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

So, I just got back from the doctor, and they ordered a urine culture for me. The results came back totally sterile. Now, they’ve gone ahead and prescribed Sinersul Forte, 800 mg every 12 hours for 10 days. Honestly? I have no clue if there's even any point in me taking this stuff.

So, I was diagnosed with mononucleosis last week. I went in for some blood work yesterday, and the results just landed in my inbox—but since I’m currently nowhere near my primary physician, I don't have anyone professional to help me make sense of them. Now, I'm certainly not qualified to play doctor and interpret these figures myself, so if there happens to be a kind soul here who understands this sort of thing, I would truly appreciate your insight.

My mononucleosis testing results were as follows:

EBV VCA IgM - negative
EBV VCA IgG - positive - 110 AU/ml (pos >=20)
EBV EA IgG - negative
EBNA IgG - positive - 25 AU/ml (pos >=20)
CMV IgM - positive - 10.4 index (pos >1.1)
CMV IgG - negative

As for my full blood panel and liver enzyme levels from yesterday, you can find those in the image below:

http://upload.slike.com/slike/2014/0...x-Untitled.jpg

blueraven23 said:I was diagnosed with mononucleosis last week. I had some blood work done yesterday and the results just came in, but I'm currently away from my doctor and don't have anyone on hand to help me make sense of them. I’m not qualified to play doctor with my own data, so if there's a kind soul here who understands these numbers, I would truly appreciate the help.

Mononucleosis testing results came back:

EBV VCA IgM - negative.
EBV VCA IgG - positive - 110 AU/ml (positive >= 20)
EBV EA IgG - negative.
EBNA IgG - positive - 25 AU/ml (positive >=20)
CMV IgM - positive - 10.4 index (pos > 1.1)
CMV IgG - negative.

Blood work and liver enzyme results from yesterday are attached below.

http://upload.slike.com/slike/2014/0...x-Untitled.jpg

To whom it may concern,

Based on everything here, we’re looking at infectious mononucleosis. However, the serology suggests the culprit isn't Epstein-Barr virus. Usually, that's the main driver, but since your EBV VCA IgG and EBNA IgG came back positive while the EBV VCA IgM and EA IgG were negative, it indicates you've already cleared this specific infection—likely sometime in the past.

It’s likely that a different virus is behind your current symptoms—specifically Cytomegalovirus. Since your IgM came back positive but the IgG was negative, that points toward a recent infection. CMV isn't the most common culprit for mononucleosis, but it can certainly cause it, which seems to be what's happening in your case.

Take these results to your attending physician.

Greetings. 🙂

Maria Gray45 said:I saw my doctor, and she ordered a urine culture. The results came back sterile. She prescribed me Sinersul Forte, 800 mg every 12 hours for 10 days. I’m sitting here wondering if there’s actually any point in taking it.

To whom it may concern,

Nowadays, doctors aren't really prescribing Sinersul (co-trimoxazole) for acute urinary tract infections without an antibiogram first. Resistance rates among the most common pathogens have climbed too high for guesswork. It’s shifted more toward prophylaxis—using it to prevent recurrent infections rather than as a primary strike.

If that unpleasant odor in your urine persists alongside frequent trips to the bathroom, it’s time to push for further diagnostic testing.

Jesse Torres13 said:Could someone help me make sense of these lab results? I'm trying to figure out if my hormone levels are actually fine, aside from the TSH—which is the only thing my OBGYN flagged. I would be incredibly grateful for any insight.

P.S.: Sorry for the long post. :-)

Everything else looks fine and falls within the standard reference range. Your progesterone levels are elevated, which is expected given you're currently on Utrogestan.

wanderingowl19 said:I'm 22. A few months back, my Bilirubin spiked, and it hasn't settled down. If the normal range is roughly between 5 and 30, mine is sitting at 40 or 45. My doctor claims it’s nothing serious, but sent me for a battery of tests just to be safe. I’ve tested negative for HIV and hepatitis, and my jaundice markers came back clean—nothing like that going on. An Abdominal Ultrasound showed everything looks fine too. Now there's this Coombs test on the list, and I have no idea what that entails. Can anyone explain it? Also, it’s driving me crazy that my sclera are yellow. From what I gathered from the doctor, it's because my metabolism is sluggish. There was a phase where they were yellow, then they cleared up, but now they're back. The doctor suspects Gilbert syndrome, but the yellowing is still getting to me. Any advice on how to get rid of the yellowness? Thanks.

A direct Coombs test (done via bloodwork) checks for antibodies that attack erythrocytes—your red blood cells. Essentially, if those antibodies are present, the body is destroying its own red cells. Once they break down, Bilirubin levels climb, which leads to jaundice.

If we're talking about Gilbert syndrome, there isn't really a "fix" for the yellowing. It's just how things work. You can read more about it in this thread.

Maria Fisher46 said:Hey there,

Based on everything here, it looks like infectious mononucleosis syndrome, but looking at the serology, the culprit isn't the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Usually, EBV is the main driver, but since your EBV VCA IgG and EBNA IgG came back positive while the EBV VCA IgM was negative—and considering the EA IgG results—it shows you’ve already fought off this specific virus sometime in the past.

Most likely, whatever is causing your current symptoms is a different virus, specifically cytomegalovirus, because the IgM is positive and the IgG is negative. It’s a less common cause of mono, but it definitely does it, which seems to be what's happening in your case.

Take these results to your doctor.

Best regards. 🙂

Listen,

Nowadays, we don't just throw Sinersul (co-trimoxazole) at acute urinary tract infections without an antibiogram first. Resistance among the usual suspects is way too high. That stuff is mostly used for prophylaxis now—you know, just trying to stop infections from coming back in the first place.

If you're still dealing with that nasty smell when you pee and having to run to the bathroom constantly, then yeah, you need more testing.

Everything else looks totally fine and within the normal range. Your progesterone is naturally elevated because you're on Utrogestan.

A direct Coombs test (done via bloodwork) checks if there are antibodies attacking your erythrocytes—your red blood cells. If those antibodies are present, basically your body is tearing apart its own red cells. Once they get destroyed, your Bilirubin levels spike, and that's how you end up with jaundice.

If it turns out to be Gilbert syndrome, there isn't really a "fix" for the jaundice. There's nothing much you can do about it. You should read up more on this thread.

Well, I'm not peeing as often anymore, but the urine still has a really strong smell and there's some mucus. I didn't take any antibiotics at all—was that the right call?

I'm getting a little worried about my urine results...

I went in for blood work because of anemia (was on Heferol for 3 months) and my iron levels jumped from 5 to 20 (normal range is 8-30)

While I was at it, I did a quick urine check, and here’s what’s bugging me:

Bacteria: quite a bit
White blood cells: 15-20
Red blood cells: 4-6

My doctor sent me for an abdominal ultrasound—bladder, urinary tract, kidneys, the whole works

Since I can't stop overthinking things (and while waiting for the scan), I started digging through my old lab reports. Turns out, for about the last year, I've consistently had elevated white blood cells (around 15-20) and red blood cells (ranging from 2-4 to 4-6, etc.)

Doing some digging online, I found out that white blood cells usually signal inflammation (likely due to the bacteria), so my doctor put me on Sinersul Forte and ordered a urine culture (still waiting on those results)

What’s really eating at me is the red blood cell count—are these numbers high enough to be seriously concerned about?
Also, is it possible that the anemia is actually caused by losing blood through my urine?

I know it's impossible to tell anything for sure without the ultrasound, but honestly, I'm going to lose my mind scrolling through medical sites and stressing out until I get this done...

Search: Axillary lymph node biopsy
Diagnosis: DLE, SCLE (lupus) + suspected SLE or Sjögren's (due to high SS-A and SS-B levels, though I don't have clinical symptoms yet—Abdominal Ultrasound, EKG, chest X-ray, all came back normal)

Findings: (waiting on cytology results)

- Left axilla ultrasound shows no obvious tumorous enlargement of the lymph nodes.
On the right side, there are a few lymph nodes measuring up to 12 mm which are hyperechoic, with a hypoechoic rim.
A cytology biopsy was performed under ultrasound guidance.

The reason I went through with this is because over two years ago, I ended up in the infectious disease ward with a really high fever. My labs at the time indicated some kind of indeterminate inflammation, enlarged lymph nodes, and the diagnosis was something along the lines of chronic lymph node inflammation. The antibiotics cleared the fever, but ever since then, I’ve had palpable lymph nodes under my armpit and on my neck (below the ear)... they seem to swell up whenever my lupus starts flaring... which basically means all the time...

I was wondering if someone could explain those two terms (in bold) in plain English.
My follow-up with the immunologist is in a month, and the cytology will probably be ready by then so I can ask the doctor—but in the meantime, I'm curious what a "hyperechoic" node with a "hypoechoic" rim actually means.

Thanks so much for any info...

Olivia Wilson97 said:I'm getting a little worried about my urine test results...

I went in to get bloodwork done because of anemia (was taking Heferol for 3 months) and my iron jumped from 5 to 20 (range is 8-30)

While I was at it, I did a urine check too, and here’s what’s bugging me:

bacteria: quite a bit
leukocytes: 15-20
erythrocytes: 4-6

My doctor gave me a referral for an Abdominal Ultrasound to check my bladder, urinary tract, kidneys, and other organs

Because I can't stop overthinking—and while waiting for the ultrasound—I started digging through my old labs. Turns out, for about the last year, these tests have consistently shown elevated leukocytes (around 15-20) and erythrocytes (2-4, 4-6, etc.)

After some Googling, I found out leukocytes are a sign of inflammation (likely linked to the bacteria), so my doctor prescribed Sinersul Forte and sent me for a urine culture (still waiting on those results)

What really worries me are the erythrocytes—are these numbers something I should be seriously concerned about?
Also, is it possible the anemia is caused by blood loss through urine?

I know it's impossible to say for sure without the ultrasound, but I'm going to drive myself crazy searching online and worrying until I get it done....

Got the ultrasound done. Turns out I have kidney stones (sand) in my kidney.

Just putting this out there in case anyone else is dealing with similar questions—this is one possible scenario. 🙂

restlessangler said:I’m looking for someone to give me a layman's explanation of those two terms (in bold).
I have an appointment with the immunologist in a month. My cytology results will likely be ready by then, so I'll ask the doctor, but I'm curious what "hyperechoic" and "hypoechoic border" actually mean.

Thanks for the info..

Ma'am,

did you transcribe the entire Abdominal Ultrasound report, or just a portion of it?

To put it simply(!), these terms describe how light or dark parts look. It means the center of the lymph node appears brighter while its outer edge looks darker. A normal lymph node on an ultrasound shows a hyperechoic center (the hilus) and a hypoechoic border (the cortex). That's why I'm asking if there was anything else noted in the report.

Maria Fisher46 said:Hi there,

did you write down the entire Abdominal Ultrasound report, or just a part of it?

To put it simply—and I mean really simplifying things here(!)—those terms basically mean the center of the lymph node looks lighter while the outer edge looks darker. A healthy lymph node on an ultrasound usually shows a hyperechoic center (the hilus) and a hypoechoic rim (the cortex)... so that's why I'm asking if there was anything else mentioned in the report.

That’s everything that was listed. I just transcribed what was in the discharge summary.
So, does what they wrote in the translation mean this is a normal lymph node? Or did I misunderstand something... Is the description of the inside of the node different between a normal one and mine?

restlessangler said:That’s everything written there. I just transcribed the findings from the discharge summary.
So, what they wrote in the translation—is that a normal lymph node? Or did I misinterpret this? Is the internal structure of the lymph node different in mine compared to a typical one?

The only deviation is that his size is slightly larger than what you'd expect (up to 1 cm at the neck).

I'm in my early twenties. I went to see my doctor because I’ve been feeling weak, nauseous, having abdominal pain, and just generally feeling terrible for two weeks now. I'll only list the results that aren't within the optimal range. My blood work shows:

HEMATOLOGY

MPV 10.8 ref 6.8-10.4 - elevated
Eosinophil granulocytes 0.54 ref 0-0.43 - elevated
Eosinophil granulocytes rel% 7.9 ref 0-7 - elevated
Neutrophil granulocytes 37 ref 44-72 - decreased

MICROSCOPIC SEDIMENT EXAMINATION

Leukocytes 1-3 ref 0-2
Squamous epithelial cells 1-3 ref 0-1
Bacteria rare

SERUM BIOCHEMISTRY

Total Bilirubin 48 ref 3-20

My Bilirubin was high once before a few years ago too—it hit 40—so I don't know if this could be something I was born with or if it's something I actually need to worry about?

Maria Fisher46 said:Where he differs is that the size is just slightly larger than what it really should be—like, up to 1 cm on the neck.

Well, if that's the case, then it's fine... as long as the rest of the results come back normal, I guess that's that. They ran some tests because I've had these nodes for quite a while now—just wanted to rule out anything serious, you know?..

Thanks for the reply, Felix

Megan Wood12 said:My Bilirubin was elevated once before a few years ago—it hit 40—so I’m not sure if this is just how I'm built or if it’s something worth worrying about?

Ma'am,

Given the symptoms you've described, an elevated bilirubin level definitely warrants further investigation.

Since you've only provided partial results, there isn't enough data to draw a conclusion (for instance, you haven't mentioned if AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, LDH, or amylase levels in the serum and urine were checked, among others).

It is also necessary to determine the bilirubin fractions—direct and indirect—which will provide much better direction for finding the underlying cause. Most importantly, a thorough physical exam is needed, specifically focusing on the abdomen (checking for tenderness, as well as the liver and spleen).

Just a quick little question for the crowd

Iron at 38 😲😲 when the standard range is 8-30

Every single person I ask seems to have never even heard of this happening... usually, everyone’s out here complaining about having low iron instead...

I’ve got an appointment with my doctor on Monday... but I’m just dying to know how this even happens

No symptoms, no illnesses, none of that stuff... just some minor discomfort in my gut, so I saw an internist who ran an Abdominal Ultrasound... he basically told me it was just a pocket of gas caught in a bend in my intestines... everything else looked fine... but he ordered some routine blood work just "so nothing slips through the cracks"🤷

Dana Grant7 said:Just one quick question.

Iron levels at 38. 😲😲 The reference range is 8 to 30.

I ask around, and nobody’s ever heard of anything like it... most people just end up with low iron.

I have a doctor's appointment this Monday... but I'm trying to wrap my head around why things look like this.

No symptoms, no pain, nothing significant. Just some discomfort in my abdomen. My internist ran an Abdominal Ultrasound and told me it was just a pocket of gas trapped in a bend in the intestines. Everything else looked fine. Still, he ordered a routine workup—just so nothing slips through the cracks. 🤷

Dear Madam,

We see inquiries like this regarding serum iron levels quite frequently on this thread. It bears repeating: serum iron concentrations can fluctuate wildly based on various factors. If a result falls outside the reference range, my advice is to always retest before jumping to conclusions or pursuing further diagnostic paths. It isn't uncommon to see a follow-up test return perfectly normal values. Furthermore, if you want a reliable assessment of iron status, looking at serum iron in isolation is insufficient. You really need to evaluate TIBC, UIBC, and ferritin, alongside a full CBC Panel—specifically checking Hemoglobin and Hematocrit. Only then can you draw any meaningful conclusions about the body's actual iron stores.

Maria Fisher46 said:Hi there,

We see questions like this popping up on this thread pretty frequently—basically regarding serum iron levels. I always feel the need to point out that serum iron concentrations can swing wildly depending on all sorts of factors. If your numbers aren't landing within the reference range, it’s really wise to just run the test again before jumping to any big conclusions or deciding how to proceed, because it's actually not that rare to see those values normalize on a retest. Anyway, if you want a reliable look at your iron status, you really need to check TIBC, UIBC, ferritin, and obviously get a full CBC panel including hemoglobin and hematocrit. That’s the only way you can actually draw a solid conclusion about what’s going on with your iron levels.

TIBC is normal, but UIBC is 15... which is way, way below the norm.🤷

Well, I kind of figured they'd have to redo it. 🙄

I've never been much of a "run every single test under the sun" type of person, so I usually just drop it whenever I feel like something isn't worth digging further into... Honestly, I've decided more than once in my life that "I'm not actually sick" and just told them to stop poking around... because man, there's just no end to it when they're being paid per procedure. 🤣

Anyway... thanks, 😍

Hi everyone,

My initial cervical swab came back showing high levels of Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae, along with Ureaplasma urealyticum at 10^3. My doctor put me on Nolicin for ten days—though, to be honest, they didn't bother with an antibiogram first. On my own initiative, I also brewed some oregano and birch tea to help out. Now, looking at the results from my follow-up swab, it says (and I'm quoting here): Microscopic preparation: squamous epithelial cells, Gram-positive bacilli. There’s absolutely no mention of E. coli, Streptococcus, or Ureaplasma. Should I be worried, or is there any reason to go back for another swab?
Thanks in advance 🙂

I just got my urine culture results back.

On the first day's report, it says: contaminated urine, more than three types of bacteria present. Please repeat the test following our instructions.

Then the second day's report said: rare leukocytes. Physiological flora (10 per 3).

And the third day's report shows: rare leukocytes, culture: sterile.

Since the results from the second and third days look perfectly normal, I was wondering if I could just ignore that first one, because honestly, I really don't feel up to doing this all over again. 🤷

dustymaker642 said:I just got my urine culture results back.

The first day's report said: contaminated urine, more than three types of bacteria present. Please repeat the test following our instructions.

The second day's report said: rare leukocytes. physiological flora (10 per 3).

The third day's report said: rare leukocytes, culture: sterile.

Since the results from the second and third days look normal, can I just ignore that first day's finding? Honestly, I really don't feel like doing it all over again.. 🤷

Probably.
But then again, it kind of depends.

1. Are you actually feeling any symptoms, and if so, what are they?
2. What was the original reason for getting the culture done in the first place?

velvetmoose9 said:Most likely.
Actually, I think it depends.

1. Are you actually experiencing any symptoms, and if so, what are they?
2. What was the specific reason for running the urine culture in the first place?

I had a really high concentration of E. coli, so since I'm pregnant, my doctor gave me a referral to double-check that I've actually cleared it. I don't have any symptoms at all, and I didn't even have them back when the initial results came back positive.