Thank you. I do not have the peripheral smear study. I can tell you that 2 months after chemo, my lymphocytes were 1.0 (in October). WBC was 2.5 and Neutrophils were 1.2. Had not had radiation yet. Had radiation in November--no blood studies until Feburary though. Next blood report was February and WBC was 4.0, Neutrophils were 2.9 and Lymphocytes had dropped to .6. I was on Bactrim and Augmentin for cellulitis then. Next blood report was at the end of March: WBC 3.6, Neutrophils 2.3 and Lymphocytes were .9. I had just finished the Bactrim and had started a very mild cellulitis again. They were just about to switch me to Doxycycline. I had also exercised a lot that day--I've heard it increases blood counts. Because note that the Lymphocytes were up a bit. April 6: WBC 2.2, Neutrophils 1.3 and Lymphocytes .7. (on doxycycline) April 12: WBC 2.2, Neutrophils 1.5 and Lymphocytes .57. (on doxycycline) April 19: WBC 2.7, Neutrophils 1.8 and Lymphocytes .65. (finished doxycycline a few days before). In all cases the red count and hemoglogin and platelets are normal. My doctor did not order all those blood counts--I went and got them because I was scared. He is not that worried about the blood counts for some reason. So you are reallly sure that doxycycline could lower LYMPHOCYTES???--not only neutrophils? Also, It makes me feel better when you say that decrease in blood counts does not hamper immunity against cancer. But, here is my question: I thought the "killer" cells that kill random cancer cells in your body were lymphocytes--they are the T-cells. If I have a low lymphocyte count, wouldn't that make me more likely to get cancer? Either a new cancer entirely, or a recurrence? I hope you can make me feel better about this. Because I am really scared. I have heard that radiation can keep your lymphocytes permanently low--although I guess mine went up to .9 in March. Thank you again.

But the Tcells ARE lymphocytes. If this decline is not temporary it WOULD affect cancer immunity, right? Also, how would doxycycline lower the lymphocytes?

Thank you. But are the cytotoxic cells resistant to radiation?? Because my counts were coming back, but dropped after the radiatioin. If I have a low lymphocyte count, aren't some cytotoxic cells missing?
In other words, can I fight new cancer cells with a .65 lymphocyte count? I think my macrophages are low too, because my monocytes are at .2. They are at the very low end. Do I have a good chance of fighting off new cancers with this going on?
Also, do other antibiotics than doxycycline cause bone marrow suppression? Does bactrim? Does Augmentin?