Lab results - looking for opinions [PLEASE READ 1ST POST]

My MCHC is at 398—can someone tell me what it actually means when it's that high? The normal range is supposed to be 320-360. Thanks!

Can someone please help me make sense of these labs?

Hematology:

RBC 3.91 - ref. interval 3.86 - 5.08
Hemoglobin 120 - ref. interval 119 - 157
Hematocrit 0.350 L - ref. interval 0.356 - 0.470
MCV 89.5 - ref. interval 83.0 - 97.2
MCH 30.6 - ref. interval 27.4 - 33.9
MCHC 342 - ref. interval 320 - 345
RDW 14.8 - ref. interval 9.0 - 15.0
Platelets 194 - ref. interval 158 - 424
MPV 10.9 H - ref. interval 6.8 - 10.4
WBC 6.9 - ref. interval 3.4 - 9.7

Differential:

Eosinophils 5.0 - ref. interval 0 - 7
Basophils 0.4 - ref. interval 0 - 1
Neutrophils 44. 1 - ref. interval 44 - 72
Lymphocytes 41.6 - ref. interval 20 - 46
Monocytes 8.9 - ref. interval 2 - 12

And here’s another set, though I noticed the units are different here.

Eosinophils 0.35 - ref. interval 0.00 - 0.43
Basophils 0.03 - ref. interval 0.00 - 0.06
Neutrophils 3.04 - ref. interval 2.06 - 6.49
Lymphocytes 2.87 - ref. interval 1.19 - 3.35
Monocytes 0.61 - ref. interval 0.12 - 0.84

Clinical Chemistry:

Iron 13 - ref. interval 8 - 30
UIBC 40.00 - ref. interval 26 - 59
TIBC 53.00 - ref. interval 49 - 75

I'm still waiting on my Ferritin results before I head to the doctor, but in the meantime, I'm trying to figure this out. So, I see the Hematocrit is low and the MPV is high, and some of these are right on the edge. These are from December 12th, but back on October 17th, my KCC and everything else was all within the normal range.

We're suspecting anemia, which is why we had everything redone—my hair has been falling out like crazy for six months now, and I also have thyroid issues.
Please don't just tell me "it's probably just the thyroid."
Because everyone loves to say "that's it" the second you have a diagnosis.
Oh, and I'm in my mid-20s.

Thanks

Nicole Ortiz said:Can someone please help me make sense of these lab results?

...................

We’re suspecting anemia, so we had everything re-tested. My hair has been thinning out like crazy for about six months now, and I also deal with thyroid issues.
And please—don't just give me that "it's all because of your thyroid" line.
Everyone loves to play doctor and blame everything on a single diagnosis the second you have one. It's lazy.
For context, I'm in my mid-20s.

Thanks

Everything looks normal to me.

I'm honestly feeling a little bit anxious about my blood work because my white blood cell count came back at 11.6 and my MPV is sitting at 5.5

On top of that, they found some bacteria in my urine and my white cell count in the urine test was 10
What on earth does all this actually mean?

nimbleharbor65 said:segmented neutrophils 0.3 (0.44-0.72)
lymphocytes 0.57 (0.2-0.46)
everything else is within the normal range...

rapiddriver23 said:MCHC 398, can someone tell me what it means when it's this high? The normal range is 320-360. Thanks

crimsonpanther7 said:my blood work has me worried because my white blood cell count is elevated at 11.6 and MPV is 5.5

I also have some bacteria in my urine and white blood cells at 10 in the urine test
what does this mean

To get more precise and accurate answers to your questions regarding lab results, we suggest that when you post your findings, please include the following details:

- complete results - many values cannot be interpreted correctly if they are listed individually without the accompanying data
- reference ranges - if there are reference ranges on your report, please include them. Different labs use different standards, so a number by itself means absolutely nothing without its specific reference range
- age - you don't need to give your exact age, but a general idea like "early twenties" or "late forties" helps significantly, as certain values vary depending on your age group
- reason for testing (your symptoms) - this is crucial. It’s nearly impossible for anyone to accurately interpret your results if they don't know why you were sent for testing in the first place
- brief medical history - if you have other health conditions, please list them. They provide a much fuller picture
- anything else - it's also helpful to mention if you are pregnant or dealing with other similar factors, as that changes how results are read

So, I got hit with a mono diagnosis back on December 10th.

Here’s the lab work from Dec 10th:
S-AST, result: 238, ref interval: 11-38
S-ALT, result: 402, ref interval: 12-48
S-LD, result: 376, ref interval: 0-241

And then there's today's blood work results:
AST, result: 198, ref interval: 11-38
ALT, result: 421, ref interval: 12-48
GGT, result: 30, ref interval: 11-55

Honestly, I'm freaking out a bit because even though I've been resting like crazy and watching my diet, my ALT actually went up compared to those Dec 10th numbers.
Should I be seriously worried here?

I've got a follow-up appointment tomorrow at the infectious disease clinic, but this spike is messing with my head so I wanted to get some input before I actually see the doctor.
I'm 24.

My Ferritin is sitting at 12—the "normal" range is 10-120. Should I be freaking out yet?🙄

vividsailor7 said:There aren't any typical obesity-related issues like hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, or fatty liver.
It would be a good idea to check your USA levels, CRP, 24-hour proteinuria, and uric acid via a urinalysis.
Make sure to monitor your blood pressure and keep a daily log of those readings.

My cortisol and CRP results just came back. 24-hour urinary cortisol: 39.7 nmol/dL (Ref range 58-306).
The 24-hour urine volume was 500ml (Ref range 600-1600). CRP is 8.4 mg/L (Ref range I should have more urine analysis results tomorrow, so I'll update this post then. Given everything going on, what do these new numbers mean, and what else should I look into? Thanks.

Is it possible for birth control pills to cause elevated copper levels in my blood (serum copper)? I’ve been on them for 11 years now (I'm 28). If that's a thing, how long does it usually take for those levels to get back to "normal" once I stop taking them? My reading was 31.6, while the ref. interval is (12.2 - 25.1)

Amy James5 said:Can birth control pills cause high copper levels in my blood? I've been on them for about 11 years now (I'm 28). If they do, how long does it usually take for those numbers to get back "to normal" once you stop? My copper is at 31.6, while the ref range is 12.2 - 25.1.

Yeah some oral contraceptives can actually bump up your serum copper concentrations. It’s pretty tough to say for sure when things will settle back down to baseline, though. Honestly, your best bet is to sit down with your doctor or the gynecologist who handles your prescription—they're the ones with the full picture of your specific situation.

Amy James5 said:Can birth control pills cause elevated copper levels in the blood (serum copper)? I've been on them for 11 years (I'm 28). If so, how long does it take for levels to return "to normal" after stopping? My level is 31.6, ref range (12.2 - 25.1)

Oral contraceptives can definitely bump up serum copper levels—sometimes quite significantly. This is especially true for those with anti-androgenic effects, like Yaz or Yasmin.

Make sure to mention the pill use to whichever doctor ordered the lab work.

As for how long it takes to normalize, I can't give you an exact timeline. However, glancing at some studies, researchers typically measure copper about 1 to 2 months after discontinuing the pill, and things usually settle back down by then.

That said, the long-term implications of these elevated copper levels caused by contraceptive use haven't been fully mapped out yet.

Best regards. 🙂

Because of some intense dizziness accompanied by nausea and occasional vomiting, I was referred for a carotid color Doppler and a transcranial Doppler ultrasound.
Results:
Morphological assessment of the carotid trunk using CDFI and PDI shows medium-width vessel lumens on both sides. No formed plaques or stenosis were detected. Hemodynamics are symmetrical and satisfactory. Both internal carotid arteries show satisfactory morphology and blood flow.

Regarding the morphological assessment of the vertebral arteries, medium-width vessel lumens are visible bilaterally (AVD 3.9mm, AVL 4.0 mm). Hemodynamics are symmetrical and within normal limits on both sides.

TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER SONOGRAPHY

The circulation of the Willis circle appears to be within normal limits.
The examination of the VB circulation indicates slightly elevated systolic blood flow velocities (SBV) across all vessels tested.

I guess I'm wondering what this actually means? Should I be looking into more tests? Is there any reason to worry?
I'm 33.
Thanks.

Kimberly Fisher37 said:The cortisol and CRP results finally landed on my desk. My 24-hour urine cortisol came back at 39.7 nmol/dU, which is nowhere near the standard reference range of 58-306. This is frustratingly low.
My 24-hour urine volume clocked in at 500ml, which is actually below the standard reference range of 600-1600ml. On top of that, my CRP is sitting at 8.4 mg/L—definitely higher than the normal threshold of less than 5.0. Not exactly the news I was hoping for.
I’m getting another set of urine analysis results back tomorrow, so I’ll update everyone here once they land on my desk. Given everything I've been dealing with lately, I really need some perspective. What do these new numbers actually mean in the grand scheme of this whole mess, and what should I be looking into next? Any advice is appreciated.

You guys seriously need to quote your previous posts if you want me to remember what we were even talking about!

Amy James5 said:Can birth control pills cause elevated serum copper levels? I’ve been on them for 11 years now, and I'm only 28. If there's a connection, how long does it actually take for those levels to settle back down to "normal" once you stop taking them? My current reading is 31.6, while the reference range is 12.2 - 25.1.

I was wondering—why on earth did you decide to pull Copper levels from the serum during the first round of testing?

Elizabeth Fox said:I’ve been dealing with these brutal bouts of vertigo, constant nausea, and even some vomiting lately. Because of all this, my doctor is sending me in for a couple of tests—specifically a color Doppler ultrasound of the carotid arteries and a transcranial Doppler sonography.
Results:
Using both CDFI and PDI to map out the carotid arteries, the results show medium-width vessel lumens on both sides. I didn't see any sign of formed plaques or stenoses. The hemodynamics look perfectly symmetrical and stable. Both ACAs are showing satisfactory morphology and blood flow.

The morphological view of the vertebral arteries shows medium-width lumens on both sides—averaging about 3.9mm on the right and 4.0mm on the left. As for the hemodynamics, everything is perfectly symmetrical and falls right within the normal range on both sides.

TRANSCRANIAL DOPPLER ULTRASOUND

The circulation results from the Willis circle are sitting right at the edge of the normal range.
The imaging results for the abdominal vessel circulation show that SBSK levels are slightly elevated across every single blood vessel they tested.

What does this actually mean for me? Am I looking at something that requires more testing right away? Honestly, should I be panicking here?
I'm 33 years old.
Thanks.

It’s nothing to worry about. Honestly, the results aren't concerning at all.

I need some clarification. My doctor ordered a full coagulation panel following two miscarriages, and the requisition lists the following:

23211- P-Fibrinogen
28611- Activated partial thromboplastin time
28621- P-prothrombin time- INR
28695- P-Antitrombin III,...mg/L, ( P-AT III, Pt-n)

What exactly am I looking at here? Can these specific tests show signs of thrombophilia, or would I need separate orders for that?

Thanks

Elizabeth Sanders24 said:I need some help understanding this. After having two miscarriages, my doctor ordered a full coagulation panel, and these are the tests listed:

23211- P-Fibrinogen
28611- Activated partial thromboplastin time
28621- P- prothrombin time- INR
28695- P-Antithrombin III,...mg/L, ( P-AT III, Pt-n)

What exactly am I looking at here? Can any signs of thrombophilia be spotted from these results, even though I haven't been given a specific referral for those tests yet?

Thanks

It's just your standard blood work. You can head over to either a local Mayo Clinic or a major hospital like Johns Hopkins; I'm certain they handle all of this routinely.

vividsailor7 said:It's just a standard blood draw. If you head over to either Mayo Clinic or Johns Hopkins, I'm pretty sure they handle this all the time.

So, these tests won't actually show if there’s an underlying predisposition for thrombophilia?
I guess I'll probably just go to Cleveland; I'm originally from California.

Elizabeth Sanders24 said:Can someone walk me through this? My doctor ordered a full coagulation panel after I had two miscarriages, and these were the specific tests listed:

23211- P-Fibrinogen
28611- Activated partial thromboplastin time
28621- P- prothrombin time- INR
28695- P-Antithrombin III,...mg/L, ( P-AT III, Pt-n)

What exactly am I looking at here? Is there anything in these specific results that would point toward thrombophilia, or do I need to wait for the other tests my doctor hasn't ordered yet?

Thanks

So, things like Fibrinogen, aPTT, PT, and INR are basically just different ways of checking how your blood clotting system is functioning. They all need to stay within a certain range for everything to work smoothly. People often call this a "full coagulation panel," and it’s really just the first step in looking into potential thrombophilia issues. It's also pretty standard procedure if someone is prepping for surgery or dealing with stuff like heart attacks or strokes.
Antithrombin III, Protein C, Protein S, Factor V Leiden mutation, and Prothrombin II are what I'd call the "next level" tests. Those are the ones you actually run to see if there's an underlying genetic issue causing the clotting problems.

velvetmoose9 said:Fibrinogen, APTV, PV, and INR are parameters used to assess blood clotting function. They need to stay within specific ranges for the system to work correctly. Some people call this a "major coagulogram." Basically, it’s the starting point for investigating potential thrombophilia and is standard procedure for preoperative prep or when managing certain conditions, like a heart attack or stroke.
Antitrombin III,protein C, protein S, factor V (Leiden) mutation, and prothrombin II are more advanced tests used to determine if there's an underlying genetic disorder causing thrombophilia.

Thanks for the explanation.

Female, 19.5 years old, diagnosed with PCOS. These labs were taken before I started any birth control pills. I'm looking for some insight—are there any contraindications for starting oral contraceptives based on these results? Also, please give me your take on the overall findings; should I be worried about any of these lower values?
Thanks in advance. 🙂

APTV 33 (25-38)
APTV - R 1.10 (0.8-1.2)
Fibrinogen 2.71 (1.6-4.0)

Erc 4.29 (3.86-5.0)
Hb 122 (119-157)
Htc 0.38 (0.35-0.45)
MCV 89.0 (83.0-97.2)
MCH 28.3 (24.3-33.9)
MCHC 319 (304-346)
RDW 14.4 (11.6-18.3)
Trc 123 (158-424)
MPV 9.1 (6.1-10.4)
Lkc 4.8 (3.4-9.7)

CBC
Segmented granulocytes 0.367 (0.340-0.720)
Lymphocytes 0.576 (0.190-0.520)
Monocytes 0.057 (0.020-0.130)

Coagulation:
INR 1.29 (2.00-3.50)
Prothrombin time 0.73 (0.70-1.20)

Metabolites and substrates:
GLU 5.75 (3.90-5.90)
U. BIL pH 5.0 (6.0-26.0)

Enzymes:
AST 15 (14-32)
ALT 10 (10-29)
GGT 11 (10-24)

Lipids:
CHOL 3.98 (3.36-5.00)
HDL-C 1.89 (>1.0)
LDL-C 1.85 ( TRIG 0.52 (0.50-1.50)

Is it alright if I have a little water before heading in to get my blood drawn for AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, and Bilirubin? Does drinking water actually change the results at all?