This can cause you to have more MS symptoms, because it's you white blood cells that get past the brain/blood barrier and start attacking the mylin.
Good luck!
Peace,
Robin

I have always wondered this myself. For years i have had a high white count. every time I have blood work usually when I am hospitilied and they never know the answere to that either. i always forget to ask my nuro.

It makes sence to me because. Your body thinks you have an infection in your brain and the white cells are what are doing this damage to our body.Meaning eating off the myelin.

let me know if you ask a doctor befor i do.

Thanks for bringing it up. Renea

MS doesn't elevate your white count. If it's persistently high (and just not the higher end of normal) you need to be seeing your regular physician to make sure there isn't infection or something else going on.

-Karen

Hi Tonja,

It is common to have an increase in white blood cells because MS, like all autoimmune diseases, is caused by toxins. The immune systems is not only fighting the toxins, but also destroying the cells that have developed haptens as a result of these toxins. Your immune system is like an army with degrees of attack. A CBC with a manual differential will indicate at what level your immune system is dealing with these toxins. Also, it is possible after a while that your immune system will begin to fatigue, and then your white cell count will be low. This needs to be a concern. As long as your count is high your immune system is functioning well, but not when it's low. A healthy WBC is
5,000 to 6,000.

Everytime I am in the hospital itis around 10.0000-11.000 as soon as they give me solumedrol it goes to normal. Strange huh?

Info on high white count. Doing a search in conjuntion with keywords "Multiple Sclerosis" yields inconclusive results, the toxin hypothesis below notwithstanding.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-white-blood-cell-count/AN00372

Sorry -- meant to type "above" regarding toxins.

-K

here is some information from a web page i will put the link below the information for you if you wish to go there... hope this helps

Doctors may perform a spinal tap (lumbar puncture (see How a Spinal Tap Is Performed) to obtain a sample of cerebrospinal fluid. The white blood cell count and protein content of the fluid may be higher than normal. The concentration of antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid may be high, and a specific pattern of antibodies is detected in up to 90% of people with multiple sclerosis.

http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec06/ch092/ch092b.html

you will have to copy and paste it apparently...grin..
i am still not that good at the link thing...sigh...

Heather

thanks for all the replies-my nuero says it doesnt have to do with ms but if our bodies are fighting off anything even what it shoulnt like the mylin i would think it shows the same but thats my opinion and i dont think mine was alarmingly high just elevated maybe-but we know our bodies are fighting something here???

Now y'all have me wondering! My white count was 3100 last thursday, down from 3600 the month before. I've been receiving infusions once a month of cytoxen/solumedrol. So what does that mean?
I'm getting the lowest possible dose of chemo. Any help would definitely be appreciated. Thanks, Peg

Peg,it does not look like you have anything to worry about. Yours seems very low. When I say hi I mean 10,000-11,000. That is what mine usually is.

I was just on the website multiplesclerosissucks.com. There was a section there that talks about symptoms and high white cell count was mentioned. As I typed here before i always have high white cell count and was sure it was from MS. looks like that may be true...