Posts by Nicholas Myers

Megan Jones27 said:I’ll just see my doctor and ask for a referral for some testing. Maybe a CBC, another colonoscopy, or even an endoscopy...?

Repeating a blood count is pointless unless you wait at least three or four weeks. You won't gain any new insights. It might be best to start by seeing your primary care physician; they can evaluate the situation and determine the next steps.

Megan Jones27 said:Here are my CBC results from two months postpartum... I had them done because of low iron during pregnancy and because I’ve been feeling pretty weak over the last couple of months. The labs are from two weeks ago; my doctor told me over the phone that everything looks fine, but now that I have the printout in front of me, I see some values are slightly out of range. For context, my iron is at 19 (range 8 - 30), which is normal.

What's bothering me is:

Neutrophils: 38.4 (44 - 72) low
Lymphocytes: 50.7 (20 - 46) high
Platelets: 152 (158 - 424) low

To add to that, I just found out today that I have CIN II again. Since I'm breastfeeding, I was only given vaginal medication and won't be back for a follow-up until month five.

Lately, I've been dealing with these nagging pains in my lower back that seem to radiate toward the front. On top of that, I have this sensation that it's tied to my digestion and bowel movements. Also, when there's an urgent need to go, I notice a little blood on the paper (maybe internal hemorrhoids?). For the last two months, I've also dealt with occasional itching all over my body, mostly on my face and scalp. On my face, it always hits the same spots and looks like mosquito bites.

I'm not sure if any of this is connected, but maybe it would help to figure out if we're looking at a real issue or...

Thanks.

The values you listed are very minor deviations, and I wouldn't say they're linked to the symptoms you're experiencing. Similarly, I don't think the HPV is related to this. However, seeing blood on the toilet paper shouldn't be ignored, regardless of how old you are.

Angela Moore63 said:Does anyone know what total protein results mean? It’s driving me crazy—there isn't even an H (high) or L (low) marker listed.

What was the actual number?

electricbison10 said:Hi there!
A quick question regarding my iron levels. For about a week now, I've been dealing with dizziness (it gets worse if I move my eyes too quickly) and extreme fatigue. Thinking it might be an iron deficiency, my doctor ordered blood work.
Iron - 13 (8-30),
TIBC - 49 (49-75),
UIBC 36 (26-59). The only outlier is my iron level, which is at 1 (4-24).
I read somewhere that low iron is "insignificant" for health, so I'm wondering: should I just ignore this given how I'm feeling?
I'm 24 years old.
Thanks for any insight.

It shouldn't be completely ignored, though I doubt it's the smoking gun behind your symptoms. You need a thorough clinical exam and further testing depending on what those findings show. Right now, it's impossible to pinpoint exactly what's causing your issues.

Laura Lopez47 said:Hi... I've been feeling some swollen lymph nodes in my neck lately. I had an ultrasound done, and the results show bilateral reactive lymph nodes... the largest being submandibular at 16x16mm (noticeable hilus). My temperature often hits 98.6 degrees. A blood panel was done later; the overall counts look fine, but the differential shows this:
Neutrophils 34 (44-72)
Lymphocytes 48 (20-46)
Monocytes 6.6 (2-12)
Eosinophils 7.2 (0-7)
Basophils 0.7 (0-1)
Neutrophil count 3.08 (2.06-6.49)
Lymphocyte count 4.45 (1.13-3.35)
Eosinophil count 0.64 (0.00-0.43)
Please tell me, is this serious? My primary care physician isn't particularly interested, so I'm having to figure this out on my own.

Hello,

The duration of these symptoms matters. Furthermore, what is the status of your oral health—your throat, your teeth? The ultrasound suggests the neck lymph nodes are enlarged as a reaction to some inflammatory event, which could be hidden, perhaps located in the upper respiratory or digestive tracts.

Laura Morgan78 said:Hello,

I'm 26 years old. I have hypothyroidism and have been taking Synthroid 25 for three years.
I had blood work done because of a pulsing sound in my right ear that’s lasted about a month and a half, along with head pressure, frequent daily pains in the thyroid area, hunger pangs, anxiety, fatigue, and irregular, painful cycles.

The results are as follows:

Given this wide array of varied symptoms alongside normal routine lab results, a thorough clinical exam is necessary, followed by further investigation of those specific findings. For now, this feels more like an endocrinology issue. It is also vital to establish the timeline—whether these symptoms occur simultaneously or if they persist constantly. Generally speaking, it is difficult to pin down a cause through an online forum.

frozenscout51 said:Thanks sincerely for the response. Doctors are suggesting Soval paired with ribavirin rather than interferon due to the higher cure rates—does that sound right to you?

The core issue for anyone with a kidney transplant or other solid organ transplants (excluding the liver) dealing with HCV is a lack of data. There simply aren't enough clinical studies focusing on antiviral applications specifically for this demographic, so the available information remains quite limited. While it's true that the success rate for the regimen you mentioned is high, I have to reiterate: when it comes to kidney transplant patients, we're still working with a very thin data set.

feralrider4 said:What should I do?

The deviations in these lab results don't seem to correlate with your symptoms. You need a thorough clinical examination; routine blood work often misses the actual cause of what you're feeling.

electricmarlin62 said:Can you give me your take on this CBC?

These are minor fluctuations—they won't explain why you've been feeling this way for over six months. A sinus X-ray isn't a reliable way to gauge the true state of your sinuses. Get a solid evaluation from an ENT, and if necessary, follow up with a pulmonologist.

Emily Ortiz27 said:Respectfully, the saga continues.
While waiting for the ophthalmology results, the endocrine panel came back. Here is the data:

Left hand X-ray—bone age matches that of a six-month-old boy (the scan was performed at 12.5 months old).
E 4.18 [x0012/L], Hbg 106 [g/L], Hct 0.326 [L/L], MCV 78.0 [fL], MCH 25.4 [pg], MCHC 325 [g/L], RDW 15.7 [%], Trc 327 [x109/L], MPV 10.2 [f/L], Lkc 15.9 [x109/L], NEUaps 6.48 [x109/L], LIMFOaps 7.66 [x109/L], MONOaps 0.75 [x109/L], EOaps 0.93 [x109/L], BAZOaps 0.08 [x109/L], NEUTRO% 40.8 [rel%], LIMFO% 48.2 [rel%], MONO% 4.7 [rel%], EO% 5.8 [rel%], BAZO% 0.5 [rel%], GLU (s) 4.5 [mmol/L], UREJA 4.9 [mmol/L], Na137 [mmol/L], K (s) 4.7 [mmol/L], Cl 103 [mmol/L], Ca 2.45 [mmol/L], P 1.85 [mmol/L], TBIL 4 [umol/L], AST 63 [U/L], ALT 27 [U/L], ALP 267 [U/L], GGT 9 [U/L], ACTH 5.32 [pmol/L], pH-kk 7.376, pCO2 - kk 4.41 [kPa], pO2 - kk 8.6 [kPa], Akt. HCO3 -k 18.9 [mmol/L], tCO2 kk 20.0 [mmol/L], SBE - kk 5.2 [mmol/L], SO2 - 92 [%], FT4 15.40 [pmol/L], TSH 3.33 [mIU/L], LHL], FSH 0.683 [IU/L], PRL 638.3 [mIU/L], CORT 596.2 [nmol/L], IgE 22.7 [kIU/L]
HGH 1 6.48 [mIU/L], HGH 2 5.19 [mIU/L], HGH 3 3.75 [mUI/L], HGH 4 16.70 [mIU/L], HGH 5 16.60 [mIU/L], HGH 6 17.6 [mUI/L], d1L], e1L], e5L], fx5 negative, t3L], antitTGmL], IGF-1 2.0 [nmol/L], IGFBP-3 55 [nmol/L]

The diagnosis is growth retardation, classified as Type 2. They noted we should return for a follow-up in a year. Growth hormone deficiency, celiac disease, hypothyroidism, and chronic illnesses have been ruled out.

That bone age stands out to me. How much deviation is considered acceptable for this age group? I don't have the reference ranges for the other values, so I can't tell if anything else is off.

Thanks in advance for the help.

Looking at the standard lab work, there is a slight elevation in eosinophils, though it’s a significant improvement over the last set; it's only mildly high now. It will likely normalize gradually. There is also a minor elevation in absolute lymphocyte count. It's hard to say what significance those carry, but the trend toward improvement is good.

Allergy testing results are normal.

Aside from the hormones, I don't see major abnormalities, except for a somewhat low oxygen saturation. Since you mentioned sweat chloride tests were done previously, has the child had any respiratory issues?

Regarding the hormone levels, they seem within range, but for growth hormone and IGF-1, one really needs to know the specific laboratory's reference values and testing methodology to determine if they are truly abnormal.

Bone age should ideally align with chronological age. Since it doesn't, biological maturity is lagging behind his actual age; essentially, he is about 6.5 months behind in development.

There are countless reasons why growth might be delayed. When no clear cause is found, it's labeled idiopathic short stature. If you are feeling uncertain, my advice would be to seek a second opinion at Mayo Clinic; they have extensive experience with these cases and can likely offer more guidance.

frozenscout51 said:It’s about a kidney transplant. I can't be certain if I had this infection previously, given that I was on dialysis about twenty years ago and had the transplant sometime after that. I'm asking because interferon isn't recommended for everyone, and I appreciate any advice you can offer.

I mistakenly assumed we were discussing a liver transplant. Unfortunately, when dealing with a kidney transplant, the situation becomes quite complex; treatment for HCV in these specific cases isn't clearly defined. Immunosuppressive therapy tends to drive up the viral load. In most such instances, antiviral therapy simply isn't an option, barring very rare exceptions. For now, the only course is regular monitoring, frequent check-ups, and hoping for the best. There isn't much more profound I can offer.

Matthew Reed5 said:View on imgur

While waiting for the doctor's appointment, could someone please comment on these results?
A 10-year-old child reporting occasional mild pain near the sinuses above the eyebrow. No fever.
Thanks in advance.

The results don't show any glaring abnormalities, but without a clinical exam, it's impossible to draw a conclusion.

frozenscout51 said:Thank you for the response.

Does this result indicate an actual change in my physical condition, or does it simply reflect the statistical likelihood of treatment success? Since I am a transplant recipient, I assume interferon therapy is off the table. Is there anything I can manage on my own—perhaps through diet or other lifestyle adjustments—to lower my viral load? Thanks in advance.

Your question is a bit vague. It isn't clear what kind of transplant we're talking about, or if you were dealing with an HCV infection prior to the procedure. Are we discussing a liver transplant?

Angela Bailey7 said:Could these serology results indicate toxoplasmosis, some other parasite, or something more serious? (The blood work shows leukocytosis and neutrophilia—values are slightly elevated.)

EBV VCA IgG positive >170
EBNA IgG positive >200
CMV IgG positive 2.8

Ma'am,

These specific serology results tell us absolutely nothing about toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasma—which is a parasite—isn't even mentioned here. Instead, we see two viruses that can trigger mononucleosis (EBV) or infectious mononucleosis syndrome (CMV). That said, toxoplasmosis can also present with a similar syndrome.

The data provided is incomplete. It’s highly likely other parameters were tested as well. If CMV IgM is negative and CMV IgG is positive, it simply means the infection was cleared in the past and isn't linked to current symptoms.

The same logic applies to EBV: if EBNA IgG and VCA IgG are positive, while VCA IgM and EA-D IgG remain negative, the virus isn't the culprit behind the current issues.

As for the leukocytosis and neutrophilia, those are more typical of a bacterial infection. However, without specific numbers, a full medical history, and a physical exam, any diagnosis would be guesswork.

frozenscout51 said:I just got my quantitative HCV RNA test results back. The reading came in at 4.27E+6 IU/mL.
I’m struggling with this lab result. I can't quite wrap my head around what it actually signifies—is it a good sign or a bad one? The report only lists the lower limit, but there's no upper bound provided. Does anyone here understand how to interpret this? Thanks.

To whom it may concern,

These results indicate high viremia—essentially, a heavy viral load circulating in your bloodstream. You're sitting at over 4 million international units per milliliter, which is quite substantial. Think of viremia as a key metric; it acts as a predictor for how you'll respond to treatment and helps us track whether the therapy is actually working. Generally speaking, when the viremia is lower, the odds of success with interferon treatment improve.

fadedcrane36 said:To whom it may concern,

Had my blood drawn again yesterday. My last set of results was pretty messy—undefined, really. I haven't been feeling sick or dealing with any actual ailments; I only went in because those elevated leukocyte counts had the doctors over at the Mayo Clinic getting concerned. The latest labs are supposedly much clearer. According to Dr. Miller, things look better and there’s no reason to worry. He suggested it was likely just a combination of stress, fatigue, or maybe even diet. Still, I'd be interested to hear what you all think.

Previous findings:

http://postimg.org/image/4e7o88th5/

New results:

http://postimg.org/image/lg0iac8c9/

Thanks. 😉

To whom it may concern,

It’s possible you're dealing with low iron stores—sideropenia. It would be wise to get your ferritin levels checked. If that number comes back low, then you're definitely running a deficit, essentially losing iron faster than you can replace it. If you happen to be a regular blood donor (you mentioned Petrov 3, which made me wonder), frequent donations could easily be the culprit here.

Adam Brown49 said:Can anyone weigh in here? I'm looking for some perspective on whether I've actually caught mono or if it's something else entirely.
Is it okay if I kiss my girlfriend on New Year's Day? 🤣

P.S. I'm 17. I didn't actually deal with any pain or typical mono symptoms—just a high fever.

It’s impossible to say exactly what was going on in your case based solely on what you've shared here. I don't think we're looking at an EBV infection—not infectious mononucleosis, anyway. As for what the actual culprit was? That remains a total question mark.

Donna Watson16 said:I know DQ2 and DQ8 are the big markers for celiac disease, but I don't see them listed anywhere in my results. Can anyone help me make sense of this?

The results don't show DQ2 or DQ8. You're right—that essentially means there's no genetic predisposition for celiac disease.

Raymond Peterson81 said:I'm finishing up a course of antibiotics in a few days. Feeling completely wiped out, depressed. I'm 30 years old—didn't expect to be dealing with this kind of thing.

Sir,

It’s difficult to weigh in on your situation without more specifics. For starters, it isn't clear if you saw blood clots or just traces of blood (since on the other thread you mentioned traces rather than clots), what color the urine was, or if you had any difficulty urinating. Did you experience abdominal or back pain? Is this the first time these symptoms have surfaced? Was there a preceding infection—say, a throat or skin infection two or three weeks ago—or perhaps some physical trauma? Are you on any medications? Any swelling in the lower legs, feet, hands, or face? Any rashes or joint pain? There are many variables here.

From what I can gather, you're being treated for a suspected urinary tract infection, which explains the antibiotic prescription.

I don't know if they took a urine sample for microscopic analysis, a culture, or potentially to check calcium levels.

Chris Wilson4 said:Greetings.
So, I’ve been dealing with these bladder infections for two years now. A real grind. This morning, I finally went in for some testing: a CT scan, urinalysis, urine culture, and a CRP.

Here are the results:
Bloodwork results: elevated basophil count (1.4).
Urinalysis results: leukocytes 1-3, fresh erythrocytes 1-3, significant squamous epithelium, high bacteria count, some mucus present, slight protein opalescence, ketones positive.
CRP: 0.1. Low. Clean.

Can someone help me make sense of these results?

The presence of significant squamous epithelial cells in the urine sample raises questions regarding the specimen's integrity. Whether treatment is necessary depends entirely on the results of the urine culture. One also needs to consider if there are any complicating factors involved in this urinary tract infection—specifically whether a consultation with a gynecologist or a urologist is warranted, and if prophylactic measures should be discussed.

Raymond Ross90 said:I'm 23 and just got diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B. I went through with a liver biopsy and a FibroScan, and according to the results, I don't actually need to start interferon treatment yet. It feels a bit strange—a few years back, I turned down treatment, and now the situation has shifted.
Hepatitis markers:
Anti-HBc at 12.50. Just the number, for now.
Anti-HBe at 0.04. Just the number.
Anti-HBs at 0.00. Zero. Nothing.
Anti-HCV at 0.08. Just the numbers for now.
HbcAblgM 0.12
HBeAg at 0.376.
HBsAg at 4748.03.
HBV DNA PCR results: 1,377 IU/ml (3.14 Log IU/ml). Positive.
Autoimmune tests came back negative.
I’d appreciate it if someone could walk me through this situation. Thanks in advance.

It’s hard to draw any real conclusions based solely on this. We need a much broader data set to make sense of things. A biopsy report and FibroScan results are essential, as are the trends in ALT and AST levels, other liver function markers, and the trajectory of the viral load itself. There's just too much missing here.

Sarah Rodriguez68 said:I’d also appreciate some insight regarding my husband's lab results. He's 35 and a regular blood donor, but he went in for a checkup because his ferritin levels are consistently low.
He had the exact same panel drawn as I did, just without the urinalysis.
I'll list only the values that fall outside the standard reference ranges.

ALP 54 (60-142)
Alpha-amylase 150 (23-91)
Iron 10 (11-32)
UIBC 55 (25-54)
Ferritin 14 (20-300)

With these numbers, would he be cleared to donate blood? (I assume not.) Also, what might that elevated alpha-amylase indicate—is further testing necessary?

Thanks!

Is your husband experiencing any symptoms? What prompted the blood work in the first place? It would also be helpful to know his CBC results. A 35-year-old man shouldn't be losing iron like this; we need to figure out the cause. What does his diet look like?

Mark Stewart2 said:I'm posting my father's lab results. He's 55.

I’m starting the search because of this cough. It's been hanging on for a year now. In the mornings, it gets particularly intense.

It worries me that nine of these values are sitting above the threshold.

View on imgur

I’d appreciate some input... thanks a lot.

Unfortunately, these results won't help us pin down the cause of your father's cough. While a few parameters deviate from the norm, they aren't significant enough to point toward a specific diagnosis. I'd assume he’s heading to see a pulmonologist next.

Sarah Rodriguez68 said:Hard to blame it on hunger when I've actually put on six pounds over the last three months. 😵

I’m not talking about long-term dieting or calorie restriction over the last few months. I mean fasting immediately before having blood drawn. I suggest you get the tests redone. If the results come back clean, then there shouldn't be any reason to worry.

Megan Gray said:Could someone please take a look at this bone marrow biopsy result? A 66-year-old male was referred for a biopsy due to thrombocytopenia lasting about a year and a half to two years. His blood work is otherwise normal, though he’s monitored every six months because of elevated PSA. No other symptoms.
The results via the image link:

http://i61.tinypic.com/281ddlt.jpg

The results aren't clean. Monoclonal cells were found in the bone marrow, and those shouldn't be there. This person needs a more detailed follow-up with a Hematology specialist. There is a possibility of a malignancy, but I don't specialize in Hematology, so I can't say for certain.

Kimberly Cooper68 said:I’d appreciate some feedback if possible. Yesterday, I drew my own cortisol levels at 8 a.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. At 8 a.m., it was 790.8 (ref range 17–536); at 6 p.m., it was 244.3 (ref range 64–327); and at 10 p.m., it was 81.27. I'm also concerned about the ACTH at 8 a.m., which was 19.74 (ref range 1.6–13.9), while the ACTH at 10 p.m. was 3.16.

What was the reason for running this test?

Sandra Brooks91 said:Routine checkup—a year ago, hemoglobin and potassium were low, and cholesterol was classic high at 10...
Yes, taken fasting. Age 33, if that matters...
Aside from the checkup, I've been pretty tired and stressed (tinnitus, anxiety), but nothing else specific.

In my view, that's enough reason to pursue a broader investigation, as my colleague already suggested. These lipid panel numbers are unacceptably high; you should probably start therapy. Low ferritin means you've depleted your iron stores and are bordering on anemia. This might be linked to heavy periods. However, since the hemoglobin levels are still within the normal range, it likely isn't the primary cause of the fatigue, even though some people believe iron deficiency alone triggers exhaustion.

If your primary care physician is stumped, I suggest asking for a referral to an Internist.

Jessica Reyes42 said:I just got my blood and urine results back.
Erc. 4.67 (3.86-5.08)
Hgb 146 (119-157)
Hematocrit 0.446 (0.356-0.470)
MCV 95.5 (83.0-97.2)
MCH 31.3 (27.4-33.9)
MCHC 327 (320-345)
RDW-CV 15.1 H (9.0-15.0)
White Blood Cells 7.1 (3.4-9.7)
Neutrophils 50.40 (44-72)
4 Lymphocytes 39.10 (20-46)
Mid cells (MID) 10.50 (2-19)
Platelets 232 (158-424)

Urinalysis looks clean.

I am 56 years old.

The elevated RDW-CV has me worried.
Can someone tell me how these look?
I should mention I was dealing with some digestive issues (diarrhea) the day I had my blood drawn.
Thanks in advance!

Everything you listed appears normal; I don't see any reason for concern. That RDW is fine—a tiny deviation like that is essentially negligible.