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

analogseal86 said:Hi 🙂 I had some blood work done today... because I was having stomach issues 🕺 (diarrhea)

The doctor says everything looks good...
I checked the results at home and everything seems fine, all within range 😁 but my glucose tolerance test came back at 36 H
Is that okay? Is that related to the liver?
By the way, I don't smoke and I don't eat fatty foods...

Everything is fine. It’s a clean report; there's no need to obsess over a single outlier in this specific test.

Maria Fisher46 said:Besides checking the stool for parasites, did the allergist or immunologist suggest any other tests to figure out what's causing this eosinophilia?
.

Nope.

Maria Fisher46 said:Everything looks fine—the results are clean. There’s really no need to obsess over a single outlier in this specific test.

Thanks—I actually meant to say I don't drink, not that I don't smoke 🤣... thanks anyway 🙂

Maria Fisher46 said:That sounds like asymptomatic bacteriuria, which isn't treated unless there are specific circumstances—like being pregnant, undergoing certain urological or gynecological procedures, or having a kidney transplant.

So, no treatment was actually necessary...

Ouch.
I'm already halfway through my course of antibiotics. I was supposed to start the Nolicin tomorrow... I assume E. coli needs to be cleared if you're planning to get pregnant? I did mention my interest in starting a family to my doctor, since I've been thinking about it lately...😬

No, treatment is only necessary during pregnancy. Besides, even if you "clear" that unfortunate E. coli now and conceive in, say, three months, who can guarantee your urine culture won't just show >10*5 E. coli again? I can't—and don't want to—interfere with the therapy prescribed by your doctor, the one who actually examined you and knows your medical history and clinical background. I can only theorize here on a forum, but my advice is to have a real conversation with him. Ask why he chose this specific course, what he expects from it, and why he ordered the urine culture in the first place. This all applies, of course, to asymptomatic bacteriuria. Perhaps he believes your case is symptomatic for some reason...

Okay. I have two questions, please:

1. Since I've already gone this far, I assume I have to see it through to the end?
2. If the follow-up testing in the US shows the same thing, can I just refuse the antibiotics without any issues?

First off, I don't see the logic in running a urine culture if there wasn't even any discomfort during urination. Furthermore, why on earth would a doctor prescribe two different antibiotics, both for 10 days straight, without a break? That’s 20 days of antibiotics total—that flies in the face of standard medical guidelines, even if you were dealing with a bladder infection. Two antibiotics back-to-back?!

So, here's the situation. Once a year, I get my blood work done—glucose, enzymes, all that—and as part of the routine, the lab always checks my urine too. This time, it's showing high white blood cell and red blood cell counts, plus a ton of bacteria. Then there’s that annoying amylase reading. When the results came back elevated, I mentioned to my doctor that my urine has had a strange smell lately. He was convinced it was just some gynecological bacteria, but he sent me for testing in the US anyway. And sure enough, it's E. coli. Even though I've heard people say it doesn't always need treatment, a friend of mine ended up on IV antibiotics in the hospital and it actually messed up her kidneys... she's not really sure how it happened

On the other hand, my doctor isn't usually one to throw antibiotics around easily, so it feels weird that I have to take two different kinds for 20 days. I'm honestly at a loss for what to do 🙂

I have a gynecologist appointment tomorrow; maybe I should ask for their opinion?

So, here’s the deal—a friend of mine went to a private clinic to get tested for HIV, Hep B, and Hep C, and man, she paid through the nose for it. The results came back negative for all three. But get this: the day before her testing, she actually went to the American Red Cross to donate blood. Fast forward seven days, and they call her from the Red Cross to tell her they flagged a tiny little marker that could indicate Hepatitis B. Now she’s headed back for more bloodwork because that’s what they told her to do, and she's just sitting there waiting for the results. Is it even possible to test positive if her initial tests were totally clear?

Grace Lewis6 said:Hmm, here’s the situation. Once a year, I get my blood work done—glucose, enzymes, the usual—and as part of the routine, the lab checks my urine too. This time, it showed elevated white blood cells, red blood cells, and a lot of bacteria. Then there’s that unfortunate amylase level. When the results came back high, I mentioned the unusual smell of my urine lately to my doctor. He was convinced it was just some gynecological bacterial issue, but he still sent me to the USA for testing. And sure enough, it’s E. coli. Even though this is the first time I’ve heard that it doesn't always need treatment, a friend of mine ended up on IV antibiotics in the hospital because it hit her kidneys—or so she thinks.

On the other hand, my doctor isn't usually one to throw antibiotics around lightly, but even I find it strange that I have to take two different kinds for 20 days. I really don't know what to do now.🙂

I have a gynecologist appointment tomorrow; maybe I should ask for their opinion?

Well, by "taking a medical history" (using quotes because this hardly qualifies as a full history), it becomes clear that certain symptoms were present, and there was indeed blood in the urine. Now the real question is whether this is true asymptomatic bacteriuria or if it's actually accompanied by symptoms, given that you noticed something felt off.

Regardless, there is no justification for using two different antibiotics, especially not for a 20-day course. You wouldn't even treat pyelonephritis (kidney infection) that way.

For the record, there are clinical guidelines for treating urinary tract infections. You can look them up yourself to see what is recommended for specific cases and for how long; I didn't just make this up.

Elevated amylase in the urine and the presence of E. coli likely aren't linked. How high was that amylase level?

Hannah Peterson said:Here's the situation. A friend of mine went to a private clinic to get tested for HIV, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C. It cost her a fortune. All three results came back negative. The day before the testing, she had gone to the American Red Cross to donate blood. Seven days later, she gets a call from the Red Cross telling her they found a specific small marker that might suggest Hepatitis B. She’s headed back for more blood work now and is just waiting on the results. Is it actually possible for her to be positive if the initial tests were negative?

No single test is 100% sensitive or specific. False negatives and false positives are always a statistical possibility.

Maria Fisher46 said:So, looking back at everything you mentioned, it seems like those symptoms were definitely there, along with some blood in your urine. Now the real question is whether this is truly asymptomatic bacteriuria or if there are actually symptoms involved, since you noticed things felt different than usual...

Even in that scenario, there’s just no excuse for being prescribed two different antibiotics, especially not over a 20-day stretch... you wouldn't even treat a kidney infection like pyelonephritis for that long...

Anyway, there are... Guidelines... It’s all right there if you want to look up how to treat urinary tract infections; you can see exactly what's recommended and for how long... I didn't just make this up myself...

I don't think the elevated amylase in the urine and the presence of E. coli are actually related... How high was that amylase level exactly?

Oh man, I didn't even realize that elevated red blood cells in urine was actually a thing...
I noticed the color was a bit darker, but I figured it's just because I haven't been drinking much water lately...
My amylase levels are around 600, while the upper limit is usually about 400. As a closet hypochondriac, I immediately jumped to thinking it was thyroid cancer, but my doctor says there’s really no reason to worry about that right now. I guess he doesn't need to worry, since I'll be doing enough worrying for both of us...

Nothing much, I'll just give them a call tomorrow to check on that Nolicin...

Well, I just took a look at the guidelines. I think I’m going to send an email to Dr. Škerk... I've actually been admitted to her ward twice before, regardless of the urinary infection...

Sad that just occurred to me... since I was dealing with upper respiratory issues and sinus problems at the same time, my doctor mentioned that Efox would help with those too. Maybe that explains why he prescribed this specific treatment...

Emily Ortiz27 said:No.

Here’s my take: I would start by re-running the CBC. If eosinophilia persists, you need a peripheral blood smear for a microscopic differential. Once that confirms the high eosinophil count, then—and only then—do you move into a broader workup.

Check if the child is taking any medications, look for digestive issues or respiratory problems, and perform a thorough physical exam to check for anything unusual beyond just height and weight for their age.

After that: check CRP, liver and kidney function tests, urinalysis, serum protein electrophoresis, and determine IgG, IgE, IgM, and IgA levels. You'll also want tissue parasite serology. Depending on what those initial results and the clinical exam show, an X-ray, Abdominal Ultrasound, EKG, or other specific tests might become necessary.

Grace Lewis6 said:Good grief, I didn't even make the connection that elevated erythrocytes meant blood in my urine. 🤦

It’s likely just microhematuria.

Amylase (urine) is around 600—the upper limit is about 400. As a full-blown hypochondriac, I already convinced myself I had pancreatic cancer, but the doctor says there's no need to worry about it right now. I suppose he doesn't have to worry; I'll handle enough worrying for both of us....

🤣

I agree that the high amylase reading isn't particularly convincing or cause for alarm. It doesn't necessarily point to the pancreas; it could easily stem from inflammation in the digestive tract (so-called intestinal amylase), such as gastritis, duodenitis, or gallbladder issues...

Edit: I just checked the guidelines. I think I'll send an email to Dr. Škerk; I've actually been admitted to her ward twice before (unrelated to the urinary infection).

👍

Edit 2: It just occurred to me—since I was dealing with upper respiratory issues, sinus stuff, etc., at the same time, the doctor mentioned Efox would help with that too. That might explain the prescribed regimen.

Yes, I follow the logic regarding Efox, but my point—if I can put it that way—was more about why Nolicin follows the Efox.

Maria Fisher46 said:None of these tests are 100% sensitive or specific—so, yeah, you can get false negatives or false positives.

So if nothing is certain, how did they not just tell her straight up whether she was positive or not at that American Red Cross lab? Instead, they just hand us this "one tiny marker that might suggest she has Hep"... I mean, I don't get it -_-

@ Nicholas Myers, hey 👍
My heart finally feels at peace now...

What actually happens to the liver when certain levels come back low? Specifically, looking at ALT and ALP?

Hello everyone, I recently had some hormone panels done and received my results today. To be honest, I have been struggling quite a bit with weight gain lately, even though my food intake hasn't actually increased much.
I am planning to visit my gynecologist, though I must admit I am not particularly satisfied with him as a physician; he rarely offers any clear explanations, tends to mutter to himself, and fails to provide direct answers when I ask specific questions. His usual suggestion is simply that if I were to get pregnant, everything would eventually balance itself out🤦... so, yes, I am looking for a new doctor, but that is a separate matter entirely for now.

I am attaching a photo of my lab results here, and I would be incredibly grateful if someone with medical knowledge could help me interpret them, as they are completely incomprehensible to me. My goal is to have an informed conversation with my doctor and determine if I should request referrals for further testing.

http://postimg.org/image/3pvnldwtj/

Thank you very much.🙂

Maria Fisher46 said:Look, here’s my take: I’d start by running a CBC again just to be absolutely sure. If that eosinophilia is still showing up, you really need to get a manual differential—like, a microscopic peripheral blood smear—done. And if that confirms the high eosinophil count, then you have to go down the rabbit hole and start a much wider diagnostic workup.

You seriously need to check if the kid is on any meds, if there are digestive issues, respiratory stuff, the whole nine yards. You need a full physical exam to see if anything else is off besides just height and weight for their age.

Then comes the heavy lifting: Sed rate, CRP, liver and kidney function tests, urinalysis, serum protein electrophoresis, checking IgG, IgE, IgM, IgA levels, testing for tissue parasites, and depending on what the initial findings and clinical exams show, you might need an X-ray, Abdominal Ultrasound, EKG, and whatever else pops up.

Seriously, thank you from the bottom of my heart. We already did the bloodwork for allergy testing (just Dust mite, dog dander, cat dander, birch, and dactylis), but we won't see those results for months—though everything was negative about six months ago. In the meantime, the little guy went through an endocrine workup because he's lagging behind in growth. Looking back at his medical history, they didn't note any previous eosinophilia, though I'm sure they'll stumble upon it if it's still there, given how much blood they drew.
We're stuck waiting on those results and the specialist's opinion for the next 2-3 months, as they told us, so once that's over, I'll probably be back here begging for more help if things still don't make sense.
I honestly have no clue which of those specific tests were part of that workup; it wasn't a "detailed exam" because I was basically glued to my child's side the whole time. It was just a massive string of blood tests—I don't even know exactly which ones, since the doctor just set up a panel and handed it to the nurse, who spent several days drawing row after row of test tubes. They also did hormone levels, an insulin test, and an X-ray of his hand.
Today, he had an eye exam where they noted suspected megalocornea, so he'll be undergoing some tests for that under anesthesia soon.
Is all of this actually connected, or am I just looking at a pile of unlucky, random coincidences? It feels like nobody is actually looking at the kid as a whole person; instead, everyone just sticks strictly to their own tiny specialty and leaves us spinning in circles with anxiety. Meanwhile, the kid himself seems like a totally healthy—albeit tiny, big-eyed😍—lively, curious, and sweet one-year-old.😕

I can't share all the specifics here, but I finally got my results back this afternoon... there's really no other way to go about it. My iron levels came back at Fe 9, UIBC 24, TIBC 33, and Ferritin 252... they prescribed Ferlicit at Dubrava Hospital. However, another internist thinks the Ferlicit is completely unnecessary—they actually went as far as saying it’s harmful.