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

Hey everyone, my knee is killing me. I'm in my mid-thirties.

X-ray results:

Bone structure and mineralization appear normal for the bones shown.

Reduction of the joint space in the tibiofemoral joint—it seems more pronounced on the medial side.

Flattening and sclerosis of both tibial plateaus.

Early signs of sharpening in the intercondylar eminence.

Periarticular ventral bone apposition.

Subchondral osteosclerosis of the patellar articular surface.

Fabella.

So... am I going to lose the leg? Should I start looking at prosthetic wooden ones?

William Gonzalez3 said:Guys, my knee is killing me. I'm in my mid-thirties and already falling apart.

X-ray results are in:

The bone structure and mineralization look totally solid.

The TF joint space is narrowing, mostly on the medial side.

Both my tibial plateaus are flattened and sclerotic. Just great.

Just a tiny bit of impinging on the intercondylar eminence. Just my luck.

Just some medical jargon for "bone rubbing against bone." My doctor loves dropping terms like that just to make me feel like I'm losing my mind.

Just got my results back. Apparently, I’ve got subchondral bone sclerosis on my patellar articular surface. Basically, my kneecap is turning to stone. Great.

Fabela.

Are they going to amputate my leg? Should I start shopping for a wooden one?

Haha.
My knee has been acting up for two years now. Every few months, it swells up like a balloon and stays that way for a couple of weeks. Apparently, I trashed my ligaments. Even after taking some Baker's solution, the cartilage is shot. Now the other one is starting to flare up too. Great.
So I finally just accepted that I’m way too heavy for my own knees, haha.

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I was wondering if anyone could take a look at my blood work. My lymphocytes are high, my neutrophils are low, and my ALP levels are also down (neutrophils at 36.9 [44-72], lymphocytes just above the range at 47.5 [20-46], and ALP at 31 [54-119]).

Everything else, including my white blood cell count, looks "normal" and right where it should be. I'm curious—could these three specific values be acting this way because I've had two surgeries over the last six months?

Usually, my blood work is perfect; I don't really deal with anything more serious than a seasonal flu or a common cold (honestly, I can't even remember the last time that happened). Since those two surgeries, though, I've been feeling pretty drained. My hair is thinning out more than usual, and I still haven't bounced back to my old self, even though I stay active through things like walking and yoga without pushing myself too hard. I'm assuming it's all just the aftermath of the operations and that it'll take some time for everything to level out again.

I'm not sure how much this might relate, but during a recent breast ultrasound, the surgeon noted "reactive lymph nodes in the axilla," though everything else looked fine, just like my previous exams.

William Gonzalez3 said:Hey guys, my knee is killing me. I'm in my mid-thirties.

X-ray results:

Bone structure and mineralization look normal for the bones shown.

Reduction of the femorotibial joint space, more pronounced on the medial side.

Flattening and sclerosis of both tibial plateaus.

Early sharpening of the intercondylar eminence.

Periarticular ventral bone apposition.

Subchondral osteosclerosis of the patellar articular surface.

Fabella.

Am I gonna lose the leg? Should I start browsing for a wooden one?

It would definitely help if you could cough up a few more details about:

- Are you an athlete? What kind (tennis, bocce, chess, 110m hurdles, soccer...)?
- Any old knee injuries?
- What do you do for a living? (Like, are you a lineman at Duke Energy climbing poles three times a week, a machinist standing at a lathe for 8 hours straight, an editor at an Ernest Hemingway institute sitting down for 14 hours, or maybe a technician at a Samsung repair shop...)
- General habits (Do you sit mostly, stand, lie around, cross your legs...)
- Height, weight, and approximate body composition (Think along the lines of Chris Kamaras, Hunter S. Thompson during his National glory days, or Ted Kennedy back when he was the moral victor of the 2000 elections...)
- Your general leg shape—I'm talking about being bow-legged or knock-kneed (my money's on the latter, though I haven't seen it yet)
- Future plans (Are you aiming to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, snag an NBA championship ring, stick to light workouts, or just keep sitting for 14 hours a day at work and then at the pub while dealing with manageable pain and a couple of tubes of Voltaren a month...)

Based on what you've told us so far, you don't need to fire up the Husqvarna just yet. ☕

Hey everyone, I recently had to go under for a gastroscopy because my doctors wanted to grab some tissue samples to either confirm or rule out potential celiac disease. They took two biopsies, but the lab report came back a bit vague—basically saying the samples weren't clear enough to give a definitive diagnosis, though they did note an increased number of CD3 lymphocytes in one of the villi.

Does anyone have any insight into what that might actually mean?

Good evening. My mother was admitted to the hospital due to poor blood work and her general condition being quite critical. To be specific, her red blood cell count was around 1, hemoglobin was at 49, platelets were at 80, and CRP was 32. I haven't seen the full CBC myself since my husband drove her there while I stayed home with the kids. The doctor mentioned that her white blood cell count and liver enzymes were perfectly normal. He tried to get her to remember as much detail as possible for me. She received transfusions for about two days, though she isn't receiving them today. The doctor noted that the results are improving, and they performed an endoscopy because we suspected internal bleeding after she complained of black stools; however, everything looked fine there, as well as with her gynecological exam. Now, they are moving toward a bone marrow biopsy. I am terrified of that procedure. I guess I wonder if white blood cell counts would stay normal if leukemia were involved? Mom says she feels slightly better and seems to have some color returning to her face. The doctor also mentioned her B12 is low, which might be the cause, so she will start vitamin injections this Friday after the biopsy. These are going to be long days. I'm torn because she says she feels better, but maybe that could be deceptive. If anyone understands these numbers, could you please explain them to me? Thank you.

Hey everyone. Looking for a little advice here. I’m 61, and honestly, my prostate is giving me some grief—not exactly a surprise at my age. A neighbor of mine suggested I try those Regen50 capsules. My appointment with the urologist isn't for another three months, though. Is it a bad idea to just head down to the pharmacy, grab some Regen50, and start taking it proactively?

I mean, I honestly don't know if it even works. Personally, I wouldn't touch anything that messes with my prostate right before a checkup—and I’ve got one scheduled in about a month—just because I wouldn't want to mask whatever is actually going on.

Look, your prostate isn't some rabbit that's going to bolt just because you waited a month.

And honestly, if you're really worried about something major being missed, maybe just take that cash and put it toward seeing a specialist at a private clinic instead.

goldencobra80 said:Hey everyone. My mom ended up in the hospital because her blood work was looking pretty rough and she’s in pretty critical condition right now. Her red blood cell count was around 1, hemoglobin was at 49, platelets were 80, and CRP was 32. I haven't seen the full lab report myself since my husband was the one driving her there while I stayed home with the kids, so I don't have all the specifics. The doctor mentioned her white blood cell count was completely normal, and her liver enzymes look fine too. He tried to get her to remember as much as possible so she could tell me. She’s been getting transfusions for about two days now, but they stopped today. The doctor said the numbers are improving, and they also did a gastroscopy because they were worried about internal bleeding after she complained about black stools, but everything came back clear there, including the gynecological stuff. Now, they're moving toward a bone marrow biopsy. I'm terrified of that procedure. Does anyone know if white blood cell counts stay normal if it's actually leukemia? Mom says she’s feeling slightly better and looks like she's getting some color back in her face. The doctor also noted her B12 is low, which might be the culprit, so they're starting her on vitamin injections this Friday after the biopsy. This is going to be a long haul. It's hard not to feel hopeful when she says she feels better, but I know how deceptive that can be. If anyone here knows anything about this, please explain it to me. Thanks.

Look, I can't give you any professional medical advice, especially regarding those white blood cell counts, but I can tell you this to hopefully ease your mind: my mom had blood work so messed up that the doctor sent her to the ER as an Emergency case just to get her checked out immediately. Our whole family was bracing for the absolute worst because, honestly, it looked like every single value in her CBC was all over the place. She went through the gastroscopy and the bone marrow biopsy too, and it turned out to be nothing more than a severe B12 deficiency. Since then, she's just been on monthly injections. I'm crossing my fingers that it's the exact same situation for your mom.

Morning 🙂

So, I’ve been dealing with anemia and some pretty massive iron issues for almost a decade now (1-3)... I've tried basically every pill under the sun, even went the IV route, but my levels just tank again after maybe two or three months.
Since I’d read quite a bit about gluten intolerance and Celiac disease, I decided to get tested... and well, the results were kind of a wake-up call. My tTG-IgA came back at 176.5 U/ml (with a ref range of 0.8-9.9) and my DGP-IgG was sitting at 200 U/ml (where it should be <10).

I’m definitely feeling a bunch of other symptoms that point toward Celiac, too—but I guess what I'm wondering is, do I need more testing to confirm this, or are these numbers enough to call it?

Thanks and cheers! 🙂

Hi everyone!
I’m looking for some perspective on these results. My OB-GYN and my primary care doctor both seem to think everything looks fine, but apparently, everyone else is telling me I should probably go see an endocrinologist...

OGTT
Fasting glucose 6.2 ( At 2 hours 8.5 (impaired glucose tolerance is usually 7.8-11.0)

Insulin 30.2 mIU/L
At 2 hours 175.7 mIU/L

Joseph Taylor3 said:I can't offer any professional advice, especially regarding those white blood cell counts, but maybe it helps to know my mom had similar results once. Her doctor sent her to the hospital as an Emergency to get checked out immediately. Our whole family was bracing for the worst because it seemed like every single value on her blood work was off. She ended up having a gastroscopy and a bone marrow biopsy, only to find out it was just a severe B12 deficiency. She's been on monthly injections ever since. I'm hoping it turns out to be the exact same thing here.

Good evening. Just wanted to let you know that the biopsy showed anemia caused by a B12 deficiency. The doctor mentioned she'll need shots for life. She's heading home tomorrow. Thanks for all the support!

The EKG results show sinus rhythm at 80 bpm, normal PR interval, some IV disturbances, NBDG puncture, and left ventricular hypertrophy.

I'm 24, an athlete, and just had this done for a routine physical. Any thoughts?

Could someone please help me make sense of these results?
I'm 46 years old. I originally had this testing done because my red blood cell count has been running high for about four years now, and there was some concern regarding potential polycythemia vera. Since then, things have taken a bit of a scary turn and I actually suffered a stroke. Currently, I'm managing my hypertension with Martefarin and Prilen.

leukocytes 7.0 ref 3.4-9.7
erythrocytes 6.36 ref 4.34-5.72
hemoglobin 183 ref 138-175
hematocrit 0.527 ref 0.415- 0.530
MCV 82.9 ref 83.0-97.2
MCH 28.8 ref 27.4-33.9
MCHC 347 ref 320-424
platelets 235 ref 158-424
RDW 12.2 ref 9.0- 15.0
DIF-5 10.1 ref 6.8-10.4
eosinophil gran. 1.9 ref 0-7
basophil gran. 0.9 ref 0-1
neutrophil gran. 54.2 ref 44-72
lymphocytes 35.1 ref 20-46
monocytes 7.9 ref 2-12

erythropoietin 6 ref 4-29

JAK2(exon 12) negative

Thank you all so much.

Could someone please help me make sense of these results?
I'm 46 years old. I originally had this testing done because my red blood cell count has been running high for about four years now, and my doctors were looking into whether I might have polycythemia vera. Since then, things have taken a bit of a scary turn and I actually suffered a stroke. Currently, I'm managing hypertension with a regimen of Martefarin and Prilen

leukocytes 7.0 ref 3.4-9.7
erythrocytes 6.36 ref 4.34-5.72
hemoglobin 183 ref 138-175
hematocrit 0.527 ref 0.415- 0.530
MCV 82.9 ref 83.0-97.2
MCH 28.8 ref 27.4-33.9
MCHC 347 ref 320-424
platelets 235 ref 158-424
RDW 12.2 ref 9.0- 15.0
DIF-5 10.1 ref 6.8-10.4
eosinophil gran. 1.9 ref 0-7
basophil gran. 0.9 ref 0-1
neutrophil gran. 54.2 ref 44-72
lymphocytes 35.1 ref 20-46
monocytes 7.9 ref 2-12

erythropoietin 6 ref 4-29

JAK2(exon 12) negative

Thank you all so much.

velvetmoose9 said:It might help to have a few more details regarding:

- any active sports you play (tennis, bocce, chess, 110m hurdles, soccer...)

I don't really do any sports.

- any past knee injuries?

None, actually.

- what kind of work do you do? (for example, a utility worker at Exelon who climbs poles three times a week, a machinist standing at a lathe for 8 hours a day, a lexicographer at an Ernest Hemingway institute sitting sedentary for 14 hours a day, or maybe a technician at an authorized Samsung service center...)

Mostly I just sit at a desk—though I’ll head up or down some stairs here and there during my eight-hour shift.

- general habits (do you mostly sit, stand, lie down, cross your legs...)

I spend most of my time sitting.

- body weight, height, approximate body composition

92 kg, 189 cm, and an "average" build.

- approximate leg "shape"—by which I mean things like bow-legged or knock-kneed (I'm guessing you might be one of those)

Neither, really.
My legs are straight.

- future plans (for instance, are you planning to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, win an NBA ring, engage in recreational exercise, or just continue sitting for 14 hours a day—whether at work or at a pub while managing tolerable pain with a bit of Voltaren once in a while...)

I'd like to get into some recreational exercise, but I have little ones in preschool age that I look after while my wife works afternoon shifts at a school, so I can't really do much besides walking them to the park and either sitting on a bench or just standing there while they pretend to be pigs in the sand.
I am considering buying an indoor bike, because my GP told me I should be cycling and walking on flat ground (she diagnosed me with gonarthrosis).

Regarding what was mentioned above, I guess you don't necessarily need to fire up the Husqvarna just yet ☕

actually, on second thought, I think I might want to.

I still have my other leg, so—if I do this—I'll probably just need to trade in my current car for an automatic, and then I'll be all set.
It seems like a much better plan than potentially wrecking my liver by overdoing it on painkillers.

HEY,
My troponin came back at 12.13, and the normal range is Is that considered a clean, okay result?
I had an EKG done 2 hours after the blood draw—it looked fine, just a slightly flat negative T wave in leads III and aVF (nothing changed compared to my previous ones). I’ve always had these non-specific repolarization issues.

HEY,
My troponin came back at 12.13, while the normal range is Is that a solid, clean result?
I had an EKG done two hours after the blood draw—it was fine, just a slight T-wave inversion in leads III and aVF (no changes compared to my previous ones). I always deal with these non-specific repolarization issues.

Alexander Thompson said:I'm not sure if it actually works. Personally, I wouldn't touch anything that messes with my prostate right before a checkup in a month. I'd hate to mask what's actually going on.

The prostate isn't a rabbit; it’s not going to bolt just because you waited thirty days.

And honestly, if you're genuinely worried about something serious being missed, you're better off putting that money toward seeing a specialist privately.

Actually, I already saw a private specialist. After the exam, the doctor told me I could go ahead and pick up some Regen50 🙂

I'll try to keep this brief—I’d love to get some perspectives here.

Back in July, I dealt with a urinary tract infection. There weren't any major symptoms, just some occasional minor abdominal pains and a low-grade fever of about 99.1°F. When I had my bloodwork done, everything looked fine—my CRP was sitting at a normal 1. However, my urinalysis showed 8 to 9 red blood cells (where 1 to 2 is standard) and a significant amount of bacteria. I was prescribed Nolicin for ten days, but that low-grade fever never fully cleared; it’s been hovering around 99.0°F for two months now.

Since then, I've gone back for more blood and urine tests, along with every possible screening an infectious disease specialist would run, and everything came back completely normal.

So, my question is: is it actually possible for a full blood panel to look perfect—even with a normal CRP—while there's still an active infection present in the urine? Isn't CRP supposed to be the primary, obvious indicator of infection?

How is it even possible that my CRP levels were totally normal while my urine results were clearly off?