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

Hello everyone,

I’ve been getting all my tests ready for a standard surgery to deal with some kidney stones in my renal pelvis. A few of my results are sitting outside the normal range, and I'm also a little confused by what my urine culture is actually telling me.
On top of having kidney stones on both sides, I’m also managing hypothyroidism with a diffuse goiter, so I take 100mcg of Synthroid.

Urine culture results: several gram-positive bacteria >1000 < 10000 CFU/ML

Urinalysis sediment: leukocytes 8-10 (ref 0-2)
erythrocytes >50 (ref 0-2)
mucus 1+ (neg)

Blood work: chlorides 110 (ref 97-108)
CRP 5.4 (ref
Basically, I was wondering if any of these numbers might impact my upcoming surgery.

melloworca6 said:What about the rest of your labs? Why did you get bloodwork done in the first place?

I don't know how much clearer I can make the title—please just read that first post. 😬 It’s there so doctors responding here can see the full picture and so you actually get useful answers. If people just comment based on one single number without knowing why the test was ordered, nobody is going to tell you anything smart beyond what you can already see yourself (like whether it's within the normal range or not).

I had headaches and long-term diarrhea. My stool culture came back fine, and the parasite screen was clear too... thanks.🙂

coastalpanther87 said:Hi there,

I was wondering if someone could explain this thyroid ultrasound while we wait on the rest of my labs.
35-year-old male.
Left lobe 31x36x67mm
Right lobe 10x16x44mm
The left lobe is entirely taken up by an inhomogeneous nodule, which shows some cystic degeneration and extends toward the retrosternal area.
The right lobe shows a homogeneous echo distribution.

Thanks in advance,

You really need to get your thyroid hormone levels checked and likely get a biopsy of that mass, at least according to what an Endocrinology specialist would suggest.

Lawrence Rodriguez11 said:Hello,

I'm running tests for a standard surgery to deal with kidney stones in my renal pelvis. Some of these results are outside the normal range, and I don't quite understand the urine culture findings.
Besides bilateral kidney stones, I suffer from diffuse goiter due to hypothyroidism and take Synthroid 100mcg.

Urine culture result: more gram-positive bacteria >1000 < 10000 CFU/ML

Urinalysis microscopic sediment: leukocytes 8-10 (ref 0-2)
erythrocytes >50 (ref 0-2)
mucus 1+ (neg)

Bloodwork: chlorides 110 (ref 97-108)
CRP 5.4 (ref
So, I'm wondering if these results will affect the surgery.

The blood work looks fine, but you should probably redo the USA and urine sediment after ensuring proper hygiene.

redpilot37 said:Should I be worried if my iron is at 30 (ref. 9-30), and my white blood cell count is nearly at the upper limit, though still technically normal at 9.3 (ref. 3.4-9.7)? Would it be a good idea to check my iron again? Thanks. 🙂

redpilot37 said:I had headaches and prolonged diarrhea, but both my stool bacteriology and parasitology came back clear. Thanks. 🙂

The lab results look fine,
just stick to a diet for Th/colitis.

So, here is how my complete blood count looks (values above the reference range are in bold):
RBC (EBR) (E) 4.69 ref. 3.86 to 5.08
HEMOGLOBIN (Hb) (EBR) (E) 133 g/L ref. 119 to 157
HEMATOCRIT (Hct) (EBR) (E) 0.394 L/L ref. 0.356 to 0.47
MCV (EBR) (E) 84.0 fL ref. 83 to 97.2
MCH (EBR) (E) 28.4 pg ref. 27.4 to 33.9
MCHC (EBR) (E) 338 g/L ref. 320 to 345
RDW (EBR) (E) 13.0 % ref. 9 to 15
MPV (EBR) (E) 7.3 fL ref. 6.8 to 10.4
PLATELETS (Trc) (EBR) (E) 341 10^9/L ref.158 to 424
WBC (Lkc) (EBR) (E) 10.20 H 10^9/L ref. 3.4 to 9.7
NEUTROPHIL GRANULOCYTES (%) (EBR) (E) 54.7 % ref. 44 to 72
LYMPHOCYTES (%) (EBR) (E) 29.4 % ref. 20 to 46
MONOCYTES (%) (EBR) (E) 9.8 % ref. 2 to 12
EOSINOPHILS (%) (EBR) (E) 3.6 % ref. up to 7
BASOPHIL GRANULOCYTES (%) (EBR) (E) 2.5 H % ref. up to 1
Neutrophil granulocytes (abs) (EBR) (E) 5.50 10^9/L 2.06 ref. up to 6.49
Lymphocytes (abs) (EBR) (E) 3.00 10^9/L ref. 1.19 to 3.35
Monocytes (abs) (EBR) (E) 1.00 H 10^9/L ref. 0.12 to 0.84
Eosinophils (abs) (EBR) (E) 0.40 10^9/L ref. up to 0.43
Basophil granulocytes (abs) (EBR) (E) 0.30 H 10^9/L ref. up to 0.06
IRON (Fe) (FOT) (S) 12 μmol/L ref. 8-30

I am 36 years old and I get blood work done twice a year just for routine monitoring.
Over the last week, I’ve been feeling quite fatigued and sleepy. I have asthma and am currently managing it with Advair and Tafamendis.
For other medications, I take Zoloft to manage an anxiety disorder.
I haven't had any allergies in the past, but for the last two weeks, I've dealt with a runny nose, frequent sneezing, and sinus pain.
Regarding the elevated white cell count, it's worth noting that my previous results have always hovered near the upper limit—usually around 7 or 8, sometimes reaching 9.
Pregnancy is ruled out.
Should I be concerned about these elevated levels of WBC, monocytes, and basophils?

Thanks in advance for any insight you can offer!

mellowviper24 said:So, here is my complete blood work (values marked in bold are above the reference range):
ERYTHROCYTES (RBC) 4.69 ref. 3.86 to 5.08
HEMOGLOBIN (Hb) 133 g/L ref. 119 to 157
HEMATOCRIT (Hct) 0.394 L/L ref. 0.356 to 0.47
MCV 84.0 fL ref. 83 to 97.2
MCH 28.4 pg ref. 27.4 to 33.9
MCHC 338 g/L ref. 320 to 345
RDW 13.0 % ref. 9 to 15
MPV 7.3 fL ref. 6.8 to 10.4
PLATELETS (Plt) 341 10^9/L ref. 158 to 424
WHITE BLOOD CELLS (WBC) 10.20 H 10^9/L ref. 3.4 to 9.7
NEUTROPHIL GRANULOCYTES (%) 54.7 % ref. 44 to 72
LYMPHOCYTES (%) 29.4 % ref. 20 to 46
MONOCYTES (%) 9.8 % ref. 2 to 12
EOSINOPHILS (%) 3.6 % ref. up to 7
BASOPHIL GRANULOCYTES (%) 2.5 H % ref. up to 1
Neutrophil granulocytes (abs) 5.50 10^9/L 2.06 ref. up to 6.49
Lymphocytes (abs) 3.00 10^9/L ref. 1.19 to 3.35
Monocytes (abs) 1.00 H 10^9/L ref. 0.12 to 0.84
Eosinophils (abs) 0.40 10^9/L ref. up to 0.43
Basophil granulocytes (abs) 0.30 H 10^9/L ref. up to 0.06
IRON (Fe) 12 μmol/L ref. 8-30

I am 36 years old and I get blood work done twice a year just for routine checks.
For the past week, I’ve been feeling exhausted and sleepy. I have asthma, and my current treatment includes Advair and Tafcin.
As for other medications, I take Zoloft for an anxiety disorder.
I haven't had allergies before, but over the last two weeks, I've had a runny nose, frequent sneezing, and sinus pain.
Regarding the elevated white blood cell count, I should mention that my results have usually been closer to the upper limit in the past (mostly around 7-8, sometimes even 9).
Pregnancy is ruled out.
Should I be worried about the elevated WBC, monocytes, and basophils?

Thanks in advance for any help!

There is no reason to panic. You probably just need to have your lungs listened to and make sure you're using your Advair correctly.
pp In case of an asthma exacerbation, you might need to start ABT.

Thank you so much for such a prompt response!

F, 38y, BMI 34.6
Previously diagnosed with hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
Currently taking Glucophage 2x500mg
On a 1500 kcal diet

My endocrinologist ordered these tests for a follow-up appointment

HbA1c 5.9

TSH 2.17 (0.27-4.2)
T3 1.5 (1.3-3.1)
T4 65 (66-181)

ACTH
8 AM: 14.10 (9.6-49.7)
4 PM 4.2

Cortisol
8 AM: 613 (260-720)
4 PM 405 (50-350)

24-hour urine cortisol: 85.9 (38-208), urine volume 710 ml

Growth hormone 1.58 (
IGF1 21.4 (13.9-40.5)

In the meantime—my private endocrinologist actually stopped practicing—so now I have nobody to show these results to.🤷

Hey everyone,

Quick question about my elevated Bilirubin levels while taking Accutane for acne.

M 22yo

BLOODWORK
cholesterol 4.58
triglycerides 1.19
total Bilirubin 22.80
AST 16
ALT 16
GGT 21
ALP 63

Honestly, my dermatologist and I are both kind of leaning toward Gilbert's syndrome. My Bilirubin usually sits right around 21–23 and I guess it never really tops 24.

So, I was wondering what your take is on how Accutane might affect this? Or even just some general info on what that syndrome actually means.

Thanks!

I really need some help here.
I’m heading in tomorrow to get bloodwork done (they specifically asked for
Urea and Creatinine) before my knee MRI.
First question: why on earth would they need those levels for an MRI?
Second question: I had
one shot of brandy at 7 PM. Is there any chance that will show up
on the blood test (as alcohol)
since I'm getting drawn tomorrow morning at 8 AM?
Thanks in advance.

Kate Patel59 said:Female, 38 years old, BMI 34.6.
I’ve already been hit with a diagnosis of hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
I’ve been looking into the Siofor regimen—specifically taking 500mg twice a day—and I have some thoughts. It’s one thing to read about it on a medical site, but it's another thing entirely when you're actually dealing with the fallout of the treatment.
1,500 calorie diets? Honestly, I don't know where people get the nerve to suggest this kind of restriction. It’s absolute madness. You’re basically asking your body to run on fumes, and frankly, I think it's a recipe for disaster. I see people posting about these "miracle" low-calorie plans all over the internet, acting like they've discovered some secret shortcut to fitness. Newsflash: you can't sustain this without feeling like a complete zombie. One day you're fine, and the next, you're staring at a wall because your brain doesn't have enough fuel to function. It’s unsustainable, it’s punishing, and quite frankly, it’s insulting to anyone actually trying to build real, lasting health. If you want to lose weight, do it properly. Don't starve yourself just to hit a number on a spreadsheet. It's not worth the burnout.

My Endocrinologist ordered these tests for my follow-up appointment.

An HbA1c of 5.9? Let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate: you are officially sitting on the fence. You aren't quite in the "full-blown diabetic" territory yet, but you have definitely wandered past the healthy baseline and landed squarely in prediabetes. It’s a wake-up call. A loud, obnoxious, flashing neon sign telling you that your blood sugar management needs an immediate overhaul. You can't just ignore this number and hope it goes away. If I were you, I wouldn't be sitting around waiting for a miracle; I'd be looking at my diet, my activity levels, and my lifestyle choices immediately. It’s time to take control before that number climbs any higher.

TSH is sitting at 2.17 (normal range: 0.27-4.2).
T3 levels at 1.5 (with a range of 1.3–3.1).
T4 at 65? That’s just... wow. I don't even know where to start with this one. It feels like we're constantly dancing around these numbers, trying to make sense of them, only to be met with more questions instead of answers! (66-181)

ACTH? Seriously? We’re really going there? I feel like I’m constantly seeing people throw around acronyms without any clue how deep the rabbit hole actually goes. You can't just toss "ACTH" into a conversation like it's some casual bit of trivia. This is core endocrinology! We are talking about the master controller here—the messenger from the pituitary that tells your adrenal glands to get to work. If your ACTH levels are off, everything else follows suit. It’s not just a number on a lab report; it’s the driver of the whole engine. When this thing starts acting up, you aren't just looking at a minor glitch; you're looking at potential Addison's or Cushing's territory. It's high stakes. People need to stop treating these hormonal markers like they're just checking the weather. Get it right or don't talk about it!
8 hours. A reading of 14.10. And the reference range? 9.6 to 49.7. Talk about a massive gap.
17h 4,2

Cortisol. Let's talk about it. Everyone wants to run to Google the second they feel a little stressed, thinking their hormones are completely out of whack, but nobody actually understands the sheer complexity of this stuff. It’s not just some "stress hormone" you can fix with a handful of herbal tea or a yoga class. It is a fundamental, heavy-hitting regulator that dictates how your entire body functions—from your metabolism to your immune response. When things go sideways, they go sideways fast. You aren't just feeling "tired"; you're dealing with a systemic disruption. It’s frustrating how often people dismiss these symptoms as just being "burnt out" when there is a legitimate physiological battle happening under the surface. We need to stop trivializing endocrine health. If your cortisol levels are spiking or crashing, you aren't just having a bad day—your chemistry is actively working against you.
8h 613 (260-720)
I am still waiting on an update from the lab regarding those results. It’s been nearly 24 hours and the silence is absolutely deafening. Honestly, the lack of communication at this facility is nothing short of incompetent. You'd think with all the technology they have, getting a simple report wouldn't be such a monumental struggle. I'm sitting here staring at my phone like a fool while they drag their feet. Unbelievable. 405 (50-350)

I just got my results back, and I’ve been staring at them for an hour. My 24-hour urine cortisol came in at 85.9, which falls within the standard range of 38 to 208. Total urine volume was 710 ml. Honestly, looking at these numbers feels like a bit of a toss-up, and I'm feeling pretty restless about it. What do you all think?

Growth hormone at 1.58 (
IGF-1 is sitting at 21.4. The standard range is listed from 13.9 to 40.5.

To top it all off, the endocrinologist I was seeing privately just stopped practicing. So now? I’m left high and dry with absolutely no one to show these lab results to. Just great. 🤷

Honestly, I’ve been noticing this myself—the volume of urine seems unusually low. It’s actually pretty strange, if you ask me.
The lab results look fine on the surface, but we’ve got a major problem here: there's no reference range provided for the midday ACTH levels. Plus, the picture is way too incomplete to make any real sense of this. I need more data! Where are the details on purple striae? Is there moon face? What about hypertension? We also need fasting and post-meal glucose levels, along with the transaminase numbers. You can't just throw half a puzzle at me and expect a diagnosis.

Joseph Hall4 said:Listen, I’ve got something to say.

I have a question regarding elevated total Bilirubin levels and being on Accutane for acne.

Male, 22 years old.

BIOCHEMISTRY
So, my cholesterol came back at 4.58. Honestly? I’m fuming. I feel like I did everything by the book, and yet here we are looking at numbers that aren't exactly where I want them to be. It’s frustrating as hell when you're trying to stay on top of your health and the results still leave you feeling like you're failing some invisible test. Is anyone else dealing with this kind of nonsense right now?
My triglycerides are sitting at 1.19.
Total Bilirubin levels. 22.80
AST 16. That’s it. Just a number on a lab report. Simple, right? Wrong. For anyone who actually pays attention to their bloodwork, seeing these individual markers pop up can feel like staring at a cryptic code you can't crack. It's frustrating when you're looking for clear answers and all you get is a single data point floating there in the void.
My ALT is at 16.
My GGT came back at 21.
ALP 63. Just stating the facts.

To be honest, I’m starting to have serious doubts—just like my endocrinologist—about whether this is actually Gilbert's syndrome. My Bilirubin levels are constantly hovering right around 21 to 23, and they never once break 24.

I have a question for you all from your perspective: what kind of potential side effects or impacts can we actually expect from Accutane? And more broadly, could someone explain the actual significance of this syndrome?

Thanks.

Get those lab results organized.

wiredmarlin29 said:I need some help here. Please, I’m asking for assistance.
I’m heading in for bloodwork tomorrow—they're demanding my latest lab results.
I need to get my Urea and Creatinine levels checked before I head in for that knee MRI.
First question: why on earth are they asking for that much just for a magnet?
Second question: I finished drinking at 7 PM.
Just one shot of whiskey. Is it going to show up on the tests?
I just got my bloodwork back, and they actually ran an alcohol test.
I’m heading in for bloodwork tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM.
Thanks in advance!

If you're getting an MRI, they’re going to demand kidney function tests first. Don't sweat what you've eaten lately—it has absolutely zero impact on those specific results.

Hey everyone,
does anyone know what ALT actually indicates on a blood test?
Everything else came back within the normal range, but this one is slightly off—the lab says the limit is 10-36, and I'm sitting at a 9...😕

I was wondering if a DEXA scan can actually detect bone cancer?
My sister has untreated breast cancer—she opted out of surgery—which was diagnosed back in September 2010. For about a month now, she’s been dealing with intense lower back and leg pain, almost like sciatica, and it’s left her pretty much immobile. She’s been on Femara since June of this year, which is why she had a DEXA scan—it came back normal, and another one in June showed the same thing.

Kimberly Young2 said:'Hi everyone,
does anyone know what ALT means on a blood test?
Everything else is within range, except this one—the limit is 10-36 and I'm at 9.😕

Hello,

Your post was moved from the "Thyroid" thread, so you likely missed the opening post which outlines how to format questions here.

To get an interpretation of your results, please refer to that first post and provide more context.

That said, an ALT value that is slightly low like yours generally holds no clinical significance.

Still, I suggest following the instructions in the initial post.

Best regards. 🙂

Apologies to the moderators—I already posted this over in the thyroid group, but I figured I’d jump in here too to ask: what exactly constitutes ionized calcium?
My levels are running low, so I'm trying to wrap my head around it. I mentioned on the thyroid board that I've been dealing with these constant tingling sensations in my hands, and honestly, some mornings when I wake up, my arms feel completely numb, almost as if they don't even belong to me...
To be clear, I don't actually have a thyroid, but I did have two parathyroid glands removed, though nobody has ever bothered to check my calcium levels because, frankly, it never even crossed my mind to ask.

Betty Sanchez58 said:Apologies to the moderators—I already posted this over on the Thyroid board, but I wanted to ask here too: what exactly is ionized calcium?
Mine came back low, so I'm trying to wrap my head around it. On the thyroid thread, I mentioned having symptoms like tingling in my hands, and sometimes when I wake up in the morning, it feels like my hands aren't even mine... they just feel completely numb.
I don't actually have a thyroid, but I had two parathyroid glands removed, yet nobody has ever checked my calcium levels because I never thought to bring it up.

Look, I honestly have no idea what "low" even implies in this context.
Regardless, you need a full workup: total Ca, Ca++, P, PTH, plus a 24-hour urine test for both Ca and P.

vividsailor7 said:I have absolutely no idea what "lowered" is even supposed to mean here.
Regardless, you’re going to need to get a full workup done—check your Calcium, ionized Calcium, Phosphorus, PTH, and then run a 24-hour urine test for both Calcium and Phosphorus.

Here is the breakdown of the tests I actually had done:
Serum Calcium: 2.41—looks fine to me.
Serum Phosphorus: 0.99—also looks within the normal range.
Ionized Calcium: 1.13, which is low since the minimum threshold is 1.18.
The symptoms are hitting me hardest while I'm asleep—I am talking literal paralysis of my upper limbs. I only ever dealt with stuff like this when I was undergoing radioactive iodine therapy and spending those 30 days without hormone replacement beforehand, but even then, it was never quite this intense or debilitating...
No one bothered to give me the results for the other specific markers, and honestly, I didn't even think to check my calcium levels over the last eight years, so now everyone from the specialists at the Endocrinology department to my primary doctor is acting completely baffled as to why I haven't tracked this sooner. Look, I am not a doctor, and it simply never crossed my mind. Maybe it’s my own fault, I suppose. 🤷
It feels incredibly humiliating to go back and demand these specific tests because they'll just assume I'm trying to play doctor with them, even though, frankly, nobody else has bothered to notice my parathyroid function is shot until now, when the symptoms have become impossible to ignore on a purely subjective level.

Why are you being so defensive?

You didn't just wander off the street demanding random tests for no reason. These are standard labs for conditions like yours—things you should have already had done. You aren't the only one hesitating, either. I know this woman who had surgery on her thyroid and they ended up damaging the glands, so now she’s stuck on hormone replacements, and sometimes she gets so unstable she has to go in for injections.

So just ask for the tests. You aren't asking for them without cause or purpose. 🙂

The specialist in Endocrinology was incredibly kind and gracious, even seeing me at the clinic today without a referral just because I gave them a call.
In November, I have my full thyroid panel scheduled, along with an ultrasound and calcium checks, so if those results aren't looking right, I’ll be pushing for these extra tests.
Actually, I'm going to wait and see how things play out—I just started taking Rocaltol today to see if my symptoms finally clear up.
If they don't subside, I am heading straight back to her with this entire list of recommended tests in hand.🙂
Thanks for the input, everyone.

wiredtrucker13 said:I was wondering if a bone density scan can actually detect bone cancer?
My sister has untreated breast cancer—she chose not to have surgery—which was diagnosed back in September 2010. For about a month now, she’s been dealing with pain in her lower back and leg, almost like sciatica, and she's barely able to move. She's been on Femara since June of this year, which is why she had a DEXA scan—it came back normal, just like the one she had earlier in June.

Is anyone able to weigh in here??

Look, I’ll just give you my honest take on this.

If there’s a metastasis sitting right where a bone density scan was performed—and if that bone is already pretty badly damaged—you might actually catch it. But that’s a huge "if." It only works if the lesion is specifically located in the exact spots the densitometry is actually "mapping." Otherwise? Even a standard X-ray often isn't enough to spot bone metastases.

But honestly, why even overthink it like that? If there is any suspicion at all regarding metastases, you don't play guessing games. You get a standard X-ray of the painful area first, and then you move straight to an MRI.