Posts by Laura Castillo8

Maria Fisher46 said:Hi there,

It's hard to make sense of these results when they're only partially transcribed.

From what you've shared, it looks like your total white blood cell count is slightly elevated. When you combine that with an increase in unsegmented granulocytes, it might point toward some kind of infection.

However, the most striking thing in these labs is the elevation in liver enzymes, specifically the ALT. It’s a minor rise, but it still suggests some level of liver irritation.

The lab work alone won't tell us what's actually causing that liver stress.

You mentioned being overweight; sometimes that leads to fat buildup in the liver, which can bump those enzyme numbers up.

That said, there are plenty of other reasons why those levels might climb.

You also brought up feeling fatigued and having digestive issues—though you didn't specify exactly what those feel like or how long this has been going on.

Because of that, there isn't much more we can say right now. If these symptoms persist, or if follow-up liver tests show no improvement or get worse, you'll definitely need more intensive testing.

Best regards. 🙂

Hello,

The symptoms you're describing aren't very specific, so it's really important to get some clarity on what's happening. It would probably be a good idea to have your primary care doctor refer you to an infectious disease specialist and a gastroenterologist to start with.

I'm not quite sure what you meant by saying you've had "every possible test" done, especially since you're wondering if a bacteria might be involved. If you truly had everything checked, a stool sample would have already ruled out bacterial causes for these issues. Though, honestly, things like tremors, weight loss, headaches, and other general symptoms are hard to pin down to just a single gut bacterium.

Best regards. 🙂

Thanks for the replies. I went to see an infectious disease specialist and got tested for HIV—it was negative, thank God. The specialist told me my hormones are just acting up... I nearly lost it hearing that, because I know something isn't right with me, yet he just insists it's hormonal. I went to get my kidneys and liver checked out, and everything came back perfect. Then I had them look at my abdomen, spleen, and all that, and that was perfect too. I have a tiny heart murmur, but the doctor said that's totally normal for someone my age (I'm 17). In my blood work, only the white blood cells are slightly high, but the doctors said that's normal too... They even said this temperature is fine, around 99.0-99.1°F. Most of the day my temp is pretty steady at 97.4-97.5°F, but my head hurts and I feel dizzy constantly. This fever doesn't stay all the time; it just pops up out of nowhere, stays for a few hours, and then vanishes, but the other symptoms are still there even when I don't have a fever. For context, I was smoking marijuana about 2 or 3 joints a day for five or six months straight, every single day, and then I quit cold turkey. I thought maybe it was because of that... but I doubt it.

Maria Fisher46 said:Hello,

Why was this testing ordered, and how long have you been feeling this way?

I ask because your actual clinical state—how you're feeling, what symptoms you have, and their duration—is vital when interpreting these serology results.

This specific combination of findings isn't straightforward to read.

You were tested for two viruses that are the most common culprits behind infectious mononucleosis syndrome.

Regarding the second virus (CMV, which usually causes a milder version of the illness), it’s likely just a past infection that has nothing to do with your current symptoms.

However, with the other one, EBV, things aren't quite that simple.

The interpretation really depends on your clinical presentation.

Best regards. 🙂

Hi there,

I have to admit, these results are a bit unusual.

If we look at the hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red blood cell indices, it looks more like dilution anemia. To put it simply, during pregnancy, your fluid volume increases, which spreads out your existing blood cells, making their concentration appear lower, rather than it being an iron deficiency issue.

Generally speaking, it's normal for hemoglobin to dip to around 110 g/L during pregnancy (usually hitting its lowest point around the 32nd or 34th week), and hematocrit down to 0.31. In your case, the only thing truly outside the norm is the red blood cell count, which should be acceptable up to about 3.8 x 10^12/L.

Your iron levels are hovering near the bottom limit (in pregnancy, 12 µmol/l is often used as the baseline), and iron saturation is similar, though UIBC and TIBC are elevated—which is typically what happens with iron deficiency. Still, it's worth noting that iron concentrations can fluctuate quite a bit throughout the day and aren't always the most reliable metric for assessing total body iron stores.

I'm not entirely sure which anemia supplements your OB/GYN had in mind, since your iron is borderline and there’s no indication here of a folic acid or B12 deficiency.

It might be best to follow up with her and ask for some clarification...

Best, 🙂

Hi everyone, my current situation involves abdominal pain and soft stools (diarrhea), though it's not constant—just once a day, while everything else seems normal. I have a low-grade fever of 99°F, and my appetite is nonexistent... I've dropped from 140 lbs to 138 lbs... I get chills a few times a day, feel cold, and get the shakes often. My head hurts too, and this has been going on for a few months now... it's worrying me, so I've gone through every test imaginable. My blood work is great, though my white cell count is slightly elevated, just a tiny bit. I have many swollen lymph nodes—on my neck, my hips... but my doctor said they're too small to officially diagnose anything... I'm worried and don't know what's happening. I'm heading to see a private doctor now, so maybe she'll catch something. I suspect maybe some kind of bacteria in my gut causing the diarrhea, but those are just my guesses... what do you all think? thanks...

Hey everyone, I just got my blood work back from the local infectious disease clinic and here’s what they sent over:

test type finding results units method
EBV VCA IgM negative ------ EIA
EBV VCA IgG POSITIVE 121 AU/ml EIA
EBV EA IgG POSITIVE 50 AU/ml EIA
EBNA IgG POSITIVE >200 AU/ml EIA
CMV IgM negative ---- EIA
CMV IgG POSITIVE 1,7 IU/ml EIA

Does anyone know what all this actually means...??

Hey there... :) So, I had some unprotected sex recently with a girl who's about two years older than me—I'm 17, she's 19. My main concern is that right after we hooked up, I came down with a really high fever the very next day. It lasted about a week and a half, and even after the fever broke, I just felt "off" for a while. Then, about a week after the initial fever subsided, I developed a sore throat and another fever around 100.4°F, which hasn't let up for one or two weeks now. I haven't noticed anything else, like a rash or anything... I asked her during the encounter what this was about, and she mentioned it was her third time experiencing something like this. Later, after a few weeks passed, I reached out to her again. She told me the last time she had issues was two years ago, and back then they used protection, so neither of them had any problems. She also mentioned that guy was her first partner at the time. Now, I don't know... I have this overwhelming fear regarding the CDC, though I can't quite put my finger on why I'm spiraling so much. Maybe I'm just overthinking things... I'm heading to the doctor tomorrow to get a referral for a urologist to figure this out, but I wanted to see what you guys think?
best, 🙂