Posts by placiddrifter26

Sam Hall15 said:Seriously, sarko, what kind of scale are you using? Your numbers are totally out there...

🙏🙏🙏 I’m right there with you. What you said perfectly matches what my own immunologist and nephrologist tell me: you don't treat the test results, you treat the patient.
It really bugs me how so many "healthy" people get sent off for extra testing by general practitioners—probably just because they're playing it safe or don't quite grasp how to read certain labs. Meanwhile, those of us dealing with actual heavy hitters—like chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Lupus, and glomerulonephritis—often end up stuck in endless waiting games, both at the lab and with our doctors.
So, I'm signing on to everything you wrote. You hit the nail on the head.
Best,

dustydrifter14 said:Hey there!

I finally went in for my full-body physical—basically a complete annual tune-up for the whole organism.
From ultrasound to the biochemistry lab.
Everything came back looking great, thank God. My bladder, prostate, gallbladder, liver, kidneys, thyroid... everything is totally fine.

The only thing that stands out is my INR, which came back at 1.09. From what I understand, a normal range is usually somewhere between 2 and 3, or something like that.
Everything else on the lab results looks perfectly normal and right where it should be.

I’m a little worried because I know that INR is linked to stroke risk, but I honestly can't find a straight answer anywhere. Is the danger when the INR is too high or when it's too low?
My dad and my uncle both dealt with that stroke, so that’s exactly why the USD and those medical bills are weighing on me so much.

Let's go! Please! Hey everyone, I really need some experts to weigh in here. Could someone please help me calm down my inner hypochondriac or just give me some solid advice on what I should actually do?
🙏
Thanks, everyone!

I'll just try to get you an answer in USD.
From what I understand, if the INR climbs above 4, you're looking at an increased risk of an intracerebral hemorrhage. On the flip side, if it drops below 2, that's when the risk for an ischemic stroke goes up.

Look, if it helps at all, being in a high-risk group doesn't mean you're definitely going to get it. It's just a possibility, not a guarantee.
You’ve got to stick to the therapy, and honestly, you can't touch smoking or alcohol. It's non-negotiable, especially since genetics play such a huge role in how this all works.
Hang in there—you aren't actually sick. You're healthy, you just happen to fall into a high-risk category. Because of that, your doctor is almost certainly going to suggest you start taking an aspirin or something similar from the anticoagulant playbook.👍

wanderingrider43 said:Anyone have a quick second to help? 🙂

I went for blood and urine tests yesterday. My bloodwork came back totally normal, but my urine results look a little weird:

white blood cells: 2-3
red blood cells: 2-3
epithelial cells: some
bacteria: some
mucus: some

color/appearance: cloudy/yellow

Just for context, I'm a 23-year-old woman.

What does this mean? Is it an infection? I'm asking because I'm flying out tomorrow afternoon and won't be back in New York for two weeks, so I'm wondering if I should rush to see my doctor first thing tomorrow morning.

Thanks!

Honestly, it looks fine. Just drink some cranberry juice or a bladder tea.
Enjoy your trip! You'll be totally fine.👍

Megan Phillips7 said:I’m honestly lost on where to turn with this. This isn't just a basic lab test; it's a specialist report, and I’m pretty freaked out because it’s not my own results... if anyone knows which sub-forum or section I should be posting this in, please let me know.

The findings come from two different doctors. First, from the CT scan:
1. Liver shows no enlargement and normal structure. In the left lobe, along the medial contour, there is a noticeable lesion about 2 cm in size. It looks inhomogeneous and hypoechoic with an uncertain cause (possibly a cavernous hemangioma?), so I recommend an MSCT of the liver. There is also a smaller cyst, about 1 cm, in the dorsal part of the right lobe.
The appearance of the pancreas, biliary system, spleen, and kidneys is normal.
No signs of lymphadenopathy in the retroperitoneum.
No other pathological intra-abdominal findings were noted.

2. The MRI findings:
Pre- and post-contrast MRI of the liver in three planes shows a change in segment 2 of the right lobe that is minimally low signal on T1 and slightly hyperintense on T2, showing enhancement after contrast application. A similar finding is seen more cranially. There is a smaller cyst in segment 4. The findings suggest a likely mixed-type hemangioma. Kidneys, pancreas, spleen, aorta, vena cava, and abdominal lymph nodes all look normal.

If anyone can make sense of this, please help.👍

Honestly, I don't think this is anything scary. A hemangioma is just a benign liver tumor—basically just a tangle of blood vessels. Usually, they just monitor them to see if they grow. If it starts causing actual issues, then surgery might be an option, but at that size, doctors usually consider it quite small. I think it might even be measured in millimeters, though I'm not entirely sure.
Your doctor will be able to walk you through the specifics.

steeljackal8 said:If anyone could help me out by reading these results, I'd really appreciate it. Honestly, I'm pretty terrified😕!
protein/creatinine ratio.............................. 1.782
creatinine (dU) ...............................8633 µmol/dU
creatinine coefficient..................... 125 µmol/24/kg
endogenous creatinine clearance........... 0.94ml/s/1.73m2
total protein (dU) ......................719mg /dU
protein/creatinine ......................... 736 mg/g
LAC ...........................................3.69 R
Anti-dsDNA .................................5 u/ml
ENA SCREEN............................... positive

Anti (ss-B/La)(Sm)(Sm/RNF)(Jo-1)(sc1-70)(histones) and anti-centromere antibodies are within normal limits

Cardiolipin antibody screen ........- neg
Cardiolipin antibody IgG class .......greater than 100
cardiolipin antibody IgM class ......5.79
ANF............................................ borderline

How much is my kidney function at risk, and what can I do to help myself? I don't eat meat—just fish—but I drink a ton of milk and dairy, so I'm wondering if switching to lactose-free or cutting back on proteins and fish would be a good move.????
I have SLE and I'm currently taking Plavix, Prednisone, and Tarceva.
I just had these tests done recently back in the States, but I'm living in Sweden now, so I have to wait another 20 days to see a specialist. Everything is backed up here unless you're literally unable to walk!
Thanks in advance!!!

Check out the glomerulonephritis thread. You'll find exactly what you're looking for there; we've been discussing kidney health, treatment options, and diet. Just make sure to include the reference ranges so we can actually tell what's going on. It looks like your protein levels are high, so please head over to the glomerulonephritis thread and post all those results along with the lab's reference values.

vividranger46 said:So, about three weeks ago I had surgery for a benign breast tumor. I just got my results back today, and they list two types: D24, which is a benign tumor, and something called N60. Does anyone know what that means?

That N60 stands for fibrocystic mastopathy—basically just some benign changes in the breast tissue. Nothing to worry about!
Wishing you all the best! 👍

I haven't seen any posts from melpomena yet! I'm ready to get to work once they start sharing. kaže:
So, I went in for some blood work yesterday, and here’s what my results look like:
My TRC came back at 74 10^9/L (normal range is 158-424). My doctor mentioned she’s a bit concerned about this result, and I'm honestly wondering why. It's clearly below the cutoff, but... what's the big deal?
My lymphocyte count came back at 47, which is just a hair above the standard range of 20 to 46. Honestly, I’m probably overthinking this little bump, but still!
My MCV came back at 99.4 fL, which is just a tiny bit outside the normal range of 83.0 to 97.2. Not exactly what I was expecting!
My white blood cell count came back at 9.6. The normal range goes up to 9.7, so I'm technically still within the lines! Just barely, but I'll take it.
My neurological segment reading came back at 46, with a range between 44 and 72.
My MCHC came back at 320 g/L, which is just a hair under the standard range of 320-345. It’s slightly low, but honestly, I'm trying not to overthink these tiny fluctuations!
Can anyone give me a hand with these lab results?🙂

Your platelet count is looking pretty low. You should definitely check in with a hematologist to be safe. It could end up being something totally minor and nothing to worry about, but it could also be something more serious like thrombocytopenia—especially if all your other lab results are coming back normal.
Did you get that referral for the hematology workup yet?👍

coppereagle16 said:I see you guys mentioning JAK2... that was a positive finding for me too. My diagnosis is PV (Polycythemia Vera). I've been managing this for two years now—literally through venesections, and for the last 10 months or so, via erythrocytapheresis at the Mayo Clinic.
😕
I'm really curious about how this will progress. I've been scrolling through the web, reading everything under the sun. I just need some solid facts if possible. That doesn't mean I don't trust my doctor (Dr. Lazar), though.
😛

First off, you're being treated by Dr. Lazar, so you're lucky to be in his hands—you should definitely trust him.
None of us here are doctors; we're just people who have learned things along the way. Someone gets sick, treats something similar, and then shares what they went through.
As for your condition, I believe it falls into the category of a chronic illness—essentially a lifelong thing due to the abnormal increase in red blood cells. But if you manage it well with therapy and keep things under control, you can definitely slow down its progression.
Try not to overdo the Google searching. Everything online is so general, and it varies wildly from one patient to the next depending on when it's caught and how the body reacts to treatment. Even with the exact same diagnosis, it's hard to find two patients with identical symptoms and response patterns. The more you read, the more stressed you'll get, and you won't gain much from it. If your cytostatic therapy is working well and you're feeling relatively okay, then just enjoy life. Accept the condition as a companion, but make sure it knows you're the one in charge.👋🙂

I’m sorry to say, but those results for your little one aren't looking great. This looks like a case of anemia that really needs to be managed exclusively by a hematologist. Since both the UIBC and TIBC levels are low, we could potentially be looking at anemia caused by chronic inflammation, but I honestly don't want to speculate further. Please, just go see a hematologist as soon as possible.

Joshua Cox2, that sounds pretty serious. I'm really sorry you're dealing with this, but you definitely need to see a hematologist for more testing—or they might just decide on a treatment plan based on what you already have.
Where are you planning on seeing a hematologist?

Joshua Cox2 said:Since my white blood cell count was up, I had to redo my blood work. Here’s what it shows:

Primary myelofibrosis PMF
JAK2 V617F mutation confirmed, result positive.

My primary care doctor didn't really say much (maybe he just doesn't know?), and I don't see the hematologist for another 10 days.
How dangerous is this?
If anyone knows anything, please help me out!

The JAK2 V617F mutation is basically a predictor for how myelofibrosis progresses. It can be linked to polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, or primary myelofibrosis.
JAK2 affects things like itching, hemoglobin levels, and those fluctuating platelet counts—all of which often tie back to higher white blood cell counts. It's also frequently seen alongside an enlarged spleen.
Treatment really depends on which of those three specific conditions you actually have.

crimsonsailor14 said:I recently had some blood work done to check my cholesterol because it’s been a little high for the last few years: 6.04... HDL 3... LDL 2.81

But it turns out a few other things are off too:
ESR 25, Fe 7.4, TIBC 47.5.

What does this point to?
Otherwise, I feel fine and don't really have any specific symptoms.
My throat was sore about a month ago, but that cleared up. I recently had some blood work done to check my cholesterol because it’s been a little high for the last few years: 6.04... HDL 3... LDL 2.81

But it turns out a few other things are off too:
ESR 25, Fe 7.4, TIBC 47.5.

What does this point to?
Otherwise, I feel fine and don't really have any specific symptoms.
My throat was sore about a month ago, but that cleared up.

You listed your lab results, but you didn't include the reference ranges. Every lab in the US uses slightly different scales. Honestly, your cholesterol is just a bit elevated—you could probably handle that with some Omega-3 supplements from a drugstore, since it isn't high enough to justify heavy medication.
Your iron (Fe) at 7.4 looks low, and since I don't know what the standard range is for your TIBC (total iron binding capacity), I'm guessing it's right on the lower limit. That usually points toward anemia. You'll most likely need to take some iron supplements to get that sorted out.
As for the sedimentation rate, it's just slightly elevated. It might just be leftover from that sore throat you had—nothing to worry about.

Hannah Edwards44 said:Trespasser? You really think I was shaking? 🙂 Sorry, I'm not quite sure what you mean by that?

Trespasser, I'm talking about exactly what you just said—how much you were shaking.
Maybe you had the flu once, and then the next time, everything just lined up perfectly for an infection to kick in. Your immune system probably took a hit, making it way too easy for bacteria to move in. That’s my best guess on what happened.

Hannah Edwards44 said:What kind of search should I run to be absolutely sure I’m dealing with kidney issues? To be honest, my doctors haven't really gone the extra mile, so I don't fully trust their diagnosis. That's why I'm looking for answers here and spending hours digging through stuff online. 😢

Honestly, if your stomach is hurting, you might just have a bladder infection. You should definitely get an ultrasound on your kidneys, and that urine culture will show exactly which bacteria are present—then you'll know for sure. Pain can radiate to your stomach, and I'm pretty convinced there's something going on there rather than it just being the flu.
Did you have any Trespasser along with your fever?

Hannah Edwards44 said:Is it actually possible to have a kidney infection if I don't feel any pain in that area?
I haven't felt anything at all near my kidneys...
And can you even get an infection if you're careful—I always wear undershirts, extra layers, and thick socks...
A few years back, I was in agony for about 5 or 6 days straight, but since I wasn't in the States at the time, everything just seemed to clear up once I got back home, so I never followed up on it.
Also, I've had to take antibiotics for E. coli a few times, but it always seems to come back. Could that be causing all this?
In the last two months alone, I've gone through three rounds of antibiotics because of some really nasty gland inflammation.
I honestly can't believe this is happening!
Today I spoke with two different doctors—a GP and a gynecologist—and they both told me it was all just the flu and that it's too late for antibiotics now. I went ahead and asked for a referral for a urine culture and a sinus scan (since I deal with chronic sinus issues and thought maybe that was the culprit).
I also had some other blood work done, and the only things that came back high were my ESR and white blood cell count.

Look, I'm no doctor, but looking at those urine results, the elevated ESR, and the white blood cell count, it really looks like an infection to me. E. coli is a stubborn little beast; it loves to hang around and it’s a common cause of kidney infections. Sometimes you end up on antibiotics for months—like taking Novicef for a while and then switching to something like Ninur for another six months. You really have to keep monitoring those cultures after finishing a course, and honestly, drink as much tea as you can. That bacteria is a nightmare, and you have to fight until it's totally gone. Plus, catching the flu twice? That sounds weird to me, especially if the doctors said it was just that. If that logic held up, vaccines wouldn't even work because you'd build immunity after the first time. Anyway, the doctors obviously know more than I do, so we should respect their expertise, but I'd still say go get that urine culture. Rule out the kidney infection. If it's clear, great, but if not, you need to get it treated.

Hannah Edwards44 said:Thanks so much for getting back to me.
Do you think urine looking like that could be from catching two flu strains in a row?
Or maybe it wasn't the flu at all, just a fever caused by a weakened immune system and some bacterial buildup?

Thanks for the advice. I'm heading in for a urine culture this Monday.

Personally, I don't think you just had two back-to-back flus. Looking at those results, it seems more likely you're dealing with a kidney infection that kept spiking your fever. It definitely fits the pattern.
On Monday, once you see the doctor for that culture, they'll probably put you on Newton or a similar antibiotic right away after the samples are sent in.
Wishing you the very best!

Hannah Edwards44 said:Can anyone help me out?

My urine results show:
Bacteria (ref 0-74) = 646
Mucus (ref 0-264) = 1,650.00?!?
Crystals (ref 0-6) = 23.10
EPI Squamous Epithelial Cells (ref 0-5) = 33
NIT = positive
Sedimentation (ref 5-28) = 37

What's going on with me??

Looking at this urinalysis, it’s clear there's a bacterial infection. Given those numbers, you might be dealing with pyelonephritis—basically a kidney infection—especially if you've been running a high fever or having chills.
You definitely need to get a urine culture done next to figure out exactly which bacteria we're dealing with. In the meantime, you really should start antibiotics right away. Also, drink plenty of fluids—lots of water or tea. Cranberry juice can help too, but it's a urological staple for a reason. Obviously, you need to take these results straight to your doctor so they can decide on the best course of action. Did you get a full blood panel done, or just the sedimentation test?
Just a heads-up: if you go with cranberry juice, don't mix it with certain herbal urological teas.

Douglas Diaz3 said:I think she mentioned the node was outside the thyroid area, like it wasn't even related to it...
They didn't do a full blood panel on me—just the basics like red and white cell counts, which all came back perfectly fine. My hormones are normal too, and the doctor didn't bring anything up regarding them.

Could it just be a lymph node? Sometimes they swell up from something totally minor, like a sore throat, a tooth issue, or even an ear infection. If it’s separate from the thyroid, I’m pretty convinced we aren't looking at a tumor here. But hey, you did the right thing by getting it checked out. The main thing is getting a clean report.
Feeling a little more relaxed now?

Douglas Diaz3 said:So, I just got back from my biopsy. Basically, it looks like there’s some pus in that nodule, almost like some kind of infection. Since the sample only showed pus, does that mean I can rule out anything cancerous? I asked the doctor performing the procedure, but she didn't give me a straight answer—just mentioned it might be inflammation, maybe a lymph node, nothing concrete. While they were doing the ultrasound, I overheard two doctors talking about seeing the nodule and then this shadow behind it, mentioning something about a hypo-nodule and so on. As for my thyroid, it isn't enlarged; the doctor was actually looking at someone else's previous report when she noted "diffuse enlargement," so that was just for another patient. I got a second report, and the only abnormal thing listed is that specific nodule; the thyroid itself shows normal dimensions and isn't swollen. They also mentioned a cyst or something, so now I have to wait ten days for the official results.

While I'm waiting, what do you guys think this could be? If the sample is just pus, can I breathe easy regarding tumors?

Honestly, I think you can relax a little. If there was pus, it's highly likely we're looking at an inflamed node. A doctor can't really tell the exact contents of a node just by looking at it. You just have to hang in there for these ten days; the results will probably just show an inflammatory process. And hey, cysts aren't a big deal—plenty of people have one or two without even knowing it. Regardless, since the nodule is in your thyroid, it means there's something going on there. It doesn't have to be a tumor; it might not even need treatment, just monitoring. If the results come back suspicious, they'll handle it then. Don't sweat it too much. If it is just inflammation... did you get your bloodwork done for hormones yet?
Just because your thyroid isn't diffusely enlarged doesn't mean nothing is happening; it could still be inflammation or something similar. Stay positive, but let's assume it's nothing serious.👍

Joseph Kern2 said:I've got my cystoscopy scheduled for sometime this week too. Can anyone walk me through what the actual procedure looks like? 😁

I’ve been through a cystoscopy before, though I went to a private clinic instead of a big public hospital. Honestly, at the hospital, it hurts like crazy, but going private makes a world of difference. It's definitely less painful—it’s more about discomfort than actual pain, if that makes sense.
That said, I did have some issues right after the exam because things were stinging terribly down there. I rushed straight to a pharmacy, picked up a cream, and once I started applying it, I felt much better. My best advice? Just pay extra for the private option so you don't have to suffer.