Posts by Nicholas Myers

Hello,

This is one of those questions where you really need an answer from the professionals actually running the department.

From what I recall—and this is based on some old nuclear medicine lecture notes from quite a while back—the protocol for scintigraphy in inflammatory bowel disease involves drawing blood first. They have to isolate the leukocytes from that sample and label them with a radiopharmaceutical. It’s a process that takes several hours.

Once those white blood cells are labeled, the patient returns to have them injected, followed by the actual scan. My memory serves me that the imaging usually happens about four hours after the injection, though different facilities might follow different protocols.

Your best bet is to call the clinic directly to confirm. You can find here their website with the contact number.

What you read online likely refers to in vivo abdominal scintigraphy using labeled erythrocytes, which is a completely different test. This specific procedure uses leukocytes that are labeled outside the body (in vitro). Consequently, the appointment will probably take longer. You have to account for the time needed to label the cells after the draw, plus the waiting period after the injection before they can scan you. Once you factor in the travel and waiting room time, you should expect to be in Chicago for a good chunk of the day—perhaps seven hours, maybe more, maybe less.

Mind you, it’s been ages since I sat through those lectures, so I can't give you a definitive guarantee. If I've misremembered any details, I apologize. Please check with the clinic first.

Best regards. 🙂

Sarah Roberts2 said:Standard systemic results. 35 years old. All values are mid-range. Sedimentation is the concern here. Left quadrant is under the island. #I am working on it. Could this be related to dental issues or... well, cheers.

It’s possible.

I'm inclined to agree with swiftbear86.

It seems to me that Chloraseptic is primarily intended for skin disinfection—specifically for hands. Using it on genital areas or mucous membranes feels far too aggressive. One really ought to consult a urologist before experimenting with this kind of disinfectant on their own.

For disinfecting the urethral opening, products containing chlorhexidine are typically recommended. For instance, using a diluted solution of a standard chlorhexidine gluconate would be a common approach.

The price depends on the packaging and the fact that you have to dilute a concentrated solution, though I suspect it ends up costing about the same as Hibiclens.😢

The gel mentioned by swiftbear86 also contains chlorhexidine, among other things.

casualeagle6 said:Nicholas Myers, THANKS 🙂

I don't actually have any issues with my urinary tract or anything gynecological. No pain, no itching, no discharge—nothing.
Theoretically, contamination is possible: there were about 20 cups already sitting on the shelf, and who knows if the next person putting their cup down tripped and "compromised" someone else's samples with a stray drop or two. 😕 This whole sample collection process seems incredibly sloppy to me. 🙂

Anyway, I popped into the doctor's office yesterday with the results. She suggested I get a urine culture and antibiotic sensitivity test on Monday, saying, "Then we'll panic if we need to." The referral diagnosis is cystitis—I did a little digging online and concluded that perhaps the diagnosis of rapid incontinence was premature. It feels like I really need to settle this with a urologist.

So, the Democratic Party is missing from the results—even though the dermatologist requested it. Is there anything else missing from the list? 🤷

In any case, it’s good that you've been referred for further testing to clear up those sediment results.

From what I can see, there is no mention of the Democratic Party in your previous post. Is it possible you just missed transcribing it from the report?

Also, I noticed the dermatologist requested urea levels, but the report shows uric acid instead (and based on the reference ranges, it's not a typo), which are different parameters entirely. I'm not sure how critical urea is for your specific dermatological situation, but I'm simply noting that I don't see that parameter in your post despite the dermatologist asking for it. You might want to double-check the original lab report once more.

casualeagle6 said:White blood cells : 12.6 (3.4-10.0)

Urine sediment:
Red blood cells : 5-10
White blood cells: 30-40
Bacteria: heavy presence

Enzymes:
S-ALP: 58 (54-119)
S-AST: 12 (8-30)
S-ALT: 9 (10-36)
S-GGT: 18 (9-35)

Trace elements:
S-iron: 29.6 (8.0-30.0)
S-UIBC: 37.5 (26-59)

Now, I’m a complete novice, but if I recall correctly from biology class, elevated white blood cells indicate a bacterial infection (though I don't feel anything—no fever, no pain).
The red blood cells, white blood cells, proteins, nitrites, and massive amount of bacteria in the urine have me worried. What does this mean? Where is it coming from?

Also, one request: my primary care physician has been pretty sloppy lately. Did she include everything the dermatologist requested on the referrals? It looks like the TIBC is missing.
Can these results wait a month and a half, or should I get them to my doctor immediately?

Hello,

The urine analysis suggests a bacterial infection. However, you didn't mention any symptoms. This raises the question of whether the sample was collected properly or if there was contamination from vaginal secretions. From a gynecological standpoint, are you experiencing any discharge or discomfort?

There is mild leukocytosis in the blood, but without a full differential count, it is difficult to draw any meaningful conclusions.

A slightly low ALT level carries no clinical significance here.

TIBC can be calculated using the known Fe and UIBC values, so everything is fine there.

Perhaps Hrvoje would like to weigh in?

Best regards. 🙂

edit: Honey, wait for Dr. Hrvoje to log on. He will be able to guide you much better than I can.

Nicole Lilly, since this specific issue falls under Dr. Hrvoje's specialty, you'll get better advice from him, so please wait for his response. For now, I can comment that the results show anemia due to iron deficiency. One possible cause for this type of anemia could be bleeding—either general or from the digestive tract. However, these results alone cannot pinpoint the source of the bleeding. Standard protocol dictates that in such cases, we must rule out colon cancer as a potential cause. He will provide more detail.

Best regards. 🙂

dustygardener11 said:Picked up my mom's labs today. She had her lactate dehydrogenase (LD) checked. The result came back at 216 U/L, which sits comfortably within the reference range of < 241.
Can someone tell me if these results look okay, or what? 🙂

To whom it may concern,

The LDH result is, as you can see, within the normal range.

Greetings. 🙂

analogskipper72 said:Back again. Looking for some help.

Retested for CMV, and decided to run an EBV panel alongside it just to be thorough. Last time, my CMV IgG was at 1:21,000 with negative IgM. Now, the IgG has shifted to 1:13,000, while IgM remains negative—which, predictably, is a good sign. However, the EBV results are a different story: EBV VCA IgG came back at 47 (normal range is under 15), EBV VCA IgM is 4 (normal range is under 13), and EBV EBNA IgG is 26 (normal range is under 3). Units are VE.
What exactly does this EBV IgM result imply, and what kind of risk are we looking at during pregnancy? Just to clarify, I’m currently in the pre-conception phase, so I ran these tests as a precaution. My blood work from about two weeks ago was perfectly normal, and I feel fine. I would appreciate someone helping me make sense of these numbers.

Thanks!

To whom it may concern,

A positive IgG anti-VCA and positive IgG anti-EBNA, paired with a negative IgM anti-VCA, points toward a past Epstein-Barr infection. It’s hardly cause for alarm; most Americans have already run into this virus at some point in their lives.

As far as we know, there's no evidence that EBV causes issues during pregnancy.

Greetings. 🙂

You can find plastic surgery services at Bank of America and Johns Hopkins Hospital, along with a few other facilities in the Washington, D.C. area. However, those two seem to be the top tier, so it would be wise to check when your father might be able to snag an initial consultation.

If anyone else has had standout experiences with a specific surgeon or facility, feel free to reach out.

Good luck!

Best regards. 🙂

Chloe Diaz84 said:I need some help here. My 4-month-old hasn't been vaccinated yet because her labs have been all over the place. Right now, she's showing elevated levels:
AST 124
ALT 91
GGT 47

Since this was moved from "Pediatrics" under Child Health to this specific thread, please check the guidelines in the first post, here (click the link), and include the necessary details in your request. Once you do, someone (likely our colleague vividsailor7, who specializes in gastroenterology) will likely weigh in with advice.

Alex Foster6 said:Thanks for the reply.

In the meantime, I took the baby to the pediatrician. She mentioned that these results are actually physiologically normal for this age group, since kids up until about age 7 tend to have more lymphocytes than neutrophil granulocytes. For actual leukopenia, she said white blood cell counts would need to drop below 4.

She also doesn't think we should start iron supplements; instead, she suggested we just boost red meat and iron-rich fruits in the diet.

The doctor wants us to retest in three months—nothing sooner—just to see if the MCV and MCHC levels have improved.

As for those slightly elevated erythrocytes, she thinks it's likely due to hemoconcentration, given the blood was drawn a bit after noon.

Thanks for the feedback. 🙂

Regarding the white blood cell and neutrophil counts and your pediatrician's observations, here is my take.

Strictly speaking, based on various medical sources, for a child between one and two years old, the reference range for white blood cells generally starts at 6.0x10e9/L—which aligns with the reference values listed on the report you shared.

So, strictly by the book, there is a slight deviation from that reference value. However, according to standard pediatric practice guidelines, values above 5.0x10e9/L are considered normal for a child (your child's was 5.4x10e9/L). Therefore, your pediatrician’s assessment holds water.

As for the neutrophils, the literature indicates that for children over a year old, reference values begin at 1.5x10e9/L, but neutropenia isn't typically a concern unless the count drops below 1.0x10e9/L (your child's was 1.38x10e9/L).

Consequently, even though the numbers deviate slightly from the standard reference, they still fall within a range that can be considered normal, just as your pediatrician stated.

Regarding the iron question: the fact remains that ferritin is at the lower limit, and MCV is often one of the earliest indicators of an iron deficiency. Given these borderline values, monitoring is definitely necessary. I hope dietary adjustments prove successful without needing iron supplements.

Best regards. 🙂

Alex Foster6 said:Thanks so much for the reply! Could you clarify what else this might mean? You've got me a little worried.

As I mentioned, my child hasn't really been sick in her nearly 15 months—just two viral infections where she had a slight sniffle. For the last five or six months, she hasn't been sick at all.

She hasn't been on iron supplements yet, though her hemoglobin was low a while back (her CBC was quite skewed then, right after that virus). The covering pediatrician didn't think iron was necessary, so we held off. However, when I showed the results to our regular pediatrician, she suggested iron might be needed given the bloodwork. We decided to run one more test to be sure, including ferritin this time. She's still breastfeeding quite a bit and eats a little of everything—some days more, some days less. I'd say her diet is about 50% breast milk and 50% solid food.

Hello,

At this stage, I wouldn't jump to other conclusions. It looks like a transient state, which is easily verified by checking the bloodwork again in, say, two weeks.

Other possibilities only come into play if the neutrophil count continues to drop or if other symptoms emerge.

Viral infections can "shake up" blood counts like this. They can also be asymptomatic or subclinical, meaning those around the child might not even realize they are sick because the symptoms are so mild or non-existent.

Regarding iron: yes, the situation is borderline. Both the hemoglobin and the iron stores should probably be higher. I would personally consider an iron supplement, but the final call rests with the pediatrician managing the child's care.

Best regards. 🙂

analogskipper72 said:Could someone please help me make sense of these test results? I'm planning to get pregnant, so I went ahead with a TORCH panel. All my IgM values came back negative. Some of the IgG levels are a bit elevated, and my OB/GYN thinks I should retest for CMV. I don't quite get why—I thought the main thing was having a negative IgM. Why wouldn't we need to retest for the others too? HELP🤷

Results:

CMV IgG 1:21000
HSV IgG 1: 11000
Toxopl. IgG less than 1
Rubella 32

All IgM negative

btw, the reference range for CMV and HSV is 1:230, for rubella it's less than 10, and for toxo it's less than 6.

Hello,

The fact is, as you’ve already been told, a primary infection (a "fresh" one) with the CMV virus usually shows up via IgM antibodies. However, IgM can also show up during a reactivation of the infection or under other specific circumstances. So, you're right to conclude that it's good news that the IgM is negative.

Your doctor likely requested a retest due to the high titer ("amount") of IgG antibodies. They want to perform what's called paired serum testing to see if that IgG titer is actually rising or if the value is remaining stable.

Best regards. 🙂

Alex Foster6 said:Please help me interpret these results... My child is 14.5 months old. We had blood drawn to check for anemia. She hasn't had any viral infections or illnesses lately; the last thing was just a mild cold with a runny nose about 4 or 5 months ago...

Here is the report:
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/4205/nalazg.jpg

I'm worried because her erythrocytes are high and her leukocytes are low... what does that mean?

Do you think she should be taking iron?

Hello,

Looking at this report, the total white blood cell count is somewhat low, and specifically, the neutrophil count—a type of white blood cell crucial for fighting bacteria—is also down.

The values are slightly reduced. Generally, it's considered that sufficient protection is provided when the neutrophil count is above 1.0x10e9/L (or above 1000/mm3).

A result like this can be temporary (for instance, following a viral infection), meaning we would expect the values to return to normal after some time. Because of that, the tests will definitely need to be repeated.

However, aside from that, there are other possibilities. It is absolutely vital that the child is examined by a physician so they can consider all clinical data and decide on the appropriate next steps for follow-up.

Regarding the question about iron: has the child been taking iron supplements previously (given that you ran these tests to check for anemia), and how is her diet?

Best regards.🙂

Austin Reed20 said:My iron levels have stayed at 11 since the last check... MPV is high... can the same thing be inferred from that? My CRP is nearly 0 usually. Iron is low, but am I actually anemic? All other values related to anemia look fine. Could Hashimoto's be responsible for the MPV?

I'm still on thyroid hormones; I managed to bring my TSH down to 0.97, but T4 and T3 are still sitting at the lower end of the range...

My morning cortisol was 530 again. That’s four times in two or three months where it hits the upper limit. Along with that, DHEA-S is elevated every single time. Should I get an MRI or at least an ultrasound of the adrenals and abdomen? Given how much I suspect a hormonal issue—and considering the energy crashes I've had are almost certainly adrenal-driven rather than thyroid-related (or a mix), because the thyroid doesn't just crash you in 10 minutes, whereas the adrenals can absolutely floor you in 5 to 10 minutes)

Hello,

Regarding your questions about anemia: you aren't anemic, definitely. You would need a low hemoglobin level for that, which you don't have.

The second point is assessing iron stores. Measuring iron concentration isn't the best way to gauge this, as iron levels fluctuate throughout the day based on various factors. Checking ferritin is a much better indicator of whether your body's iron reserves are actually full.

MPV refers to mean platelet volume. This value matters when dealing with platelet disorders, but since your actual platelet count is normal, a minor deviation in their size doesn't carry much weight.

As for those morning cortisol numbers: levels that hover near the upper limit or exceed it in the morning, while remaining normal in the afternoon, can often point toward stress exposure.

Best regards. 🙂

Hi there,

The Psychology PDF already includes a thread regarding experiences with Dr. Newton, here so it would be best to read through that discussion (it runs about three pages) and post your inquiry there instead. 🙂

To all concerned,

This thread was opened primarily because the author attempted to split two existing topics to argue that vaccinations are useless or harmful—claims that run directly counter to established medical practice.

Regarding your observations, my personal view is that coercion isn't the most effective way to achieve herd immunity, but those debates fall outside the scope of this specific thread.

The reality remains: in countries where vaccination isn't mandatory, it hasn't been branded as dangerous or prohibited; instead, there is an active push to encourage as many people as possible to get vaccinated.

In relation to the vaccine discussion, the child health PDF covers indications (WHEN to vaccinate), contraindications (when one MUST NOT vaccinate for medical reasons), side effects (adverse reactions), administration procedures, and similar details.

Debating whether vaccination should be compulsory is misplaced within the child health and general health PDFs. In our experience, such discussions quickly devolve into conspiracy theories and anti-vax advocacy. This clutter obscures the purpose of these threads, which is to serve parents facing practical questions—things like timing, specific vaccines, contraindications, adverse reactions, and how to handle them if they occur.

We believe other PDFs, such as the world around me where a similar topic already exists, are better suited for these types of debates. This keeps the child health threads clear and focused on the practicalities of immunization, preventing useful information from being lost in a sea of posts theorizing about mandates or comparing international laws.

Kyle Rogers8 said:Does all of that actually have to be present for the diagnosis?
I've got the first four 😢 , but I don't have the last two

In clinical practice, metabolic syndrome diagnoses rely on various sets of criteria.

One common approach uses the ATP II guidelines. Under this framework, you only need to meet at least 3 of the following factors:

1. Abdominal obesity—waist circumference over 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women
2. Elevated triglycerides—150 mg/dL or higher
3. Low HDL cholesterol—less than 40 mg/dL in men or less than 50 mg/dL in women
4. Blood pressure—130/85 mmHg or higher, or being on medication to manage it
5. Fasting glucose—100 mg/dL or higher, or being on therapy

There are other guidelines as well, such as those from the American Diabetes Association. Their criteria require a waist circumference greater than 37 inches for men and 35 inches for women, plus any two of the following:

1. Elevated triglycerides—150 mg/dL or higher
2. Low HDL cholesterol—less than 40 mg/dL in men or less than 50 mg/dL in women
3. Blood pressure—130/85 mmHg or higher, or being on medication to manage it
4. Fasting glucose—100 mg/dL or higher, or being on therapy.

briskbison18 said:I am asking the forum administration to assist me as a parent. I need access to vital information here that could benefit child health, both for my own child and others.

Unfortunately, the forum moderator—who, to his shame and everyone else's disappointment, happens to be a physician 😲—shut this thread down after a mere five minutes.
He used a malicious, dictatorial, and completely fabricated justification, claiming this was a conspiracy theory against the sanctity of vaccines—a principle he apparently feels this forum must defend at all costs, acting like an inquisitor under the handle Dr. Mengele.😲
http://www.example-us-forum.com/showthread.php?t=723174
----

I’m asking the admins to notice that this was just an open, anonymous poll intended to let people on a public forum show how many actually vaccinate their children and how many don't.
-----

The moderator—this inquisitor—clearly didn't care for this specific sentence of mine:

"Vaccination has become something aggressive, mechanistic, unnecessary, repulsive, and risky..."

He used that single line as a pretext to kill the entire thread, effectively blocking people from accessing information regarding such a critical aspect of child health.

It is staggering. A man who is a doctor should realize the damage he does to public perception and to parents by preventing free access to information and the ability to make independent decisions for one's own child.

This is the Nazification of both this forum and medicine: forcing parents into vaccination and demanding that even a public forum submit to this Mengele-style dictatorship.😲

I request that the administration UNLOCK the poll. It is anonymous and doesn't prejudice anyone. 🙂

If my opinion regarding the untouchable sanctity of vaccines is controversial, then the moderator or admin can delete my comment. But I see no further reason to lock an anonymous poll meant to gauge how many people choose to vaccinate their children or not.

To you,

First of all, the language and descriptions you have used to characterize me and my work are ugly and inappropriate. That style of communication is unacceptable to me.

Regardless, I will respond to why you are calling me out.

On the Child Health board, there are two specific threads dealing with vaccinations: one is "Vaccination (Consolidated Topic)" and the other is "Vaccine Reactions."

You opened two separate threads. In the first, you stated that you believe vaccination is unnecessary, expressing regret over yielding to pressure from pediatricians and your social circle to vaccinate your child, and noting your decision to stop vaccinating moving forward.

As my explanation for closing that thread, I informed you that the Child Health board cannot host topics or posts asserting that vaccines are unnecessary. This board is based on the principles of conventional American medicine, which supports vaccination and does not view it as useless; furthermore, vaccination protocols are established by law in the US.

For those who believe vaccination is useless or that vaccines "poison" children, there is a dedicated thread: Vaccination is covered in the Alternative Medicine PDF, where you can share those kinds of perspectives.

There is also a discussion regarding vaccines in this thread (the World Around Us PDF).

In the Child Health PDF, we tackle vaccination from a medical standpoint, following the established principles of the profession—where the stance on immunization is quite clear.

Because of this, I don't believe you're being shortchanged on information or missing out on other viewpoints regarding vaccines.

As for the second topic you raised about vaccine side effects, that already exists within the Child Health PDF. I don't think opening a duplicate thread just to run a poll is necessary; it would simply result in two threads covering the exact same ground. Besides, if you're looking for hard statistics, the forum won't provide relevant data, making the extra thread redundant.

Since it’s clear my explanation doesn't meet your satisfaction, I’ll leave it to the forum administration to weigh in on your request.

Best regards.

Sincerely,
Maria Fisher46

Check out this identical thread over at the women's corner, here.