Query - Elevated White Cell Count, a j-pouch norm?

I’ve had an elevated white cell count for many years, since well before my J-pouch surgery. I think it has more to do with IBD than pouchitis.

Hi

I also had a elevated WBC recently, but it was after I went off rifaximin (generic of xifaxan, but cheaper) for 6 weeks. This last 15 months the pouchitis had never really gone away. I would rotate antibiotics every month and would be on them 2 weeks of every month. While on the antibiotics for the 2 weeks each month, I  went off the rifaximin. Then I decided not to go back on rifaximin since I didn't think the rifaximin was really working for pouchitis. I was quite surprised during a routine blood test to find out the wbc was triple from the last test (3 months earlier)  So i guess it kept the wbc  normal.

I have now started entivyo  (no more rifaximin for now) and will be curious to see my next blood test results. I have only been on entivyo for 1 month (2 doses so far). Can't really tell if it's working (supposedly takes 8 weeks) Time will tell, there are good and bad days.

I have had my k-pouch for 18 years. 

Interesting! Thank you for the replies. My WBC has been somewhat elevated more often than not going back at least to 2012/2013. It's possible it may have been elevated as well prior to that, but that's as far back as the records I have access to.

I also believe it may be generally due to IBD as well. Elevated WBC obviously can be a marker of inflammation, which we already know we all have.

I'm not taking any antibiotics and I haven't for a number of years. I previously rotated cirpo and flagyl, but not since 2014. They didn't seem to make any difference when I was on them (other than causing me fatigue and upset stomach). Since my pouchitis is subclinical and generally asymptomatic to very mild symptoms, my surgeon wants to save the "big guns" for when I have a full flare.

I was told that my WBC can be elevated bc of something as simple as I’m fighting a cold. but it’s just one piece of the overall picture. Did they run your Sed rate as well? That, in conjunction to the WBC can also tell you if your inflammatory markers are up or if you’re trying to fight something like an infection. Sometimes my WBC has been up for months at a time but I’ve felt just fine so they haven’t done a thing. So how you’re feeling also plays a role too. Hope they figure it out.