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

vividsailor7 said:It would be a good idea to get a urine culture done at a hospital.
If there's a fever or painful urination, you could start something empirical—like Cipro, for instance.
Once the basic blood work comes back (creatinine, urea, urate, urine, CRP)...
You should also check BP and pulse, plus get a 24-hour microalbuminuria test and a kidney ultrasound.

Is it really possible that it's just some bacteria?
I'm seeing my doctor over at the Mayo Clinic the day after tomorrow, so I'll get everything sorted out then... but the curiosity is killing me.
I'm assuming she'll want more urine tests.
What exactly is a urine culture? And why do you suggest doing it in a hospital setting?
And what about the kidney ultrasound? To be honest, I've never even heard of that one...

What do you all think? I know without extra lab work it’s impossible to say for sure—and I don't want to speculate—but could this be just a "standard" inflammatory thing, or could it point to something else entirely?
I'm not easily spooked and I usually handle my own medical stuff, I'm just genuinely curious...

Just as a side note, since I've had traces of Urine Blood for nearly ten years now—this sample was taken on day 13 of my cycle, or seven days after my period ended.

It sounds like my colleague is aiming right at the possibility of lupus nephritis and all its nasty complications... Either way, we definitely need to get a full workup done...

Kevin Garcia12 said:It’s possible my colleague is looking at the potential for Lupus nephritis and its complications... Either way, I definitely need to get everything checked out...

Thanks for the reply.
Anyway, I guess we'll see what the next steps are tomorrow...
Since they're keeping a closer eye on things due to the possibility of this progressing into Lupus, I imagine they'll send me for just about every test imaginable...

Hello,

I'm 26 years old. About a month ago, I had some blood work done. My monocyte levels were elevated, while my neutrophil percentage was low. My doctor suggested it was just a viral infection, but my iron came back at 32—which was actually above the reference range. Meanwhile, my UIBC was 15 (ref: 26-59) and my TIBC was 48 (ref: 49-75), which she noted pointed more toward anemia than an iron surplus. Just a side note, I happened to be on my period when I had the blood drawn at that time.

One month later, I repeated the blood work, and everything looks fine—hemoglobin, erythrocytes, platelets... all good. However, this time I drew blood while also on my period, and my iron level was a mere 6! My UIBC and TIBC were both within the normal reference ranges this time around.
I've never had any issues with my iron before; it’s always stayed around the 14-20 mark. I've never seen it drop this low. What could be going on here?

Within this same month, I've been dealing with some pain and a heavy sensation in my right leg while resting, and my doctor isn't quite sure what's causing it. Could this be related to the iron levels? Additionally, over the last three days, I've developed a rash on my arms and legs. Could that be caused by the iron? I haven't eaten or drunk anything unusual. It's not a typical skin rash; it feels more like something raised underneath the skin, located on the inner sides of my arms and legs. Aside from a cyst on my right ovary, I don't have any other health issues.

Does anything about this seem unusual to you?

Quick question—I just had some bloodwork done:
Antithyroglobulin antibodies
Thyrocyte antibodies

One value came back at 600, the other at 700.
What am I looking at here?

Hi there.

Since last week, I’ve been dealing with swollen, painful lymph nodes under both armpits. On top of that, I'm getting frequent headaches, general weakness, and this inexplicable weight loss—I've dropped about 13 pounds in just the last month and a half. Then, over the weekend, this rash flared up on both shins; it doesn't itch, but my legs actually ache when you touch them. Both my ankles are swollen too, making it a struggle just to walk. Now, my fingers and hands are starting to feel numb.

Blood work (only listing the abnormal values):
White Blood Cell Count 3.3 (3.4-9.7)
MCHC 356 (320-345)
RDW 12.2 (14.6-16.5)
MPV 10.5 (6.8-10.4)
Monocytes 12.8 (2-12)
Creatinine 60 (63-107)
Urate 127 (134-337)
ALT 8 (10-36)
CRP 8.1 ( HDL-C cholesterol 1.19 (>1.2)

Doctor's recommendation: Monitor symptoms and rest for 4 days.

I would really appreciate your thoughts on this.

Hey, you might want to move this question over to where it fits a bit better.

Date of Last Result
Test
Result
Reference Range
Flag
June 20, 2014
Protein C Antigen
96 %
70-140

June 19, 2014
MTHFR Mutation Detection
see below
()
H
June 19, 2014
MTHFR Interpretation
see below
()

June 19, 2014
MTHFR Reviewed By
see below
()

June 19, 2014
test results



June 18, 2014
Activated protein C Resistance
5.5 ratio
>=2.1

June 17, 2014
Anti-Cardiolipin IgA Antibody
0.7 APL
<12.0

June 17, 2014
Anti-Cardiolipin IgG Antibody
1.4 GPL
<20.0

June 17, 2014
Anti-Cardiolipin IgM Antibody
7.9 MPL
<20.0

June 16, 2014
Protein C Activity
80 %
>69

June 16, 2014
Protein S Activity
33 %
>59%
L
June 16, 2014
Prothrombin Gene Mutation
see below
()

June 16, 2014
Anti-Thrombin iii Activity
98 %
>75

June 16, 2014
Factor V Leiden
see below
()

June 16, 2014
Homocysteine
6.7 Umol/L
3.7-13.9

June 16, 2014
ANA Screen
see below
()

June 16, 2014
Anti-dsDNA Antibody



June 16, 2014
Sm Antibody



June 16, 2014
RNP Antibody



June 16, 2014
RNP Antibody



June 16, 2014
Chromatin Antibody



June 16, 2014
Ribosomal P protein Antibody



June 16, 2014
SS-A/Ro Antibody



June 16, 2014
SS-B/La Antibody



June 16, 2014
JO-1 Antibody



June 16, 2014
Scl-70 (Scleroderma) Antibody



June 16, 2014
Anti-centromere Antibody



June 16, 2014
Urine Culture
Select to view results


June 15, 2014
Prothrombin time
10.8 SEC
8.9-11.9

June 15, 2014
INR
1.0
0.9-1.1

June 15, 2016
Glucose Level
84 MG/DL
70-99

June 15, 2014
Blood Urea Nitrogen
11.0 MG/DL
6-26

June 15, 2014
Creatinine
0.7 MG/DL
0.5-1.0

June 15, 2014
Estimat Glomerular Filtration Rate
96 1.73m sq
>60 ml/min

June 15, 2014
BUN/Creatinine Ratio
15.71


June 15, 2014
Sodium Level
135 MMOL/L
136-145
L
June 15, 2014
Potassium Level
4.3 MMOL/L
3.4-5.1

June 15, 2014
Chloride Level
106 MMOL/L
98-109

June 15, 2014
Carbon Dioxide Level
22 MMOL/L
23-31
L
June 15, 2014
Calcium Level
8.0 MG/DL
8.5-10.5
L
June 15, 2014
Magnesium Level
1.9 MG/DL
1.6-2.6

June 15, 2014
Troponin T
< 0.010 NG/ML
0-0.1

June 15, 2014
Cholesterol Level
133 mg/dL
<200

June 15, 2014
Triglycerides Level
55 mg/dL
<150

June 15, 2014
HDL Cholesterol
56 mg/dL
>40

June 15, 2014
LDL Cholesterol, Calculated
66 mg/dL
<100

June 15, 2014
Non-HDL Cholesterol
77 mg/dL
<130

June 15, 2014
VLDL Cholesterol
11 mg/dL
5-30

June 15, 2014
Cholesterol/HDL Ratio
2.4
<=5

June 15, 2014
Urine Color
Yellow


June 15, 2014
Urine Appearance
Hazy


June 15, 2014
Urine Glucose (UA)
0 MG/DL
0

June 15, 2014
Negative Bilirubin
Negative
0-0

June 15, 2014
Urine Ketones
15 MG/DL
0-0

June 15, 2014
Urine Specific Gravity
1.015
1.003-1.033

June 15, 2014
Urine Blood
0 /uL
0-0

June 15, 2014
Urine pH
6
5-8

June 15, 2014
Urine Protein
0 MG/DL
0

June 15, 2014
Urine Urobilinogen
0 MG/DL
0-2

June 15, 2014
Urine Nitrite
Neg
NEG

June 15, 2014
Urine Leukocyte Esterase
100 /uL
0-0
H
June 15, 2014
Urine WBC
11-15 /HPF
0-5
H
June 15, 2014
Urine Squamous Epithelial Cells
1+


June 15, 2014
Urine Bacteria
2+ /hpf


June 14, 2014
White Blood Cell Count
10.80 10^3/uL
4.0-11.0

June 14, 2014
Red Blood Count
4.06 10^6/uL
3.63-5.04

June 14, 2014
Hemoglobin
12.1 G/DL
12.0-15.3

June 14, 2014
Hematocrit
36.2 %
34.7-45.1

June 14, 2014
Mean Corpuscular Volume
89.2 FL
80-100

June 14, 2014
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin
29.7 PG
26-34

June 14, 2014
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concent
33.3 G/DL
32.5-35.8

June 14, 2014
Red Cell Distribution Width
12.7 FL
11.9-15.9

June 14, 2014
Platelet Count
307 10^3/uL
150-450

June 14, 2014
Mean Platelet Volume
7.8 FL
6.8-10.2

June 14, 2014
Neutrophils (%) (Auto)
64.8 %


June 14, 2014
Lymphocytes (%) (Auto)
28.3 %


June 14, 2014
Monocytes (%) (Auto)
5.5 %


June 14, 2014
Eosinophils (%) (Auto)
0.9 %


June 14, 2014
Basophils (%) (Auto)
0.5 %


June 14, 2014
Neutrophils # (Auto)
7.0 X10^3/uL
1.70-7.70

June 14, 2014
Lymphocytes # (Auto)
3.1 X10^3/uL
0.60-3.40

June 14, 2014
Monocytes # (Auto)
0.6 X10^3/uL
0.3-1.0

June 14, 2014
Eosinophils # (Auto)
0.1 X10^3/uL
0.0-0.5

June 14, 2014
Basophils # (Auto)
0.1 X10^3/uL
0.0-0.2

June 14, 2014
Total Protein
6.8 G/DL
6.4-8.3

June 14, 2014
Albumin
3.9 G/DL
3.2-4.5

June 14, 2014
Aspartate Amino Transf (AST/SGOT)
14 U/L
0-32

June 14, 2014
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT/SGPT)
11 U/L
0-40

June 14, 2014
Alkaline Phosphatase
46 U/L
35-104

June 14, 2014
Total Bilirubin
0.3 MG/DL
0-1

June 14, 2014
Serum Pregnancy Test, Qualitative
Negative


June 14, 2014
C-Reactive Protein, Quantitative
< 1.00 mg/L
0-4.9

H means high and L means low (maybe some results just haven't shown up on the page yet?)
Also, when I was admitted, my potassium was 3.2 and my blood pressure was high (it’s usually low: 100-110/60-70)

34 years old, female, admitted with TIA symptoms (stayed for observation for 24 hours, during which they ran all these tests above, plus 2 CT scans and constant Holter monitoring). Discharged without a diagnosis.

I’m currently 22 weeks along... Because of my family history, I’ve been checking my blood pressure at home pretty regularly—usually three times a day. It mostly sits right around 115/75, though sometimes it dips a little lower or jumps up slightly, but it generally stays within that range. During my checkup this past Monday, I was just so incredibly anxious and couldn't seem to settle down... we were doing an ultrasound and everything looked perfect, but my blood pressure spiked all the way to 180/110 just from the sheer nerves. Later on, it went right back to being normal, just like it has been for the last three days. My doctor sent me off to get a few tests done, so I was hoping someone might help me make sense of them—I don't see the doctor again until Tuesday. I feel absolutely wonderful and haven't had any symptoms at all, but these urine sediment results have me feeling a bit worried. I'm just not sure what they mean or what they might be pointing toward... Thanks in advance.

Anthony Davis72 said:I have one question. I just went in for some testing:
Antithyroglobulin antibodies
Thyrocytes antibodies

One value is 600, the other is 700.
What on earth am I looking at here?

We're talking autoimmune thyroid diseases here.
I’m assuming you've already had your TSH checked.

Hey everyone,
Starting my stool culture tests tomorrow. Not sure if I'm asking in the right spot, but I have a few things I wanted to run by you guys...
I tested positive for Salmonella, so I've been sent home from work on medical leave.
I'm wondering what the actual process is like for these cultures, how long it usually takes to get the results back, and when I might be cleared to head back to work?
Thanks for any help...

Michelle Kelly4 said:Hi everyone,
Starting my stool culture tomorrow. I'm not entirely sure if this is the right place to ask, but I have a few questions...
I tested positive for Salmonella, so I've been pulled from work (currently on medical leave).
I'm wondering what the actual procedure is for a stool culture, how long it takes to get the results back, and when I might be cleared to head back to work?
Thanks in advance for any help.

The results should be ready within 5 days.

Michelle Kelly4 said:I’m looking for info on the stool culture procedure. How long does it take to get results, and when can I head back to work?
Thanks for the help everyone.

Unless public health officials at the CDC specify otherwise, you need to provide two or three* samples, spaced out by at least 24 hours. Basically, they won't accept two samples taken on the same day.

You can return to working with food once you have two consecutive negative results.

Salmonella shedding can be unpredictable—it might last a few days, several weeks, or even months. On average, though, people clear the carrier state in about three weeks, at which point they're usually cleared to go back to work.

Linda Johnson66 said:I've never had issues with my iron levels before; they were always around 14-20. I've never seen them this low. What's going on?

You need to check ferritin to solve the mystery regarding your iron. Serum iron concentration fluctuates quite a bit—it depends on what you eat, and according to some data, even how you ate in the days leading up to the blood draw.

Once you have the ferritin numbers, you'll know exactly where your iron stores stand.

As for the rash, it's hard to say anything meaningful without an actual exam. I wouldn't say it's likely that the rash is tied to the iron levels.

Generally speaking, you shouldn't be testing iron while dealing with any kind of infection. You should wait until you've fully recovered before taking a sample for analysis.

Nicole Perez80 said:Hi,

Since last week, I've had swollen, painful lymph nodes under both armpits, frequent headaches, general weakness, and an unexplained weight loss of about 13 pounds over the last month and a half. Over the weekend, a rash appeared below both shins; it doesn't itch, but my legs are tender to the touch. Both ankles are swollen, making walking difficult. My fingers and hands are tingling.

Blood work (only abnormal values):
White Blood Cell Count 3.3 (3.4-9.7)
MCHC 356 (320-345)
RDW 12.2 (14.6-16.5)
MPV 10.5 (6.8-10.4)
Monocytes 12.8 (2-12)
Creatinine 60 (63-107)
Urate 127 (134-337)
ALT 8 (10-36)
CRP 8.1 ( HDL-C cholesterol 1.19 (>1.2)

Doctor's recommendation: Monitor and rest for 4 days.

I would appreciate your thoughts.

Hello,

The information provided isn't enough to give you a real answer. This could be an infectious issue followed by some sort of reactive joint inflammation, or it could simply be an underlying immunological or rheumatological condition. Keep monitoring your symptoms; if things worsen, you'll likely need more investigation (probably seeing a rheumatologist).

Maria Reed75 said:34 years old, female, admitted with TIA symptoms (monitored for 24 hours; during that window, all the tests mentioned above were performed, including two CT scans and continuous Holter monitoring). Discharged without a definitive diagnosis.

A colleague already responded to your other thread regarding the ECG. That specific data point is critical in your situation, yet you haven't shared it here. Furthermore, several parameters from your testing lack actual results, making any meaningful commentary difficult.

redpuma26 said:I feel great and have zero symptoms, but these urine sediment results are worrying me. I don't know what they mean or what they might indicate.

Ma'am,

Your urine sediment shows quite a few casts. Hyaline casts aren't necessarily indicative of pathology, but fine granular casts can be—though they also appear in people with perfectly healthy kidneys, perhaps due to intense exercise or significant dehydration. It would be wise to repeat the urine sediment test after ensuring you are properly hydrated. I don't see whether urinary protein was checked in these results.

Thanks so much for the replies.. I have to go back three times. They'll let me know tomorrow when I need to swing by again, whether it's the next day or...

I take three doses in a row and then I'm stuck waiting five days for the results. I'm just not sure when that five-day clock actually starts ticking... does it start from the first stool sample or the last one?

Sorry if I'm being annoying, but this five-day procedure is tripping me up. If I turned in my first sample today, when does the countdown officially begin?

Hello,

From the moment we receive a stool sample until the results are finalized, you're looking at a minimum of two days. To put it simply: if the sample comes back negative, we can usually have answers for you in about 48 hours. However, if we find something positive, the process takes longer—potentially up to five days total. You can expect all three sets of results within five days of submitting your final (third) sample, though they may arrive sooner.

Thanks so much for all the replies

There's one more thing I'm wondering about... can I go ahead and get this done right after the first test, or do I need to wait until all three are finished? I'm talking about the stool culture...