Posts by Kenneth Jones74

Blood work results + context regarding why I had them drawn...
Hello everyone. I’m hoping someone might be able to offer some insight here. (For the third month now, my question seems to be getting ignored—I must be formatting it incorrectly every single time, so let’s give it one more shot!)

So, I am 27 years old and generally in good health. Back in August 2014, I underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove a benign ovarian tumor, which was confirmed by pathology. The procedure went well according to the doctors, and my follow-ups with the gynecologist were all perfectly normal. However, I have been struggling with one specific issue: I am not sure if it is even related, but I mention the surgery because immediately upon waking from anesthesia, I suffered three days of intense stomach pain—right around the navel area—that didn't respond to IV injections or Peptoran. That pain finally subsided once they removed the drain that had been in me for those three days.

Since then, I’ve been experiencing intermittent pain on the right side of my abdomen near the navel—somewhere in the vicinity of the small intestine or duodenum. This discomfort intensified between October and December, becoming a daily occurrence. It isn't excruciating, but it is constant. It has lessened slightly, but it keeps coming back. On two separate ultrasounds, they told me everything looked fine, though they noted my stomach wall appeared thickened and suggested a gastroscopy, as the location of the pain suggests a possible duodenal ulcer. To clarify, I don't have issues with heartburn, I feel bloated occasionally, and food doesn't bother me—it is just this pain and discomfort near the navel! I have lost some weight, but perhaps that is just because I haven't been eating much.

Gatroskopija:
Ezofagoskopija: results were normal
gastroscopy: corpus and antrum findings are normal. Antral impression on the exterior. ABUNDANCE of regurgitated bile. Dropped stomach.
deep Duodenoscopy: results were normal
deep Duodenoscopy: results were normal.

Biopsy:

The material consists of pieces of gastric corpus mucosa with superficial findings and pieces of gastric antrum mucosa with a very sparse, diffuse chronic inflammatory infiltrate. HP negative.

Basically, since these pains have persisted for three months now, I have a consultation scheduled with a gastroenterologist in about a month. These blood results were taken two days ago; we are still searching for the cause of the abdominal pain.

I will only list the values that were high or low; everything else fell within the standard range. (I did not test for cholesterol, glucose, bacteria, calcium, or lipase...)

KKS:

basophils - 1.1 H (0-1)
neutrophils - 39.8 L (44-72)
lymphocytes - 50.0 H (20-46)

enzymes: AST; ALT; GGT; ALP; all within range

(U) amylase - 418 ( (S) amylase - 55 (23-91)

IRON, TIBC, UIBC - all within range

To continue the story—in the meantime, I had another abdominal ultrasound performed, and everything remains normal with no abnormalities found. I am waiting for the gastroenterologist's opinion, and based on my records, they are sending me to repeat tumor markers CA-15 and C-19-9. These were slightly elevated a year ago, which they attributed to the cyst (which, again, was a BENIGN TUMOR). The repeated marker levels have since dropped:

CA 125 - 54 REF. < 35 mU/L (2014)
CA 19-9 - 47 REF. < 37 kIU/L (2014)

CA 125 - 29 REF. < 35 mU/L (2015)
CA 19-9 - 6 REF. < 37 kIU/L (2015)

I also repeated my amylase tests in both serum and urine, and this time I added a lipase test as well.

Serum Amylase (*) 48 U/L 37°C 23 to 91
Urine Amylase (*) 167 U/L 37°C up to 400
Serum Lipase (*) 9 U/L 37°C 13 to 60[/B]

What does a low lipase level actually mean in this context???

Thank you.

Hello. I am hoping someone might be able to provide some insight. (I have been trying to get an answer to this question for three months now, but I keep getting ignored—I must be posting it incorrectly every single time, so let me try once more!)

To give you some context, I am 27 years old and generally in good health. In August 2014, I underwent laparoscopic surgery to remove a benign tumor from my left ovary; the pathology report confirmed it was non-cancerous. The doctors said the procedure went smoothly, and my follow-up appointments with the gynecologist were all perfectly fine. However, I am struggling with one specific issue. I am not certain if there is any connection, which is why I mention the surgery, but immediately upon waking from anesthesia, I suffered through three days of intense stomach pain. Neither an IV injection nor Pepto-Bismol helped. The pain was also centered around my navel, and it didn't finally subside until they removed the drain that had been in me for those three days.

Since then, I have been experiencing intermittent pain on the right side of my abdomen near my belly button—somewhere in the vicinity of the small intestine or duodenum. This discomfort intensified between October and December, becoming a daily occurrence. It isn't excruciating, but it is constant. While the pain has lessened slightly, it keeps returning. During two separate ultrasounds, doctors told me everything looked normal, though they noted my stomach wall appeared thickened and suggested I undergo a gastroscopy, as the location of the pain suggests a possible duodenal ulcer. I should clarify that I don't have issues with heartburn, I feel bloated occasionally, and food doesn't seem to trigger anything—just this localized pain and discomfort near my navel. I have lost some weight, but perhaps that is just because I haven't been eating much.

Gastroscopy:
Esophagogastroduodenoscopy: results were normal
Gastroscopy: corpus and antrum findings were normal. External antral impression. SIGNIFICANT bile regurgitation. Dropped stomach.
Duodenoscopy: results were normal
Deep Duodenoscopy: results were normal.

Biopsy:

The material consists of pieces of mucosa from the gastric corpus with superficial inflammation, and a piece of mucosa from the gastric antrum with diffuse, very sparse chronic inflammatory infiltrate. HP negative.

In short, since these pains have persisted for three months, I have a consultation scheduled with a gastroenterologist in about a month. These are my blood test results from two days ago; we are still searching for the cause of this abdominal pain.

I will only list the values that were high or low; everything else fell within the normal range (I did not test for cholesterol, blood sugar, bacteria, calcium, or lipase).

CBC:

basophil count: 1.1 H (0-1)
neutrophil count: 39.8 L (44-72)
lymphocytes: 50.0 H (20-46)

enzymes (AST, ALT, GGT, ALP): within normal limits

(U) AMS: 418 ( (S) AMS: 55 (23-91)

IRON, TIBC, UIBC: within normal limits

URINE:

ERYTHROCYTES: + (one/three) ref. interval 0/neg
leukocytes: 2-5
erythrocytes: 2-5

A significant amount of bacteria and squamous epithelial cells were present.

The urine sample wasn't my first morning catch, and it was somewhat dilute—I am not sure if that impacts the diagnostic accuracy, as I didn't realize I would need to provide a urine sample as well.

Thank you, and I apologize in advance if I am posting this in the wrong section, but I wanted to include the lab results.

edit: CRP - 0.3 (2-12)

Raymond Ortiz5 said:Hello there.
I'm wondering what size an ovarian teratoma needs to reach before doctors recommend laparoscopic surgery? Mine is currently about 1.5 cm, and my doctor suggested it might be better to wait until it grows a bit more to make the removal easier. Also, does anyone know how fast these things typically grow?

It really varies... For instance, I found out I had a cyst two months in, and at that point, it was 6 cm—though it turned out to be a tumor that wasn't actually diagnosed until after the surgery eight months later. It probably only grew by maybe half a centimeter during that time. Looking back at all the symptoms I ignored, though, it feels like that tumor had been growing for years without me ever noticing.

I've also been reading through various health forums here, and some people say they grow incredibly fast—sometimes within days or weeks—while others experience a much slower progression, just like mine did.

Regardless, please make sure you stay on top of your checkups...

Yeah, 1.5 cm is still quite small. Usually, surgeons don't start discussing surgery until it hits closer to 4 cm... unless, of course, you start experiencing severe pain.

Walter King3 said:Rebecca James3, seriously though, what kind of doctor were you seeing? I honestly can't believe someone actually fed you that nonsense—the idea that you'd pass out if a cyst ruptures? Like, how could anyone possibly know that? Most of the time, a cyst just pops and you don't even feel a thing. And honestly, trying to measure something by "fist size" is such an exaggeration too. Just from my own experience, I'd really recommend heading in for a color Doppler right after your period ends... that way you'll know exactly how big the cyst is, what's actually going on, and what steps you need to take next. Those markers are really just indicators that, when paired up with the Doppler, help figure out which therapy you should be using. And hey, who knows, maybe the cyst already ruptured and you didn't even realize it.

Well, it isn't nonsense! In my case, they told me there was a cyst on my right ovary, but it turned out to be a tumor on the left. I went for five different color Dopplers, and honestly, they just aren't reliable. You don't truly see the full picture until things actually open up... and it turns out it was a tumor the size of a hand...

But regardless, it's definitely a good idea for her to get an ultrasound so her doctor can recommend the best way forward.

Rebecca James3 said:Hey everyone.
They diagnosed me with a clear cyst on my left ovary—about the size of my fist. I’m headed in soon to get my tumor markers checked. My OB/GYN warned me that this thing could rupture, which would cause bleeding, and that if it does pop, I’ll pass out immediately. My GP also mentioned that if it ruptures, the pain will be intense and I'll experience some vaginal bleeding; apparently, it’s actually "better" if it happens during my period. I get that the gynecologist had to cover her bases legally, but I want to know—has anyone dealt with something similar? Did you end up in the ER?
Thanks 🙂

Hey,

Don't stress too much about whether it's going to pop or not. Just try to get an ultrasound with color Doppler done by a specialist at a hospital as soon as possible so they can see exactly what's going on with the CA 125 levels. In my case, they thought I just had a cyst for six months, but it turned out to be a tumor the size of a hand—so from my experience, a cyst that size almost certainly means surgery.

I recently went through the surgery myself...

Basically, if it does rupture, the pain is excruciating, and you'll definitely need to make an immediate trip to the Emergency Room.

And yeah, I don't think that happens all that frequently. I’d suggest heading to the hospital for an exam right away; they'll tell you what the next steps are.

Try not to worry too much, just focus on getting the ball rolling on getting this sorted out...

Kevin Garcia12 said:That shouldn't be an issue at all. Just make sure to mention exactly when you stopped drinking so they can adjust your anti-thrombotic prophylaxis if necessary, and that should cover everything...

Thank you so much, that's really helpful information....🙂

Hello again, it's me... I haven't actually undergone the surgery yet, but there is one thing on my mind. Is it going to be an issue if I finish taking Duphaston (which I'm using because my cycles are so irregular) two weeks before my ovarian surgery? Does that make any difference at all? I really need to take it just to ensure I have my period before the procedure, as I absolutely do not want to go into surgery while on my period.

Thank you so much.

Hello,

I'm 26 years old. About a month ago, I had some blood work done. My monocyte levels were elevated, while my neutrophil percentage was low. My doctor suggested it was just a viral infection, but my iron came back at 32—which was actually above the reference range. Meanwhile, my UIBC was 15 (ref: 26-59) and my TIBC was 48 (ref: 49-75), which she noted pointed more toward anemia than an iron surplus. Just a side note, I happened to be on my period when I had the blood drawn at that time.

One month later, I repeated the blood work, and everything looks fine—hemoglobin, erythrocytes, platelets... all good. However, this time I drew blood while also on my period, and my iron level was a mere 6! My UIBC and TIBC were both within the normal reference ranges this time around.
I've never had any issues with my iron before; it’s always stayed around the 14-20 mark. I've never seen it drop this low. What could be going on here?

Within this same month, I've been dealing with some pain and a heavy sensation in my right leg while resting, and my doctor isn't quite sure what's causing it. Could this be related to the iron levels? Additionally, over the last three days, I've developed a rash on my arms and legs. Could that be caused by the iron? I haven't eaten or drunk anything unusual. It's not a typical skin rash; it feels more like something raised underneath the skin, located on the inner sides of my arms and legs. Aside from a cyst on my right ovary, I don't have any other health issues.

Does anything about this seem unusual to you?

It was performed under local anesthesia, rather than general,

This is my very first time going under, so general anesthesia is honestly making me pretty nervous.
It’s just the whole "what if" aspect of it all. Thanks so much for all the answers you guys provided.

The granuloma is being treated and the tooth is stable, but my whole point is that I just don't want to have it pulled. Is that really such a massive deal? I can't help but wonder how many people actually have one of these without even realizing it, perhaps only finding out when they're already scheduled for surgery.

As for the bruising, I've dealt with that my entire life, so maybe it's just my body's version of normal?

Thank you all for the responses. My surgery actually got pushed back because I was diagnosed with laryngitis and dealing with a nasty cough, so they moved everything out by two months. Honestly, I don't mind too much since it isn't an emergency, though I am slightly worried about the cyst potentially rupturing or twisting—fingers crossed that doesn't happen. Given that my job keeps me in cold environments where I'm constantly catching chills, I’m really hoping I stay healthy over the next couple of months so we don't end up delaying this indefinitely. I tend to have issues where a cold settles right in my lungs because I don't have tonsils.

I do have one more question: how dangerous is a dental granuloma? My anesthesiologist mentioned it could be a source of potential infection, but she didn't specify if it absolutely needs to be extracted. I'd prefer not to pull it if I can help it—once it's out, it's out—so I'm wondering if it's okay to just live with it for now if there's no immediate necessity?

Also, what is the actual risk of thrombosis following surgery? I realized after my appointment that I forgot to mention that we have a history of stroke deaths in my immediate family, so I'll have to make sure to follow up on that.

On top of that, I frequently get bruises on my body that take forever to heal, even from the slightest bump. She didn't say much about it since my platelets and PV levels were within the normal range, but now I'm left wondering how much of a risk factor that might be...

Hello, I have a laparoscopy scheduled for a clear ovarian cyst in about ten days. I’ve come down with a cold this week—it's been going on for about four days now. I'm dealing with a cough, some hoarseness, and my nose is pretty stuffed up every morning, though I don't have a fever. Does this mean they will likely postpone my surgery?

Hi there, I was wondering—how exactly do doctors determine if I’m actually fit for surgery just by looking at my blood work, chest X-rays, and urine tests? I'm scheduled for an ovarian cyst removal, but it makes me nervous. What happens if there’s an underlying issue with my large or small intestine that hasn't been caught yet? Or even some other general health problem that I have absolutely no clue about?

I'm scheduled for a laparoscopy to deal with an ovarian cyst, and my doctor mentioned it doesn't matter if I happen to be on my period at the time. Is that really true???
Well, what am I even supposed to make of that? ://

restlessbadger2 said:Oh, I just spotted this on my lab results—it says: leukocyte esterase: negative.

Now I am completely lost. 🤷

That is actually fine. It's just an indicator of inflammation, which likely isn't anything major in your case. Usually, a positive leukocyte esterase result would trigger a request for a urine culture.

LEUKOCYTE ESTERASE (an enzyme found in certain white blood cells) in urine
can be detected via a dipstick test. Leukocyte esterase serves as a sign of inflammation, most often resulting from
a bacterial infection. However, the test can yield a false negative if the urine is highly concentrated or contains
glucose, bile salts, certain medications like the antibiotic Rifampin, or high levels of Vitamin C.

Leukocytes
While leukocytes can naturally be found in the urine of healthy individuals, an increased count is a primary indicator of a urinary tract infection, as well as non-infectious kidney diseases.
Leukocyturia paired with bacteriuria is typically the result of bladder inflammation (cystitis) or kidney inflammation (pyelonephritis).

restlessbadger2 said:Thanks for the reply. I've actually never heard of leukocyte esterase before. 🤔 Is that something they check for in urine or blood? It isn't listed on my lab results. 😢
I'm still debating whether I should go get a urine culture done, but I was reading that those 8-10 leukocytes might just be sample contamination. 🤷

It’s possible, and yes, it's found in urine—how could you not have it on there? According to her, it's a clear indicator of inflammation, but you should definitely make sure to clean up properly before your morning sample if you're going for a culture...

restlessbadger2 said:Hi there.

I was wondering about urinalysis results (not a culture)—if it shows 8-10 leukocytes when the normal range is 0-2, does that point toward some kind of inflammation in the urogenital tract? Would that be a reason to go ahead with a urine culture? Does anyone know?

What did your leukocyte esterase levels look like? But yeah, those white blood cells definitely suggest inflammation; it might be a good idea to get a culture done just to be safe.

You really ought to get your teeth checked out—get some X-rays done and everything. You might have some hidden cysts or granulomas in there. Honestly, so much of our health issues, especially those nagging headaches, can stem from dental problems.