Thursday, April 16, 2009

Low Monocyte

Was not feeling well since last Tuesday, my head is aching and have been feeling something odd about my right hand. Because of our Mt. Pinatubo trek on Sunday, have to be 100% healthy!

Thus, during lunch break, went to MegaClinic for a check-up. The doctor gave me medicine for my headache (Advil) and vitamin B. She also have me undergo a CBC. Since I would get the result after two hours, decided to pick it up after office.

The result? Everything else is normal, except for my monocyte level, which is low.

Since the doctor who asked that I take CBC has gone home, Maxicare referred me to a specialist to interpret the result.

While waiting for my turn with the doctor, surfed the internet via my mobile phone. "Monocytes help other white blood cells remove dead or damaged tissues, destroy cancer cells, and regulate immunity against foreign substances. Monocytes are produced in the bone marrow and then enter the bloodstream, where they account for about 1 to 10% of the circulating leukocytes (200 to 600 monocytes per microliter of blood). After a few hours in the bloodstream, they migrate to tissues (such as spleen, liver, lung, and bone marrow tissue), where they mature into macrophages, the main scavenger cells of the immune system. Genetic abnormalities that affect the function of monocytes and macrophages and cause buildup of debris within the cells result in the lipid storage diseases (such as Gaucher's disease and Niemann-Pick disease—see Hereditary Metabolic Disorders: Gaucher's Disease)." (From http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec14/ch174/ch174f.html)

Dr. Milagros Gomez is very accommodating, very motherly, that you would not be shy to ask questions. She asked me to take several tests, this is to rule out Phase 2 Diabetes. (sad)

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