u/Existing_Page_7101

**30F — sick for 3 months, persistent high WBC. Please help :(**

I’ve felt unwell for about **3 months**.

Main symptoms:
Daily fatigue
Low appetite and weight loss - 160 last year this time, 149 when this illness started, 133 now
Waking up hot/sweaty, sometimes with low-grade temps
Headaches
Weird sore/restless feeling in my legs- this might be the worst symptom. I am so restless that I can barely function. I can’t even focus on watching TV. I just want to crawl out of my body it is sooo awful

My bloodwork has repeatedly shown:
**WBC ranging from 11.3–15.0- fluctuating up and down**
Mostly high **neutrophils, but in most recent monocytes were 987**
Platelets sometimes mildly high/high-normal, most recently 444
Hemoglobin normal
**CRP 13.9**
ESR normal
**Ferritin 14**

I saw hematology:
Flow cytometry normal
No leukemia/lymphoma seen on flow
LDH normal
Beta-2 microglobulin normal
SPEP/IFE normal
Free light chains normal
Genetic/molecular tests were negative:
**BCR-ABL1 FISH negative**
**JAK2 V617F negative**
**CALR negative**
**MPL negative**
Other testing:
ANA negative
Rheumatoid factor negative
Thyroid normal
Celiac negative
Abdominal ultrasound: no enlarged spleen or lymph nodes
Fecal calprotectin normal
GI pathogen PCR negative

GI wants to do an upper endoscopy bc they don’t know why my ferretin is so low or why I’m losing weight

I’m wondering what else can cause **persistent neutrophilic leukocytosis + elevated CRP + systemic symptoms. Living like this has been miserable :(**

30F — sick for 3 months, persistent high WBC. Please help :(

I’ve felt unwell for about 3 months.

Main symptoms:
Daily fatigue
Low appetite and weight loss - 160 last year this time, 149 when this illness started, 133 now
Waking up hot/sweaty, sometimes with low-grade temps
Headaches
Weird sore/restless feeling in my legs- this might be the worst symptom. I am so restless that I can barely function. I can’t even focus on watching TV. I just want to crawl out of my body it is sooo awful

My bloodwork has repeatedly shown:
WBC ranging from 11.3–15.0- fluctuating up and down
Mostly high neutrophils, but in most recent monocytes were 987
Platelets sometimes mildly high/high-normal, most recently 444
Hemoglobin normal
CRP 13.9
ESR normal
Ferritin 14

I saw hematology:
Flow cytometry normal
No leukemia/lymphoma seen on flow
LDH normal
Beta-2 microglobulin normal
SPEP/IFE normal
Free light chains normal
Genetic/molecular tests were negative:
BCR-ABL1 FISH negative
JAK2 V617F negative
CALR negative
MPL negative
Other testing:
ANA negative
Rheumatoid factor negative
Thyroid normal
Celiac negative
Abdominal ultrasound: no enlarged spleen or lymph nodes
Fecal calprotectin normal
GI pathogen PCR negative

GI wants to do an upper endoscopy bc they don’t know why my ferretin is so low or why I’m losing weight

I’m wondering what else can cause persistent neutrophilic leukocytosis + elevated CRP + systemic symptoms. Living like this has been miserable :(

Has anyone had sore feeling and/or shaky legs with low ferretin? I’ve read that it can be linked with RLS but my leg feeling doesn’t get better with movement or stretches. My ferretin is 14 iron is 92 and hemoglobin is 12.3.

I’m taking Thorne research iron pill once a day it’s only 36 mg. I imagine this will take a while to work. I was offered infusions but I’m too scared of the side effects. It was called injectafor.

More questions: do u know what your low ferretin is caused by?

Thanks.

My ferretin is 14. Iron ok. Very symptomatic. Unsure of cause :( I have light-normal periods and haven’t eaten red meat in 3 years I’m not sure if that’s enough to explain. They’re having me go to GI

But anyway, injectafer infusions were prescribed for me. I am scared of side effects and it not working. I have some allergies to antibiotics so idk if I would react to this or if it’s totally seperate.

Please share experiences with injecatfer or just infusions in general.

Also, has anyone experience legs feeling weird/sore at all times and or weight loss with low ferretin?

Thank you. This sucks

30F, 5’3”, currently ~131–133 lb. Previously around 155–160 lb. Duration: about 3 months.
Current meds: Lexapro/escitalopram 20 mg daily, lorazepam 0.5 mg PRN mostly at night (trying not to take this), oral iron supplement daily with B12 and vitamin C, birth control pill, allergy meds as needed. Gabapentin was recently prescribed for restless legs/sleep but I’m nervous about taking it.

I’m posting because I’ve had 3 months of feeling unwell with weight loss, abnormal labs, GI symptoms, and severe leg symptoms. I have seen PCP and hematology and have GI coming up, but I’m still trying to understand what direction makes the most sense.

Timeline / doctor visits
In late March 2026, I had a near-syncope/lightheaded episode at work and went to the ER. Around that time my WBC was 15.0. CT abdomen and chest X-ray were normal. Since then I’ve had persistent symptoms and repeated abnormal CBCs.
In April, I was still feeling lightheaded/unwell. My Lexapro was increased from 5 mg to 10 mg around early April.
In early May, my Lexapro was increased to 20 mg. Ativan/lorazepam PRN was also added later in May, mainly for sleep/anxiety.
On 05/27 I saw hematology because of persistent leukocytosis/neutrophilia and weight loss. They did a broad blood workup. Hematology later told me the “scary blood stuff” seemed ruled out and thought it looked reactive/inflammatory. They offered iron infusions because my ferritin was low.

On 06/17 I saw PCP again. PCP recommended GI evaluation/upper endoscopy due to weight loss and symptoms. PCP prescribed gabapentin for restless legs/sleep and said rheumatology would be considered if GI workup is negative.

I have a GI appointment coming up because of weight loss, appetite loss, morning gagging, stool changes, LUQ discomfort here and there and low ferritin.

Main symptoms
My main symptoms since late March:
Unintentional weight loss from about 155–160 in January lb to 131–133 lb
Reduced appetite- some days better than others but I am by no means starving myself
Morning gagging/dry heaving - I think this is anxiety
Fatigue, weakness, shakiness, “virusy” feeling
Waking up hot/feverish sometimes, not drenching night sweats
Headaches/head heaviness/scalp tenderness
Intermittent LUQ/left rib/upper abdominal discomfort, sometimes with burping
Stool changes: sometimes yellow/orange/loose stools, mucus/specks/undigested food, floating/greasy-looking pieces at times, constipation at other times
Severe leg symptoms, currently the worst symptom
The leg symptoms are what I most need help understanding. My legs feel heavy/sore/weird, sometimes hot, and I have an urge to move them especially at rest/night. But movement/walking does not really relieve it. It is more like I constantly feel my legs and can’t get comfortable. I’m wondering if this is true restless legs from low ferritin, SSRI-related akathisia/restlessness from Lexapro 20 mg, neuropathy/B12-related, or something else.

Weight timeline
Approximate weights:
Baseline in 2025/early 2026: 155–160 lb
03/25: 149 lb
04/14: 141 lb
05/02: 140 lb
05/20: 138 lb
06/05: 136 lb
Mid/late June: 131–133 lb
I stopped drinking alcohol in late March and my appetite has been much lower, but I have not intentionally been trying to lose weight.

CBC trend
Repeated CBCs have shown mild/moderate leukocytosis, mostly neutrophils:
03/24 ER: WBC 15.0, platelets 408
04/07: WBC 12.1, ANC 8,434, platelets 396
05/04: WBC 13.7, ANC 11,056, platelets 357
05/14: WBC 11.3, ANC ~8,180, platelets 417
05/27: WBC 14.6, ANC 11,607, platelets 399, monocytes 860
Hemoglobin 12.5, Hct 37.9, MCV 87
I am not anemic based on hemoglobin/MCV, but my ferritin is low.

Other labs
Ferritin: 14 ng/mL
Iron: 93 µg/dL
B12: 259 pg/mL
Folate: 18.7
CRP: 13.9 mg/L
ESR: 6 mm/hr
CMP: normal, including kidney/liver/electrolytes/protein/albumin
TSH/free T4: normal
Celiac testing: negative
ANA: negative
RF: negative
Fecal calprotectin: negative/normal
LDH: normal
Beta-2 microglobulin: normal
SPEP/IFE: normal
Free light chains: normal

Hematology testing
Hematology workup was reassuring/negative:
Peripheral blood flow cytometry normal
BCR-ABL1 FISH negative
JAK2 V617F/CALR/MPL negative
No enlarged spleen on ultrasound
LDH normal
Beta-2 microglobulin normal
SPEP/IFE and light chains normal
Hematology impression was that blood cancer/MPN type causes were unlikely and that the leukocytosis looked reactive/inflammatory.

Imaging / cardiac testing
CT abdomen in March: normal but did say “limited findings due to movement”
Chest X-ray: normal
Abdominal ultrasound 06/03: basically normal
Spleen not enlarged. Gallbladder/bile duct/pancreas/kidneys/aorta/IVC normal. Liver had a likely anatomic variant involving the left hepatic lobe.
Echocardiogram: EF 55–60%, no major structural abnormalities
Zio monitor: sinus tachycardia episodes only
Eye exam with dilation/photos reportedly normal

What I’m trying to figure out
My biggest concerns are the weight loss, wbc and the leg symptoms.

Questions:
Can ferritin 14 with normal hemoglobin cause severe restless legs or RLS-like symptoms?
Since movement does not relieve the urge/restlessness, does this sound more like akathisia than classic RLS?
Could Lexapro 20 mg be causing or worsening leg restlessness/akathisia, especially since the dose was increased during this illness?
Could borderline B12 contribute to leg sensations/neuropathy even without anemia?
What GI causes should be checked for low ferritin + weight loss + appetite loss/morning gagging/stool changes? H. pylori, gastritis, ulcer, malabsorption, IBD despite negative fecal calprotectin?
Does persistent neutrophilic leukocytosis with CRP 13.9 but ESR 6 fit a reactive/inflammatory picture?
What should I ask GI/PCP/neurology/psychiatry to check next?

I’m so scared :( and I want my life back . I was a happy and energetic person before all of this

30F, 5’3”, currently ~131–133 lb. Previously around 155–160 lb. Duration: about 3 months.
Current meds: Lexapro/escitalopram 20 mg daily, lorazepam 0.5 mg PRN mostly at night (trying not to take this), oral iron supplement daily with B12 and vitamin C, birth control pill, allergy meds as needed. Gabapentin was recently prescribed for restless legs/sleep but I’m nervous about taking it.

I’m posting because I’ve had 3 months of feeling unwell with weight loss, abnormal labs, GI symptoms, and severe leg symptoms. I have seen PCP and hematology and have GI coming up, but I’m still trying to understand what direction makes the most sense.

Timeline / doctor visits
In late March 2026, I had a near-syncope/lightheaded episode at work and went to the ER. Around that time my WBC was 15.0. CT abdomen and chest X-ray were normal. Since then I’ve had persistent symptoms and repeated abnormal CBCs.
In April, I was still feeling lightheaded/unwell. My Lexapro was increased from 5 mg to 10 mg around early April.
In early May, my Lexapro was increased to 20 mg. Ativan/lorazepam PRN was also added later in May, mainly for sleep/anxiety.
On 05/27 I saw hematology because of persistent leukocytosis/neutrophilia and weight loss. They did a broad blood workup. Hematology later told me the “scary blood stuff” seemed ruled out and thought it looked reactive/inflammatory. They offered iron infusions because my ferritin was low.

On 06/17 I saw PCP again. PCP recommended GI evaluation/upper endoscopy due to weight loss and symptoms. PCP prescribed gabapentin for restless legs/sleep and said rheumatology would be considered if GI workup is negative.

I have a GI appointment coming up because of weight loss, appetite loss, morning gagging, stool changes, LUQ discomfort here and there and low ferritin.

Main symptoms
My main symptoms since late March:
Unintentional weight loss from about 155–160 in January lb to 131–133 lb
Reduced appetite- some days better than others but I am by no means starving myself
Morning gagging/dry heaving - I think this is anxiety
Fatigue, weakness, shakiness, “virusy” feeling
Waking up hot/feverish sometimes, not drenching night sweats
Headaches/head heaviness/scalp tenderness
Intermittent LUQ/left rib/upper abdominal discomfort, sometimes with burping
Stool changes: sometimes yellow/orange/loose stools, mucus/specks/undigested food, floating/greasy-looking pieces at times, constipation at other times
Severe leg symptoms, currently the worst symptom
The leg symptoms are what I most need help understanding. My legs feel heavy/sore/weird, sometimes hot, and I have an urge to move them especially at rest/night. But movement/walking does not really relieve it. It is more like I constantly feel my legs and can’t get comfortable. I’m wondering if this is true restless legs from low ferritin, SSRI-related akathisia/restlessness from Lexapro 20 mg, neuropathy/B12-related, or something else.

Weight timeline
Approximate weights:
Baseline in 2025/early 2026: 155–160 lb
03/25: 149 lb
04/14: 141 lb
05/02: 140 lb
05/20: 138 lb
06/05: 136 lb
Mid/late June: 131–133 lb
I stopped drinking alcohol in late March and my appetite has been much lower, but I have not intentionally been trying to lose weight.

CBC trend
Repeated CBCs have shown mild/moderate leukocytosis, mostly neutrophils:
03/24 ER: WBC 15.0, platelets 408
04/07: WBC 12.1, ANC 8,434, platelets 396
05/04: WBC 13.7, ANC 11,056, platelets 357
05/14: WBC 11.3, ANC ~8,180, platelets 417
05/27: WBC 14.6, ANC 11,607, platelets 399, monocytes 860
Hemoglobin 12.5, Hct 37.9, MCV 87
I am not anemic based on hemoglobin/MCV, but my ferritin is low.

Other labs
Ferritin: 14 ng/mL
Iron: 93 µg/dL
B12: 259 pg/mL
Folate: 18.7
CRP: 13.9 mg/L
ESR: 6 mm/hr
CMP: normal, including kidney/liver/electrolytes/protein/albumin
TSH/free T4: normal
Celiac testing: negative
ANA: negative
RF: negative
Fecal calprotectin: negative/normal
LDH: normal
Beta-2 microglobulin: normal
SPEP/IFE: normal
Free light chains: normal

Hematology testing
Hematology workup was reassuring/negative:
Peripheral blood flow cytometry normal
BCR-ABL1 FISH negative
JAK2 V617F/CALR/MPL negative
No enlarged spleen on ultrasound
LDH normal
Beta-2 microglobulin normal
SPEP/IFE and light chains normal
Hematology impression was that blood cancer/MPN type causes were unlikely and that the leukocytosis looked reactive/inflammatory.

Imaging / cardiac testing
CT abdomen in March: normal but did say “limited findings due to movement”
Chest X-ray: normal
Abdominal ultrasound 06/03: basically normal
Spleen not enlarged. Gallbladder/bile duct/pancreas/kidneys/aorta/IVC normal. Liver had a likely anatomic variant involving the left hepatic lobe.
Echocardiogram: EF 55–60%, no major structural abnormalities
Zio monitor: sinus tachycardia episodes only
Eye exam with dilation/photos reportedly normal

What I’m trying to figure out
My biggest concerns are the weight loss, wbc and the leg symptoms.

Questions:
Can ferritin 14 with normal hemoglobin cause severe restless legs or RLS-like symptoms?
Since movement does not relieve the urge/restlessness, does this sound more like akathisia than classic RLS?
Could Lexapro 20 mg be causing or worsening leg restlessness/akathisia, especially since the dose was increased during this illness?
Could borderline B12 contribute to leg sensations/neuropathy even without anemia?
What GI causes should be checked for low ferritin + weight loss + appetite loss/morning gagging/stool changes? H. pylori, gastritis, ulcer, malabsorption, IBD despite negative fecal calprotectin?
Does persistent neutrophilic leukocytosis with CRP 13.9 but ESR 6 fit a reactive/inflammatory picture?
What should I ask GI/PCP/neurology/psychiatry to check next?

I’m so scared :( and I want my life back . I was a happy and energetic person before all of this