8 posts shown.
I have a question regarding potential chronic inflammation or perhaps something else entirely... For over a year and a half now—maybe even longer—I've been dealing with a broken tooth. It’s actually stayed open this whole time because it started throbbing while my dentist was away on vacation, so the guy at the urgent care clinic just opened it up, removed the nerves, and that was it. It hasn't been properly repaired since. It's a wisdom tooth, completely shattered, leaving nothing behind but the root. Is it theoretically possible for a tooth like that to trigger low-grade, chronic systemic inflammation? Could it potentially lead to anemia from chronic disease or other physical issues, like unexplained weight loss and similar symptoms?
Morning. I was wondering if anyone here might be able to help me make sense of a radiology report? Specifically, what does it actually mean when they mention small bowel distension?
Thanks. I'll let you know what I decide after I talk to the hematologist. 😉
LOL, Dr. Google again.
I get how it works—you type in one symptom and Google just serves up the absolute worst-case scenarios. It’s frustrating, I know. But honestly, I’m dealing with a few other things too, like tingling in my fingers, getting dizzy whenever I stand up (probably a blood pressure thing), and some unexplained weight loss... I'm kind of at a loss here. I feel like it has to be either a hematology issue or something neurological. Maybe it could be something like celiac disease, since my colonoscopy and GI tests didn't turn up anything specific.
Amyloidosis. It’s one of those things where you don't get the cherry on top, just the crust on the pie.
I’m feeling a bit uneasy about the possibility of macroglossia combined with iron-deficiency anemia. I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see what the hematologist suggests for the next steps... personally, my mind keeps drifting toward amyloidosis. I’m really hoping my Easter bunny doesn't show up carrying chemotherapy...
Angela Wright said:If you haven't already, I think it would be wise to get a neurological exam done as soon as possible.
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I have a feeling this might actually be a hematology issue rather than something neurological... I have an appointment with a hematologist at the local clinic this coming Monday, so we'll just have to wait and see how that goes. :/
Hello,
For the last six months, I’ve been dealing with these health issues. To be more precise, I think it all started somewhere around April of last year. I had these bouts of dizziness occasionally—maybe when standing up or just moving around, I can't say for sure... and my left leg would ache sometimes, from the back of the knee down towards the foot. Those symptoms still pop up every now and then, along with the vertigo.
Then in November, everything hit at once: sudden anemia caused by iron deficiency, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides (which I’ve never struggled with before), plus rapid weight loss. We actually suspect I lost mostly subcutaneous fat. After that, infectious disease tests came back positive for EBV and CMV... (we aren't sure if it was a reactivation or a first-time infection). My doctor mentioned that EBV might cause the loss of subcutaneous tissue and that sudden drop in weight (about 13 lbs in three weeks).
I'm also seeing dry, scaly skin on my knees and over my heel, soft nails with longitudinal ridges, arthralgia/crepitus sounds in my knees, occasional bone pain (though it's always in the same spot, my upper arms), and lately, some tingling in my left fingers. I also think my tongue looks slightly enlarged; you can see the tooth indentations on the front and sides where it fills the gaps from two missing teeth. I've been reading all sorts of things online about myelomas and amyloidosis, and honestly, the panic is starting to set in.
I’ve seen a gastroenterologist, an endocrinologist, an immunologist, and several other internists. We’ve run just about every test imaginable: CBC is normal except for low hemoglobin and hematocrit; initially, it looked like microcytic anemia (likely due to donating blood three weeks before the first results), but now it's appearing normocytic. Three abdominal ultrasounds were clear, TSH, T3, and T4 are fine, all hormones are okay... colonoscopy was clear, endoscopy was clear, CT scans of the abdomen and chest were all okay, and all ANA/ENA and RF markers are normal.
Just waiting on an MRI of the small intestine now. An echocardiogram was also fine.
I saw a private immunologist who basically told me I was making up symptoms and claimed I have IBD. He's treating me with Mesalamine without any actual evidence of IBD, Crohn's, or any small bowel issues. My calprotectin levels are normal too...
Here are the electrophoresis results from a month ago and the latest CBC after a month of iron supplements—specifically KENDURAL C. Note that I stopped taking the iron two days before the blood draw. My question is: can iron supplements create a false blood picture, where all the parameters look good but the anemia persists? Also, how much of an impact can lipemia have on protein electrophoresis? Thanks.
er 5.08 hemoglobin 147 Hct
Hemoglobin 147
Hct 0.431
MCv 85.7
Mch 29.2
Mchc 341
RDW 13.8
Serum iron 14.3
UIBC 41.8
TIBC 56.1