Question:
has anyone ever had surgery postponed due to high white blood cell count?

The night b4 it was to take place, My surgery was cancelled & rescheduled for a month later. I was told my white blood cell count was too high and to wait till it goes back to normal. they did say it could be ANYTHING from a pimple, to a cold...but looking on the internet i see scary things about leukemia! has this ever happened to anyone?    — Katie G. (posted on October 10, 2003)

October 10, 2003
They are right, any sort of infection can cause your WCC (white cell count) to rise. I very seriously doubt that you could have gone through all the tests that you've gone through in order to get to the eve of your surgery without them finding something as serious as leukemia. Hellooooo!!!! Are you trying to create a problem? Think positive. Maybe the surgeon had something personal come up and they just used the WCC as an excuse. Did you check your temperature? Say, "Oh well, the Universe must have something better in store for me that's why my surgery is delayed."
   — Marrilee M.

October 10, 2003
I had my preop testing done also and 5 days before the surgery the same problem happened to me. My surgeon sent me to another specialist that did more blood work and he didn't see the levels as a problem - but my surgeon still required that I have a CAT scan of my abdomen - which evidentially confirmed the specialists opinion - and the surgery went ahead - it was a very scarey time - so close and then the possibility of not having the surgery. Take heart - your surgery will happen - I was so thankful that I had a surgeon that was so cauious and careful to make sure I was in the best of health before my surgery - so things would go successfully.
   — Susan B.

October 10, 2003
Katie, I didn't have my WLS postponed because of high white blood cell count, but several years ago when I was scheduled for a D&C, my dr called to tell me I had that problem. But I told him that I had been on antibiotics for something else, he said that would account for the problem and went ahead with the surgery.
   — lharbison

October 12, 2003
A high white blood count means your body is fighting off an infection. Since infections can be a very serious problem after surgery, your surgeon probably did not want to put you at risk. If your white blood count was extremely high and other blood results showed sign that it was something more serious, but assured your doctors would have told you. While my pre-op blood work didn't show high white cells, I did develop cellulitis (skin infection) the morning of surgery and was postponed for 2 months.
   — Sarahlicious