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

Excellent—then I have no reason to worry. Thanks.

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?

Does anyone happen to know what it implies if my MPV comes back low while all my other CBC results remain within the normal range? To be precise, my MPV is sitting at 6.7 fL, whereas the standard reference interval is listed as 6.8 to 10.4 fL. In all my previous blood work, my MPV has consistently hovered around the 9 fL mark. Is this something that warrants actual concern?

bluepilot45 said:Hi everyone,

Female, 44, generally healthy—no meds, normal weight, don't drink, but I am a smoker (half a pack a day).

On March 27th, my fever hit over 102, and by the next morning, I had these blood and urine results: https://ibb.co/WBnwsvy along with a CRP of 53.1.
Symptoms: mainly a nasty bacterial tonsillitis plus sinus issues, congestion, laryngitis, and this bizarre, non-productive cough—feels like I’m choking. My lymph nodes under my jaw and on my neck are swollen and painful too.
Everything screams bacterial infection, so my doctor put me on Fromilid 500 mg twice a day for seven days.
After three days, there was basically zero improvement. My doctor switched my antibiotic to Augmentin for another seven days. It trashed my stomach, but I felt a little better—though still nowhere near healthy. Two days after finishing the Augmentin, the swallowing issues came right back, all the symptoms returned (minus the fever), and it was a total disaster. Since it was a Saturday, I didn't know what to do. My mother-in-law, who happens to be a pharmacist, gave me some Azithromycin she had lying around (a 3-day course). I’ve never taken antibiotics without a prescription before, but I was desperate—I couldn't imagine waiting three days until my doctor's office opened while in this much pain. Plus, since the fever was gone, going to an urgent care clinic felt kind of pointless. I started feeling better after the second pill. After the third, though, my ear started hurting. And then there's that weird cough—mostly when I lie down, non-productive, just forcing me to cough, but I can't actually clear anything, which feels like I'm suffocating (terrible description, I know, but that's how it feels).

So, what now? If I go get blood work done, will it give me an accurate picture? Is there even any point in doing a throat or nasal swab at this stage? And is it actually possible that none of those three antibiotics hit the mark? Can I expect to feel better soon? I think Azithromycin has a long half-life... I'm assuming this is Strep. My primary care clinic handles everything over the phone—nobody even saw me in person—and I ended up talking to four different doctors over five calls, so I really need a second opinion. I'm terrified I'll end up needing a fourth antibiotic.

Also, can someone explain why my amylase levels are double the normal range in my urine and why my iron is so low? Could that be linked to the infection?

Thanks in advance!

This was my post from about ten days ago. In the meantime, I finally saw my doctor. On top of the tonsillitis, I developed bilateral ear infections; the doctor prescribed drops and that's been cleared up. But, thanks to the mountain of antibiotics, I've got a lovely case of yeast infections everywhere—that cough I mentioned and the white spots in my throat (which I thought was more pus, but turned out to be yeast) are being treated with Miconazole gel now. As for the blood work, repeated a week after my last dose of Azithromycin, everything looks fine. The thing bothering me is the urinalysis—is it okay, or could it be from the antibiotics/antiseptics? My doctor says it's fine, but I still feel like I have to pee constantly and feel pressure even after I'm done.

Blood and urine results: https://ibb.co/nwPktp9
(CRP is totally normal at 3.1).

Thanks!

Hello, I was wondering if someone might be able to walk me through this—is there any reason for me to be concerned?

I recently went in for some bloodwork, and it turns out my AST levels came back at 63 (where the standard range is 11-38), and my ALT is sitting at 53 (with a normal range of 10-33). In my estimation, these seem like fairly significant deviations. I suppose I am just trying to wrap my head around what the underlying cause might be, especially since I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I generally maintain a pretty healthy lifestyle.

Hi there.
Could someone help me make sense of these results? I've been running a fever up to 101.3°F for about four days now. My doctor isn't back in the office until Monday, so I just downloaded the report from my patient portal.
https://ibb.co/jVv23sg

Amy Kim25 said:Unfortunately, I can't give you a definitive answer, but I do know that frequent viral infections are pretty common for people undergoing chemo—it’s likely just their immune system taking a hit. If that gives you any peace of mind... definitely check in with your doctors about what to expect, because this will probably happen again... especially if you run a fever that lingers for more than a day or two.

On another note, I have a technical question: I went to a lab in Chicago this morning for bloodwork, and they told me the results would show up on my MyChart portal. So far, there's absolutely nothing there. How many days does it usually take for those results to pop up, assuming they actually upload them?

Apparently, you can't access them until your doctor at the Mayo Clinic opens them up first.
Honestly, these US healthcare portals are a total mess; half the features are always missing.

Jessica Morales87 said:Hi there!

Can someone help me make sense of these results? My kid has been running a fever up to 101°F for four days now. The pediatrician isn't back in the office until Monday, so I just downloaded the lab report from our patient portal.

https://ibb.co/jVv23sg

It looks like they're anemic. You should probably get their iron levels checked too. It’s important to figure out if there’s any internal bleeding happening somewhere—like the stomach, intestines, or maybe just really heavy periods.
The doctor will likely order some follow-up tests once they see you.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy using Reddit

Can someone please help me make sense of this MRI report for my L5?
Thanks 🙂
The Th11 vertebra has a slightly wedge-shaped body, which looks like it's from an old fracture.
There's some wear and tear—osteochondrosis—between the Th10 and Th11 segments, specifically Type I
per Modic.
Also seeing Schmorl's nodes on the top surfaces of the lower thoracic vertebrae.
The L5 vertebral bodies look okay in terms of alignment and height.
The discs at L3-L4 and L4-L5 are showing degenerative changes, which has
caused the disc spaces to narrow down.
At the L4-L5 level, there’s a wide bulging disc protrusion that's crowding both
lateral recesses, plus some joint degeneration and thickening of the
ligamentum flavum.
Finally, there's a Bulging IV at the L5-S1 level along with some facet joint degeneration.

What am I looking at here with these elevated levels?

View on imgur

I have an appointment with an immunologist coming up soon—but I'd rather get a general idea of what this might point toward before then.

So, you've got an allergy

Is there any point in my doctor sending me for allergy testing?

I know this isn't a formal medical report, but if anyone could help me make sense of this EEG for my nine-year-old, who is on the autism spectrum, I would be so incredibly grateful:
The recording was done after sleep deprivation, though the child couldn't actually fall asleep. There were variable amplitudes and mixed frequencies; the baseline cerebral activity consists of alpha and theta waves, followed by drowsiness patterns.
During the 60-minute session, suspect sharp wave formations appeared in a couple of spots—specifically in the left occipital region and one other posterior left area.
IFS shows no changes; cerebral mapping during wakefulness shows symmetric alpha and theta activity in the posterior regions.
Conclusion: Findings are suspicious for focal changes in the left occipital region, independent of CT results.

The doctor noted there aren't enough elements to diagnose epilepsy, so she wants us to monitor this with follow-up scans every six months and schedule an MRI.
She also mentioned that in neurodevelopmental disorders, EEG abnormalities tend to pop up sooner or later anyway. According to her, we shouldn't worry unless seizures occur—which can happen to anyone, though children on the spectrum might have a slightly higher risk, regardless of this specific finding.

Since I don't really understand what these "sharp formations" mean or why they show up in a specific spot, does the fact that they are in the occipital region tell us anything? Can I actually learn more about his brain from this? I understand we need to monitor him, but what should I be doing in the meantime? Should I just act like everything is fine? Is there anything I can look out for myself, besides classic seizures, that would signal it's time to call the doctor for an earlier EEG?
He doesn't really have any issues outside of the typical ones related to his diagnosis; we only did this EEG because I insisted, since it had been two years since his last one.
He isn't experiencing headaches, dizziness, or fainting; everything is exactly the same as when his previous results were normal.

Could anyone help me make sense of these lab results?

EBV VCA IgM negative
EBV VCA IgG positive (200)
EBV ea IgG negative
EBNA IgG positive (86.3)
CMV IgM negative
CMV IgG positive (104.0)

anti-HAV total negative
HBsAg negative
anti-HBs IgG negative
anti-HBc total negative
anti-HCV negative

Does this mean I actually have mono? My abdominal ultrasound showed an enlarged liver, and my liver enzymes were through the roof initially, though they've started to drop on the follow-up. Plus, my lymph nodes are swollen and super sore, my CRP is up, and I'm just feeling totally wiped out... zero energy...

My doctor keeps telling me I should stop obsessing over everything online🙄

Rachel Torres57 said:Can someone help me make sense of these lab results?

EBV VCA IgM negative
EBV VCA IgG positive (200)
EBV ea IgG negative
EBNA IgG positive (86.3)
CMV IgM negative
CMV IgG positive (104.0)

anti-HAV total negative
HBsAg negative
anti-HBs IgG negative
anti-HBc total negative
anti-HCV negative

Does this mean I have mono? My abdominal ultrasound showed an enlarged liver, my liver enzymes were through the roof but they've dropped slightly since then, my lymph nodes are swollen and painful, my CRP is up, and I feel completely wiped out.

My doctor is basically telling me to stop being such a hypochondriac.🙄

It looks like you've already had CMV and EBV infections (you have the antibodies), but the infection isn't active right now.
It’s entirely possible that your liver enzymes are still elevated as a lingering consequence of those infections; based on the antibody titers, it likely happened somewhere between six months to a year ago. Stick to a liver-friendly diet, and your doctor will probably suggest taking Silimarin to help your liver recover.

Back in mid-March, I had a massive kidney stone attack that landed me straight in the ER—turns out there were fragments sitting in both kidneys

Fast forward to now, and I’ve been dealing with this constant pain in my right kidney for almost a week. It feels like classic renal colic, and honestly, I'm just survives on a steady diet of Advil and muscle relaxers

I went ahead and got my blood work and urine tests done; the urine looks fine, but my blood work shows elevated creatinine (101) and CRP (15)
So, clearly there's some inflammation going on, especially since I've been running a low-grade fever up to 99.5°F in the evenings

Now, the big question is... could those stones actually be the culprit here?

Context:
- Age 40-45.
- I started looking things up because of a diagnosis of Granuloma annulare—basically a thickened patch on my back about 1 cm wide that hasn't gone away for months.
- I also had blood work done because I was worried about diabetes, but everything came back normal.
- My TSH is elevated at 7.89 (normal range is 0.38 - 5.33), which points to subclinical hypothyroidism. I’m not on any medication for it yet.

Biopsy Results:
"Specimen: 1. Back - right scapular region.

Pathological Diagnosis: 1: -

Pathological Description:
A skin sample measuring 0.3 cm was received.
Histologically, the surface shows orthokeratotic, normally layered epidermis.
In the dermis, there are sparse mononuclear inflammatory infiltrates located perivascularly. In the deeper layers of the dermis, we see
increased scar tissue."

Since I'm a total layman, could someone please help me interpret this? Is this anything serious? Also, could you explain what those bolded terms actually mean?

Thanks!

Hey everyone, what's up?

Shout out to Dr. Felix the Cat and brightgull95,

Quick refresher on my situation: I dealt with a nasty bout of the flu and mono about four years ago, and ever since then, everything has just gone south. I’m dealing with this constant, bone-deep exhaustion and body aches that I just try to push through, but the migraines and dizziness? They’re relentless. It makes functioning almost impossible. A few months back, my right eyelid actually drooped for a few seconds—totally freaked me out. Then there’s the tingling in my neck and temples, my mouth turning pale blue, and even my fingernails looking bluish. It’s like living in a permanent state of brain fog, and I’m stumbling around like I’ve had too many drinks. I was out on medical leave for a long stretch, but I finally tried to head back to work, and man, it has been a disaster. It’s this exhausting cycle where I’ll make it in for one shift, then I’m physically incapable of showing up for the next two. Some days the vertigo is so bad I can't even get behind the wheel of my car, let alone clock in. Other days, if the stars align, I actually manage to pull off a full shift.

I've been going down a total rabbit hole with doctors lately. Spent the last few months basically living in waiting rooms, doing endless testing. Next week is the big push, though—got appointments lined up with a gastroenterologist, an infectious disease specialist, and finally some testing for myasthenia gravis. Just one more hurdle to clear.

So, I'm dropping my lab results here. Please, for the love of God, tell me what you guys think... I really need some help with this.

May 2022

So, I just got my MRI results back for my brain and cervical spine... here's the breakdown:
The signal intensity looks pretty solid for the brain parenchyma in the posterior fossa. The fourth ventricle is sitting exactly where it should be, too—proper width and placement. Everything seems to be right where it belongs.
Everything looks totally normal with the brainstem, the pontocerebral angles, and the parasellar regions. Clean bill of health there.
The pituitary gland is looking a little more subtle and graceful than usual.
The cerebral hemisphere placement looks pretty spot on, and the ventricular system width seems totally normal too.
It’s basically just spreading the liquid stuff across the convex surface, nothing fancy.
So, I just got my scan results back, and honestly? It’s a total mess. The report says there are these little spots—T2 hyperintensities, if you want to get technical—scattered across the white matter in both the frontoparietal areas. They didn't give a straight answer on what they actually are, just called them "nonspecific," which is basically doctor-speak for "we aren't entirely sure." They're leaning towards them being gliotic lesions caused by vascular issues, though. Typical. Just when you think you're fine, your brain starts throwing random little glitches into the mix.
No signs of fresh ischemia, no hemorrhaging, no tumors, and nothing weird like extra-axial fluid collections. Everything looks clean.
The sinuses and mastoids look totally fine—not much air space there, but nothing to worry about. Also, the craniocervical junction looks perfectly normal. Everything seems solid.
Looking at the scans through the cervical spine and spinal cord area, you can see the neck's natural curve is totally shot—it’s straightening out and actually flipping into a kyphosis right around the C6 level.
The vertebral body heights look pretty solid, and that posterior intercorporeal line is holding steady. Everything seems to be right where it should be.
So, I've been dealing with some serious intervertebral osteochondrosis at the C5-6 and C6-7 levels. Basically, my neck is a complete mess right now.
So, basically, we're looking at some nasty degenerative spondyloarthrosis in the lower part of the neck. Yeah, sounds like a mouthful, but it’s just a fancy way of saying the vertebrae down there are getting all warped and wonky.
No bone bruising or edema to speak of. Everything looks clean.
So, I just got my results back, and apparently, I've got some minor bone spurs popping up at the C5-C6 and C6-C7 levels in my spine. Just one of those fun little surprises life throws at you, right?
Everything looks clean on the scans for C2-3 and C3-4. No issues there.
No disk herniation at the C4-5 level. Looks like I'm in the clear there.
So, I just got my imaging results back, and apparently, I’ve got this C5-C6 disk osteophyte complex going on all the way around. Basically, things are getting a little crowded in there. It’s also narrowing the neural foramen on the right side toward the bottom. Just one of those lovely little surprises, right?
The changes are way more noticeable on the dorsolateral side—specifically over on the right lateral part.
So, I just got my results back. Turns out there's a tiny bit of disc bulging at the C6-7 level, but nothing crazy—the neural foramina look totally normal. Just one of those things, I guess.
Everything looks solid on the C7–Th1 scan. The spinal cord is sized perfectly and the signal intensity is totally normal—no signs of myelopathy or anything sketchy going on there.
The muscles along the spine look totally fine. No swelling or fluid buildup under the skin in the back either. Everything looks normal.

October 10, 2022
Just got my ultrasound results back—everything looks clean on the TCD and the gallbladder side of things. No news is good news, I guess!
So, I just got my TCD results back. Basically, there's a slightly higher flow speed in the left anterior cerebral artery, but the doctor says it’s nothing to lose sleep over—not clinically significant or whatever. Everything else came back totally normal. Honestly, kind of a relief.
So, I just got my results back—the auditory evoked potentials (AEP) came back looking totally clean. Everything's solid.
So, I just got my results back—everything looks totally clean. Apparently, there’s nothing to worry about regarding those evoked potentials. Just one of those "all clear" moments that makes you breathe a little easier, you know?

November 2022
Color Doppler scan of the carotid arteries came back looking totally fine. Morphologically and hemodynamically? Everything’s smooth sailing on both sides. Checked out the origins of both common carotid arteries too—all good there. Even the vertebral arteries look perfectly normal in terms of structure and blood flow. Basically, everything's working exactly like it should.
So, I just got the results back from the Color Doppler scan on those vertebral arteries. Basically, they mapped out the whole thing using color and power Doppler to see what's actually going on under the hood. Both arteries look pretty middle-of-the-road in terms of width—nothing crazy. There’s a tiny bit of asymmetry there, just a slight mismatch where the left one is a little more dominant at 4.3 mm compared to the right side at 3.6 mm, but honestly, it's barely noticeable. Most importantly? The blood flow looks totally normal. Everything's moving exactly how it should.

Jan. 2023
ENT Specialist:
So, I went ahead and checked everything—the TADG, T, VNG, and VEMP tests. Turns out, they’re all totally fine. Everything looks perfectly normal.
March 2023
So, I finally made it to see the neurologist. Honestly? Such a waste of an afternoon. You sit there in that sterile waiting room, staring at some outdated magazines, just praying they actually call your name on time. When I finally got in, it felt like talking to a wall. Just clinical, cold, and zero personality. I was trying to explain how much my head has been pounding, and it’s like they’re just checking boxes on a clipboard instead of actually listening to a human being. Total joke.
So, here’s the official lineup of what my doctors are calling my "personality" lately: mixed headaches (basically a nasty combo of migraines and tension stuff), eye spasms, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Honestly, just reading it back feels like a punch in the gut.
So, I finally went in for that Fabry disease test... and now I get to play the waiting game for the next six months. Great. Just what I needed.
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGIST:
Diagnosis: suspected hypersensitivity to CGRPR blockers.
Look, after seeing those two nasty allergic reactions to Ajovy and Aimowig, I wouldn't touch Emgality with a ten-foot pole. It’s just not worth the risk right now. We're basically holding out hope that once those oral CGRP inhibitors finally make it onto our insurance formulary, things will look up. On the bright side, Rimegepant (Vydura) is already FDA-approved over here, so there's at least some light at the end of the tunnel.

The Lab:
Search Results | Value | Reference Range
So, my white blood cell count came back at 10.7... which is technically flagged as high since the "normal" range tops out at 9.7. Honestly, seeing that little "H" next to the number always gives me a momentary mini-heart attack. Typical, right? Just one of those things where you're staring at the lab results like, "Okay, cool, so I'm officially an outlier."
Red blood cell count came back at 4.92. The lab range says anything from 3.86 to 5.08 is fine, so looks like I'm sitting right in the sweet spot. No drama there.
So, I just got my blood work back. My hemoglobin came in at 142. Looking at the lab's range, they say anything from 119 to 157 is "normal." Looks like I'm sitting pretty right in the middle of the pack. No need to panic today, I guess.
Hematocrit came back at 0.422. The lab range says 0.356 to 0.470, so looks like I'm sitting right in the sweet spot. No reason to freak out today.
My MCV came back at 85.8, which sits right in that 83 to 97.2 sweet spot. Looks like we're officially in the clear on that front.
So, I was looking at my latest labs, and my MCHC came back at 28.9. The reference range says anything from 27.4 to 33.9 is "normal," so technically I’m fine, I guess. Still, seeing those numbers always makes me a little twitchy. Just one of those things that keeps you staring at a screen wondering if you should actually care or just grab a coffee and move on.
MCHC 336 (Normal range: 320–345)
So, I just got my latest blood work back, and my RDW-CV is sitting at 13.5. Looking at the lab's reference range—which goes from 9.0 to 15.0—I guess I’m technically "normal." Still, seeing those numbers always makes me a little twitchy. Just one of those things, I suppose.
Reticulocytes at 13.5... looking at the range of 5.0 to 21.6. Seems like we're right in the sweet spot.
Platelets came back at 318. Normal range is 158 to 424, so looks like I'm still in the clear.
My MPV came back at 10.2. The lab says the normal range is somewhere between 6.8 and 10.4. So, I guess I’m technically "normal," if you consider being right on the edge of the cliff considered safe. Just my luck.
Eosinophil granulocytes: 1 (Normal range is 0 – 7)
Basophils: 0 (Normal range is 0–1)
Segmented neutrophils 67 (Normal range: 44 – 72)
Lymphocytes: 23 (Normal range: 20 – 46)
Monocytes 9 2 – 12
So, my ESR came back at 51. High. Way high. The normal range is like 4 to 24, so yeah, I'm definitely off the charts. Not exactly the news you want to see on a lab report, right?
Prothrombin time came back at 1.24. The lab says the normal range is between 0.7 and 1.27. So, technically, I'm still within the lines, but man, I am cutting it close. Just hovering right on the edge there.
My PT/INR came back at 0.91.
So, I just got my labs back and—surprise, surprise—my fibrinogen activity came in at 4.9. High. Like, way above the "normal" range of 1.8 to 3.5. Just my luck, right? Apparently, my blood is throwing a little party it wasn't invited to. Time to see what the docs have to say about this mess.
Prothrombin time came back at 18.8. Normal range is usually between 14 and 21, so looks like I'm sitting pretty right in the middle of the pack.
The APTT ratio is sitting at 0.86, which falls right in the sweet spot of the standard 0.80 to 1.20 range. All good on that front.
D-dimer came back at 369... totally within the normal range since anything under 500 is fine. No cause for panic there.
Cholesterol came back at 4.71. Still under that 5.00 threshold, so I guess I'm not totally doomed just yet.
My triglycerides came back at 0.93, which is well under the 1.70 limit. Looks like I'm actually doing something right for once.
HDL cholesterol? Sitting at 1.38. Not too shabby, since anything over 1.20 keeps me from totally panicking.
So, my LDL cholesterol just came back at 3.23... which is officially in the "High" zone since anything over 3.00 is supposed to be a red flag. Great. Just great. My body is out here doing its own thing while I’m just trying to exist. Time to go buy some kale or whatever.
PTH, intact 34 | Ref range: 15 – 65
Folic acid: 15.3 | Normal range: 7 – 45.3
My Vitamin B12 levels came back at 310. The lab says the "normal" range goes from 138 to 652. So, technically, I'm fine, right? Just floating somewhere in the middle of the pack. Still, feels like I'm barely scraping by. Anyone else feel like they're living on the edge with numbers like this?
Aspartate aminotransferase came back at 21. Normal range is 8 to 30, so looks like I’m still in the clear there.
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) came back at 17. Normal range is 10 to 36, so looks like I’m still in the clear on that front.
Alkaline phosphatase: 95 (Normal range is 54–119). Looks like I'm right in the sweet spot.
So, I just got my latest blood work back, and my Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is sitting at 39. According to the lab report, the "normal" range is supposed to be somewhere between 9 and 35. Technically, that means I'm slightly out of bounds. It’s not like I'm hitting numbers that would have me rushed to the ER or anything, but it’s definitely enough to make me do a double-take when I see it on the screen. Just one of those little things that makes you wonder if you should cut back on the cocktails or if it's nothing to sweat. Anyone else deal with these weirdly specific "out of range" results?
Glucose: 5.6 (Normal range: 70–99 mg/dL)
Urea: 3.7 (Normal range: 2.8 – 8.3)
Creatinine: 70 (Normal range: 49 – 90)
Urati 315 134 – 337
Total bilirubin came back at 9... the lab says the normal range is 3 to 20, so I guess I'm technically "fine" according to the paperwork. Still, seeing numbers on a screen always makes me a little twitchy.
So, my CRP came back at 14.4... which is obviously way higher than that "normal" range under 5.0 they always talk about. Great. Just what I needed to see on a lab report today.
So, I just got my bloodwork back and my ASLO levels are sitting at 360. Apparently, anything under 200 is "normal," so yeah, I'm officially off the charts. Just my luck, right?
Sodium: 139 | Normal Range: 137 – 146
Potassium: 4.3 (Normal range: 3.9 – 5.1)
Total calcium levels came in at 2.51. The standard range is usually between 2.14 and 2.53, so looks like I'm hovering right near the edge of the line. Not exactly a gold star, but I guess I'm not crashing and burning just yet.
Ionized calcium came back at 1.30. The lab range is 1.18 to 1.32, so I guess I'm technically "normal" or whatever. Just sitting right there on the edge.
A1C levels came back at 5.6. Still under that 5.7 threshold, so I guess I can breathe easy for now.
My A1C just came back at 38... okay, so technically it's still under that 39 threshold, but man, talk about cutting it close. One more slip-up and I'm officially in the danger zone. Just one more little snack and I'll be over the edge. Wish me luck, I guess.
Iron levels: 14.3. Normal range is usually between 8 and 30. Honestly, I’m pretty much right where I need to be. Not exactly winning any gold medals here, but definitely not crashing and burning either. Just cruising along in the middle of the pack.
My UIBC levels came back at 55.5. The lab says the normal range is somewhere between 26 and 59. So... I guess I'm officially "normal"? Honestly, feels like just another way to say "nothing's happening here." Typical.
My TIBC came back at 69.8, which is sitting pretty right in that 36 to 75 range. Looks like my iron-binding capacity is totally normal.
Transferrin saturation came back at 20... normal range is like 16 to 45. So, yeah, I guess I'm technically "fine," if you want to be technical about it. Just sitting there on the edge of the cliff, waiting for things to get interesting.
The transfer went from 3.12 to somewhere between 2 and 3.60.
So, my ferritin came back at 65. The lab says the normal range is anywhere from 10 to 120, so technically I’m totally fine, right? Just sitting there in the middle of the pack. Still, seeing those numbers pop up always makes me wonder if I should be feeling more... something. Anyone else deal with this kind of "perfectly normal" result that still feels off?

Thyroid hormones... seriously, where do I even start? It’s like my body’s entire internal thermostat decided to go on strike without giving me any notice. One minute I'm freezing under three blankets, and the next, I'm sweating through my shirt like I just ran a marathon in downtown Chicago. It's exhausting.
Result | Reference Range
So, I just got my labs back. My TSH came in at 4.89. The "normal" range they gave me is 0.35 to 4.94. Basically, I'm redlining right on the edge of being totally fine and having my thyroid throw a tantrum. Living life on the edge, I guess.
FT3 was sitting at 4.01, while the normal range is somewhere between 2.63 and 5.70. Not exactly breaking any records, but I guess it's fine.
FT4 levels are sitting at 11.31, while the normal range usually runs from 9.01 to 19.05. Looks like everything is pretty much right where it should be.
The TRAb levels hit 1.4... which is still sitting above that 1.26 mark. Not exactly where we want to be.
Anti-TPO came back at 0.58. Anything under 5.61 is considered normal, so I guess my thyroid isn't currently staging a full-blown coup against me. One less thing to worry about, I suppose.
My triglycerides are sitting at 14.95... meanwhile, the "normal" range on my lab report goes all the way up to 64.15. So, I guess I'm doing just fine? Or maybe the lab is just having a good day. Who knows.

Viruses. Seriously. Just when you think you’ve got your life together, some microscopic little jerk decides to crash the party.
Search Value Result
So, I just got my lab results back, and the Anti-HSV-1 IgG came in at 0.035. Basically, it’s negative. Looks like I'm in the clear on that front!
Anti-HSV 2 IgG results came back at < 0.5. So yeah, basically negative.
Anti–HAV IgM: 0.284 (Negative)
HBsAg results came back at < 0.03—basically, it’s negative. All good on that front.
Anti-HBs results came back at less than 2. So yeah, basically negative.
Anti-HBc total: 1.99 — Negative.
Anti–HBc IgM: 0.079 — Negative.
HBeAg: 0.09 – Negative.
Anti-HBe results came back at 1.42—Negative.
HCV Antibody Test: 0.059 (Negative)
The results came back, and good news: Anti-Treponema pallidum is under 0.1. Basically, negative. We’re all clear on that front.
So, I just got my bloodwork back, and it looks like I’m officially in the clear on the Toxoplasma front. My Anti–Toxoplasma IgM came back at less than 3, which basically means it's negative. No fuzzy little brain parasites for me!
Anti – Borrelia burgdorferi IgM 8,456 negative
Anti – Borelia burgdorferi IgG < 5 AU Negative
Anti HSV ½ IgM 0,974 Borderline
The serological profile for HSV 1 suggests a likely recent infection (anti HSV ½ falls within the equivocal range during repeat testing.) If necessary, retest for HSV in a few weeks to monitor antibody titer dynamics.

So, yeah, that’s the whole thing.

I'd love some input here—any advice on what else I should get tested for? I'm just trying to figure out what the hell is causing these dizzy spells.🙏🤣

At the end of the day, lab results aren't enough. What you actually need is a top-tier clinician who lives and breathes migraines, paired with someone who truly understands fibromyalgia and/or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. When you're dealing with migraines coupled with vertigo, you could be looking at vestibular migraines—it’s entirely possible those two issues are linked. Then there's the fibromyalgia, which would account for both the chronic fatigue and those vascular symptoms, like the blue tint in your lips and nails. You essentially have two distinct issues requiring two different specialists: a neurologist and a rheumatologist. It's high time to move past the diagnostic phase and actually start some kind of treatment. But finding two specialists in the US who actually know what they're doing? Well, that's a whole other headache.

brightgull95 said:Look, the lab results are just one piece of the puzzle. What you actually need is a solid clinician who really knows their stuff when it comes to migraines, plus someone who specializes in fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome. Migraines paired with dizziness could be what they call vestibular migraines—basically, those two things often travel together. As for the fibromyalgia, that would explain the vascular issues (like your blue lips and nails) and the constant exhaustion. You’ve basically got two separate issues here that require two different specialists: a neurologist and a rheumatologist. It's time to move past just diagnosing and start looking at treatment. Now, finding two experts like that in the US? Well, that's a whole different headache.

Dr. Alpaqueur, thanks a ton for taking the time to give such a clear answer. Quick question though—is it possible for fibromyalgia to be the reason behind those elevated inflammatory markers (CRP, white blood cell count, ESR, fibrinogen...)?