Lab results - looking for opinions [PLEASE READ 1ST POST]

So, I was just looking this up online, and apparently, a total PSA level up to 4 ng/ml is considered within the normal range. This means if your dad’s PSA went from 0.01 to 0.044 ng/ml over the course of a year, that's honestly such a tiny jump that it's practically negligible. Besides, it's actually pretty common for those numbers to fluctuate up and down within the normal limits; they aren't going to stay locked at exactly 0.01 or 2.01 forever. If you were to get a full blood panel done today and then immediately redo it tomorrow, there's almost zero chance all the values would be identical. My dad used to have to monitor his prostate regularly, and if I remember correctly, he wasn't just checking PSA, but also his free PSA and a few other markers. If you really want that extra peace of mind, you could always ask about additional blood tests, though if his ultrasound results look good and the PSA stays stable, it probably isn't even necessary. But, since he's dealt with cancer surgery before, I'd imagine he needs to go beyond just basic prostate checks and do more comprehensive screenings every now and then. 🤔

Thanks so much for all the help! ☺ Honestly, he’s just really worried about that growth rate. He even did the math and told me, "If it keeps growing like this, you'll have metastases in two years." Even though all the levels look normal, that sudden spike totally threw both of us for a loop. Who wouldn't be rattled by that?

Amanda Perez42 said:Thanks so much for looking into this ☺. Honestly, he’s just worried about that growth rate in general—doing those calculations where they say, "if it keeps climbing like this, you'll have metastases in two years." Even with everything else being within range, that upward trend really threw me for a loop too.

So, PSA is a prostate tumor marker, but an increase doesn't automatically mean someone has a tumor, especially if the numbers are just fluctuating slightly between muscle tissue or year over year while still staying within the standard reference ranges. A rising PSA doesn't necessarily mean there are metastases or that they will ever develop, just like a perfectly steady PSA doesn't guarantee there isn't some other carcinoma elsewhere in the body. That's why oncologists don't just test for one specific type of cancer; they look at a broader picture. For instance, my dad had colon cancer surgery two years ago, and since then, he's been getting regular checkups for his colon, his prostate, his abdomen, and doing thorough blood work, including several different tumor markers. By the way, my dad's PSA used to be over 5 once, so they sent him in to check his free PSA and run other prostate tests, and thank God, it turned out to be nothing.

Basically, if the reference range for PSA is 0 to 4 ng/ml (which should be noted on your lab report), then that rise you're describing is honestly negligible—actually, it's quite normal. If the reference range were something tiny like 0 to 0.01, then a result of 0.04 might actually be significant, but in this case, I really don't understand why you're worrying. I'm no medical expert, but I do have a decent handle on numbers. 🙂

Come on, please, just take a look at what the reference values on the report actually say.

47 years old, diagnosed with SLE and APL syndrome. Currently taking Andol100, propranolol, Lamictal for TN, and Advil as needed.
The SLE is currently inactive.
About a year and a half ago, I had subacute thyroiditis.
While on Medrol, I dealt with menstrual irregularities and heavy bleeding—I actually had to have steroid myopathy treated because of the Medrol. About two years ago, after stopping the steroids, everything returned to normal.
That’s a quick snapshot of my history.

Last year, starting around June, I suddenly lost my period for nearly five months. My FSH levels were within the normal range, though I did have a fibroid. Eventually, my cycle returned, but it has become much shorter, lasting only about 17 to 20 days, sometimes accompanied by two days of intense bleeding. No pain, though. Occasionally, I feel discomfort in my neck in the same spots where it hurt during my thyroid issues.
At the same time, I spent the entire summer dealing with terrible nausea and a strange odor in my urine, along with an unusual taste and smell in my mouth and nose. An ultrasound showed kidney stones. These symptoms persist almost daily now. Toward the end of November, I started experiencing vision issues—sudden episodes of blurred vision lasting anywhere from a few to ten minutes before clearing up. This has continued until today.
Since I have lesions on both optic nerves, I went through extensive testing: VP, VEP, full ophthalmology exams, and seeing a neuro-ophthalmologist. They couldn't find a reason for this intermittent blurring.

As time passed, things just felt worse. I was feeling isolated, stumbling around at times, struggling to concentrate, and constantly tired. Then there was that awful smell in my nose, the taste in my mouth, and the scent of urine (even though my urinalysis was sterile!). One day, I couldn't even follow what a colleague was saying because the brain fog was so thick. I checked my blood sugar with a glucometer and it was 14. Because I felt nauseous all week, I tried eating a "diabetic-friendly" diet—lighter meals, no fasting—since my mother was diabetic and I know the drill. This morning, I had oatmeal and an orange for breakfast. For lunch, I just had a small bowl of Rice-A-Roni around 12:30 PM. My glucose was around 14 at 6:30 PM, then dropped to 7 by 8:00 PM.
I had lab work done at the clinic: OGTT results were 5.9/6.3 (not labeled as pre-diabetic). Fasting glucose was 5.9 (normal range 4.4–6.4).
Everything else seems to be within normal limits... glucose in urine is normal (L). Ketones in urine were 35 (normal L). TSH is 1.53 (normal 0.34–5.60).

I’ve been referred to an endocrinologist. Here are the findings:
Beta cell activity is 47%.
Peripheral insulin sensitivity is 115.9%.
Insulin resistance index is 0.9 (unit 1).
Reference ranges weren't listed!
(Ten years ago, I had early-stage glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, along with menstrual issues and weight gain. Metformin brought everything back to normal, and I stayed off it for two years once the results looked good.)
Other recent results:
Fasting glucose: 6.6 mmol/L (normal 4.4–6.4)
HbA1c: 5.6% (normal HbA1c SI: 38 mmol/mol (normal eAG average glucose: 6.3 mmol/L (normal Insulin: 37 pmol/L (normal 21–174)
PTH: 8.6 pmol/L (normal 1.5–7.6)
LH: 15 IU/L (follicular phase 2.1–10.9, mid-cycle 19.2–103, luteal phase 1.2–12.9, postmenopausal 10.9–58.6)
FSH: 37.9 IU/L (follicular phase 3.9–8.8, mid-cycle 4.5–22.5, luteal phase 1.8–5.1, postmenopausal 16.7–114)
Testosterone: 1.6 nmol/L (normal 0.3–2.6)
Estradiol: 287 pmol/L (follicular phase 99–448, periovulation 349–1589, luteal phase 180–1086, postmenopausal 73–147)
Prolactin: 182 mIU/L (normal 71–566, postmenopausal 58–416)
Progesterone: 3.4 nmol/L (follicular phase 0.5–3.1, luteal phase 13.1–49.4, postmenopausal 0.2–1.5)
DHEAS: 5.7 micromol/L (normal 0.5–6.3)
Androstenedione: 8.3 nmol/L (normal 0.7–13.9)

The endocrinologist says everything looks fine. Since the PTH isn't significantly elevated, they don't think it's a major factor.
Interestingly, my PTH was already high when I was first diagnosed with insulin resistance, and my cortisol and ACTH were low back then too.

Five years ago, I ran some tests; back then, beta cell activity was 78% (and now it's 47%!?!?). The OGTT was fine.
Insulin reference range is 21–174—back then it was:
Fasting: 41
30 min: 270
60 min: 320
120 min: 160
180 min: 30
...300 min: 37.
C-peptide reference range is 0.37–1.27:
30 min: 1.56
60 min: 1.6
...300 min: 0.37

I have a glucometer... I check regularly and recently got a new one. I can't seem to catch a consistent pattern in my readings—whether it's fasting, before meals, or 2 hours after. Just doing those standard diabetic checks, my fasting goes from 3.6 to 8, my 2-hour post-meal is between 3.2 and 13.2, and random checks also swing between 3.2 and 13.2.
I’ve noticed that
whenever I eat something poorly, I get incredibly drowsy—to the point where I feel like I might actually pass out. My GUK sits around 3.2–4.5 during those times... and once it hits 4.2, I get so sleepy that I just drift off.

Right now, I’m following a pretty disciplined diet, much like the nutritional guidelines you'd find in a standard American medical textbook.
The moment I have something sugary, like a juice, I get this awful, lingering taste and smell in my nose, mouth, and even my urine... it even happens with bananas. Once, I had three Nabisco wafers, and the sensation was indescribably unpleasant.

Regarding ketones in my urine, some say they aren't a big deal since my OGTT results look fine. That
reading of 35 was likely because I was fasting that morning and strictly adhering to my diet. Usually, my ketone levels stay within the normal range, even when I'm struggling to keep food down due to MTC-related nausea!

Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on with my body. Yesterday, I had a single Corny bar for breakfast, and immediately afterward, I felt nauseous, smelled acidic, and experienced blurred vision.

I forgot to mention: whenever I experience those strange changes in smell and taste—especially when my urine smells off and I’m feeling nauseous and disoriented—red welts break out on my upper forearm, looking almost like I've scratched my skin raw. Sometimes they show up on my shin too.

I honestly feel like a hypochondriac sometimes... nobody seems to believe how poorly I'm actually feeling, but I truly am struggling. Living alone makes it harder because there's no one here to check on me if things take a turn for the worse. It’s a bit worrying.
My mother was diabetic and required insulin, and her sister was the same.

To looks like diabetes to me.😢

Hey Sophie, if your blood sugar hits anything over 11.1 at any point, that's enough for an American doctor to diagnose you with diabetes. What kind have you been dealing with? Since it looks like diet alone isn't cutting it to keep your numbers in the normal range, you'll probably need to start some kind of medication pretty soon. I’d suggest taking that logbook where you track your levels and heading straight to your primary care physician; they'll likely get you started on a treatment plan right away.

I need some advice here,

Can spirometry results be skewed if you’re dealing with a nasty cold, a persistent cough, and a sinus infection right when you take the test?

This is all for a new job—a proper office position—which requires a spirometry test as part of the medical clearance.

I went in to schedule the appointment, but the nurse just tells me, "We can do it right now."

I tried explaining to her that I was running a fever just a few days ago, that I’ve been coughing constantly, and that my sinuses are absolutely draining—just full of congestion and mucus. I asked to push it back a few days, but she insisted it wouldn't matter. To make matters worse, while I was actually blowing into the tube, I had a coughing fit because my throat felt so blocked up.

Anyway, I haven't received the official report yet, though I did beg her to tell me how it looked.
She mentioned that my primary numbers seemed fine—I think they were over 80%—but that one specific parameter regarding the small airways (she was pointing at some curve on the graph) was significantly low.
Please, can someone tell me if a sinus infection could cause a result like that? And more importantly, if the results come back looking poor, could that prevent me from getting cleared for an office job? A few years back, I had a spirometry test and everything was perfectly normal. I don't have asthma or anything like that, though I am a smoker.
Thanks in advance for any insight.

amberfox99 said:Sophie7, any blood sugar reading above 11.1 at any point is enough to diagnose diabetes. What are your levels? Since diet alone isn't keeping your numbers within a healthy range, you'll likely need to start medication soon. Take your logbook with all your readings to your primary care physician as soon as possible; they will probably start you on therapy right away.

I wrote that post after visiting my family doctor and then seeing a specialist at Mayo Clinic... those were the specific tests they ordered... and they told me that these spikes and fluctuations in my blood sugar aren't a big deal—that it's perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. Even symptoms like blurred vision? They said that doesn't mean anything either, because my OGTT results came back fine... if there was an issue, the test would have caught it immediately.
Since I haven't been admitted to a facility like Mayo Clinic where they monitor you under strictly controlled conditions, I feel like they might think I'm exaggerating my glucometer readings! Their explanation is just that blood sugar rises naturally and everyone experiences it, and surely I must have eaten something... though I'm allergic to eggs and wheat, so I don't touch pastries, pies, or cookies. And if my fasting levels are high... well, that happens too.

Basically, the consensus among them is that I'm fine. My GP gave me a prescription that lasts for a year, and I doubt he'll give me another one since he’s satisfied that there's no problem... which just means less work and less money spent on me. As for responsibility... even the specialists at Mayo Clinic said everything looks okay.

Now I'm stuck. I don't feel well, and even though I'm watching what I eat, I feel terrible because I'm eating so little—barely a third of a normal meal, and that's assuming a standard diet.

I'm really lost here and can't see a way forward. All I got from the doctors was that I wasted two days just to be told that these results and symptoms are common for everyone, not just people with diabetes.

Sophie, why aren't you seeking a second opinion? As a patient, you have every right to do that, and no doctor can deny you that. If this LOM guy starts giving you trouble about getting a referral, just report him—they'll issue the referral eventually.

You know how it goes... You just end up totally wiped out and drained from all that constant back-and-forth...
But I suppose I have no choice.

So, they just ran some routine bloodwork and found out my platelet count is through the roof.
It’s 30 points over the upper limit.
Anyone else dealt with this? Help a guy out.

Perhaps there was some recent inflammation?

Not really.😕 I just had that ultrasound thing done on the vein in my right leg about ten days ago. Then yesterday, I went in for a Doppler scan on the same leg, and everything came back looking fine.
My internist suggested I start taking some Aspirin 100 as part of my routine, but then the cardiologist who did the Doppler yesterday was like, "Nah, you don't even need that."
I guess I'll just have to redo the tests in a week.

30 isn't much. Aspirin or Andol won't hurt you, but I would definitely get that test redone first.

The normal range goes up to 424, but mine’s sitting at 460. I'm gonna go back and get the test redone in a week...

I just checked my blood work and urine results. My blood counts look fine, but this urine report looks pretty terrible. Can anyone help me out? Just looking for some general idea of what's going on since I won't be able to get retested for a while. Here are the problematic parts..

Chemical analysis - Urine test

Leukocytes - 75, unit: Lkc x 10^6 (ref. interval: neg. up to 10)

Microscopic examination of urine sediment

Leukocytes - 25 (adult ref. interval 0 to 2)
Platelet epithelial cells - 15 (adult ref. interval 0-2)
Small epithelial cells - 5 (ref. interval up to 1)
Mucus - mass (ref. interval: neg.)

Can someone who actually knows how to read hormone panels give me a hand? I’m dealing with some skin issues on my face and decided to get some bloodwork done to see what's going on:
* Day 3
LH 3.6 follicular phase: 2.4-12.6
FSH 5.0 follicular phase: 3.5 - 12.5
Estradiol 156 follicular phase: up to 854
Prolactin 792 (102-496)
PEG (prolactin after sedimentation) 395 (75-381)
Androstenedione 12.15 follicular phase: 3.6-10.20

* Day 22
Progesterone 16.5 luteal phase: 5.3 - 86.0
Testosterone (total) 1.5 (up to 1.7)
Testosterone (free) 1.2 (0.7 -2.2)
SHBG 63 (32-128)

*I’ve been drinking herbal tea to try and bring that prolactin down; my period came in on time (after six months of it being a complete mess, though it used to be regular before that), but lowering the prolactin doesn't seem to be doing much for my skin.
If anyone notices anything out of the ordinary, please help me out
Thanks in advance

gentlelynx8 said:I checked my blood work and urine results. Blood looks fine, but my urine results look terrible. Can someone help? Just looking for a rough idea since I won't be able to get retested anytime soon. Here’s what looks problematic..

Chemical analysis - urine test

Leukocytes - 75, unit: Lkc x 10^6 (ref. interval: neg. to 10)

Microscopic sediment analysis

Leukocytes - 25 (adult ref. interval: 0 to 2)
Platelet epithelial cells - 15 (adult ref. interval: 0-2)
Small epithelial cells - 5 (ref. interval up to 1)
Mucus - mass (ref. interval: neg.)

What prompted you to get these tests done?

High leukocyte counts usually point toward an infection. Are you experiencing any symptoms?

Brenda Alvarez24 said:You know how it is... You just get worn out, exhausted from all this constant straining...
But I have to.

I get it, but I don't think you should just brush this off. It isn't normal for those numbers to spike like that, especially if you're feeling unwell—especially considering your diagnosis and everything you've been taking for treatment. (Are you still on steroids or did they taper you off?) Steroids definitely mess with your blood sugar. (For instance, I think I'm dealing with hypoglycemia because of some antimalarial meds; my last two glucose readings were below the lower limit. Plus, I occasionally start shaking 2-3 hours after having a cappuccino in the morning, and it doesn't stop until I eat something. I can't tell if it's my sugar dropping or just the caffeine hitting my blood pressure.)

Get a solid referral for a second opinion and see a specialist you can actually trust. If you can, borrow a glucose monitor from someone and check your levels several times a day; keep a log. Note down what you ate and what your sugar levels were afterward and at what intervals (usually you check an hour or two after eating; you can find the reference ranges online).

melloworca6 said:So, what made you decide to run these tests?

White blood cell counts usually spike when there's an infection. Are you feeling anything off?

Well, I originally got bloodwork done to check on some stomach issues, and this was just a side thing—nothing specific triggered it. But honestly, I've been having some trouble with my period lately. My cycle has been getting longer, and it's actually a few days late this month. So yeah, I guess I am dealing with some new gynecological stuff.