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

Thank you.

I'm with melloworca6 on this. Between the CBC and your biochemistry, we can already pull some meaningful insights—specifically whether there's a deficiency in white blood cell counts or certain types of leukocytes, which might hint at an "underactive immune system." You can also get a clear picture from your erythrocyte count and hemoglobin levels, just as melloworca6 pointed out earlier.

Generally speaking, it’s perfectly normal for an adult to deal with up to five standard colds a year.

Real concern only arises if you start seeing infections triggered by "opportunistic" pathogens—the kind that signal true immunodeficiency. I'm talking about things like frequent bouts of shingles, or persistent oral thrush that refuses to budge with standard treatment.

As long as you're successfully managing your infections and aren't dealing with those "unusual" triggers, I don't think you have much to worry about.

That said, this is just my take. If you're feeling uneasy (and since we can't exactly perform a physical exam over a message board), I’d recommend sitting down with your primary care physician.

Low values:

erythrocytes 4.28

hemoglobin 127

hematocrit 0.372


cholesterol 6.3
triglycerides 4.8

iron 13 (mentioning this because it feels quite low, even if it sits within the ref range)

Everything else looks fine—I had a full CBC done.

I get hit with this wave of weakness at work every single day around 3 PM—even eating something doesn't seem to help.
I've actually gained quite a bit of weight due to all this fatigue; I'm sitting at about 242 lbs at 6'3".

I feel weak and my facial skin looks somewhat pale—appetite is good, I don't smoke, though I occasionally have a drink just to "kill" the fatigue.

I picked up three stool sample kits today since there’s some suspicion regarding GI bleeding—if that turns out to be a dead end, there are still a million other tests to run to figure out what kind of anemia we're dealing with. I'm asking here if anyone has dealt with similar results and managed to speed up the diagnostic process—anything I can suggest to my primary care physician so we can move forward with the "investigation" more efficiently?🙂

What are your MCV levels? Have you had your ferritin checked yet?

It’s likely iron-deficiency anemia. If that's the case, hunting down the root cause—most commonly GI bleeding—is the right move.

Your cholesterol and triglyceride numbers are running a bit high. It would be wise to discuss this with your primary care physician regarding lifestyle adjustments, like diet and exercise.

Patrick Miller3 said:low values:

erythrocytes 4.28 4.34-5.72
hemoglobin 127 138-175
hematocrit 0.372 0.415-0530

cholesterol 6.3
triglycerides 4.8

iron 13 (mentioning this because it's pretty low, even if it's technically within range)

everything else is fine; I had a full blood panel done.

I get hit with this crushing weakness at work every single day around 3 PM, and eating something doesn't even help.
I've actually gained quite a bit of weight because of this constant fatigue—I'm sitting at 242 lbs at 6'3".

I feel weak and my facial skin looks somewhat pale; appetite is good, I don't smoke, though I occasionally have a drink just to "kill" the exhaustion.

I bought three stool sample kits today because there's some suspicion regarding GI bleeding. If it's not that, then there's probably a million more tests to come to figure out what kind of anemia this is. I'm asking if anyone here has dealt with similar results and managed to speed up the diagnostic process, so I can tell my doctor what we should be "investigating" next.🙂

Your BMI is high (30.5), and on top of that, you have hyperlipidemia with significantly elevated triglycerides.
How old are you?
1. You really need to focus on your diet and nutrition.
2. Your E, Hgb, and Hct levels are within the broader normal ranges.
3. Have you run any other tests yet, like transaminases or blood glucose?
4. You need to check your blood pressure.
Why is there suspicion of GI bleeding? What specific symptoms are you having?

Maria Fisher46 said:What are the MCV values? Have you checked your ferritin levels?

It’s likely normocytic anemia due to iron deficiency—if that's the case, hunting down the cause (most often GI bleeding) is the right move.

Your cholesterol and triglyceride numbers are slightly elevated; you should probably chat with your primary care physician about adjusting your diet or increasing physical activity.

Cholesterol isn't critical—that's an easy fix—but I can't manage it easily 😉 when I have to eat "well" just to combat constant fatigue.

MCV 86.8
MCH 29.6
MCHC 341
Platelets 245

I mentioned above that the other results were fine.

EDIT

Ferritin hasn't been tested yet.

edit: Patrick Miller3, when you merged your last two posts, something went wrong and the message you sent to vividsailor7 vanished. I have no idea why it disappeared or where the glitch occurred. Please resubmit your reply to vividsailor7's post. My apologies to both you and vividsailor7 for the inconvenience. I'm genuinely sorry; I still can't figure out what happened, because even if I had accidentally hit "delete," I should be able to see and restore them through my moderator tools.

If your hemoglobin and erythrocyte levels have been steady like this for years, there’s likely no cause for alarm. However, if these results are "new"—meaning they used to be higher—then we would definitely need to investigate potential bleeding in the GI tract.

Since you mentioned these numbers haven't changed, they probably aren't the culprit behind the weakness you're feeling.

Did someone suggest testing for occult blood, or was that your own call to head to a private lab? (I ask because you mentioned concerns about bleeding and that you've already picked up the collection kits.)

When you experience this weakness, do you notice any other symptoms, such as sweating, hunger, or hand tremors?

vividsailor7 said:Your BMI is elevated at 30.5—on top of that, you have hyperlipidemia, with significantly high triglyceride levels.
How old are you all?
We really ought to focus more on our diet and getting a proper nutrition plan in place.
2. E, Hgb and Hct are within the high end of the normal range.
3. Have you guys done any other tests—maybe transaminases or GUK?
4. You really need to get your blood pressure checked.
Why would you suspect gastrointestinal bleeding—what kind of symptoms are you actually dealing with?

ALT, AST, GGT, and ALP are all within range—though they're sitting at the higher end—so it looks like my liver enzymes are having a bit too much fun lately (likely due to lipids). 😁

My blood pressure stays consistently around 130–140 systolic over 80/90 diastolic.
My mother struggles with high blood pressure, so I find myself checking it at her place quite often.

I mentioned that I run occasionally and hit the weights—I'm 40 now, and honestly, I think my fitness is decent considering my weight. Though, I’d love to drop about 45 pounds; the problem is that those diet attempts always seem to break me—my body just starts "craving" everything. Otherwise, I can barely even walk home from work—well, that’s if I’m not limping.

I don't have any reason to suspect bleeding—but my primary care physician did try to rule out potential blood loss due to possible complications, such as tumors or similar issues, just to be safe (similar to what your colleague mentioned).

Maria Fisher46 said:Patrick Miller3, when you merged your last two posts, something went wrong and the reply you sent to vividsailor7 disappeared. I'm not sure what caused the error or where it went sideways—sorry for the inconvenience. Please go ahead and repost your response to vividsailor7's post.

Throw my post in the trash. 🙂

Nicholas Myers said:Did someone actually recommend testing for occult bleeding to you—or was that just your own call to head to a private lab? I ask because you mentioned suspecting some bleeding and that you already went ahead and picked up the collection vials.

Look, I already said—I’m not letting another doctor talk down to me like that. Not after how I was treated before. ☕ I already mentioned how crazy this is—my daughter weighs only 110 lbs, yet her erythrocyte count is nearly double mine, and her iron is at 20 while mine sits at 13 (sometimes even dropping to 8). This is despite the fact that she eats "dietary" meals compared to me her entire life.

So, based on any standard medical logic—a "healthy" individual who increases their intake of meat, vegetables, and fruit should see an improved profile regarding hemoglobin, iron, and erythrocytes.

Quote : Nicholas Myers said:When you feel this weak, do you notice any other symptoms—like sweating, hunger, or shaky hands?

I don't get the sweating, I'm not hungry, and my hands aren't shaking—nothing hurts, really—but I do feel this sort of generalized dystonia throughout my whole body.

You really need to get your ferritin checked since it’s the best way to gauge your actual iron stores. Obviously, you should check UIBC and TIBC too...

I’m also looking for some advice here regarding my nephew.
He’s 23, about 5'7", and weighs 220 lbs. He doesn't drink, smoke, or anything of the sort. About a week ago, he started experiencing some hearing loss along with ringing in his ears. Since he usually struggles with wax buildup, he tried washing out his ears himself—but no luck there. At the ER, they gave him Klavocin, hydrogen peroxide for an ear rinse, and some nasal drops. Also—on three separate occasions—his blood pressure was clocked at 160/100. After taking the medication, his ears feel a bit better now, but he just got his blood work back today. Everything seems fine except for his liver enzymes, which are quite elevated: AST 101, ALT 330, and GGT 133—which is pretty significant. For now, his doctor told him to cut out salt and alcohol for twenty days before retesting. I'm wondering why those enzymes might be so high—could it be linked to the high blood pressure? I'd really appreciate any insight or clarification you can offer.

@Patrick Miller3:
Even if you think I'm being extra about it:
1. redo those blood tests
2. list out everything you're currently taking
3. tell me how much alcohol or any hard drugs you're using, and when

?_?

Michelle Williams5 said:I’m also looking for some guidance regarding my nephew.
He’s 23 years old, about 5'7", and weighs 220 lbs. He doesn't drink, smoke, or engage in any such habits. About a week ago, he started experiencing some hearing loss accompanied by tinnitus. Since he tends to struggle with wax buildup, he tried flushing his ears, but that didn't provide much relief. At the ER, they treated him with Klavocin, hydrogen peroxide for an ear rinse, and some nasal drops. On top of that, his blood pressure was clocked at 160/100 on three separate occasions. After taking the medication, his ears feel slightly better, but we just received his blood work results today. Everything seems to be within the normal range, except for his liver enzymes, which are quite elevated: AST 101, ALT 330, and GGT 133. For now, his doctor suggested cutting out salt and alcohol for twenty days before retesting. I’m wondering why these levels might be so high and if there's any link to his elevated blood pressure. Any insight or explanation would be greatly appreciated.

It seems to me that those liver enzymes aren't particularly connected to high blood pressure; I'd suggest seeking a consultation with a gastroenterologist or perhaps scheduling an abdominal ultrasound. Best regards.

@_unlimited_: I don't think there's a direct link to blood pressure, personally. You probably need to rule out viral hepatitis first.

Michelle Williams5 said:I’m also looking for some advice here. It’s regarding my nephew.
He’s 23 years old, about 5'7", and weighs around 220 lbs. He doesn't drink, he doesn't smoke, nothing like that. About a week ago, his hearing started getting a bit muffled, and he’s been dealing with this constant ringing in his ears. Since he normally struggles with wax buildup, he tried flushing his ears out himself, but it didn't do a thing. At the ER, they gave him Klavocin, used hydrogen peroxide to flush the ears, and prescribed nasal drops. On top of that, his blood pressure was clocked at 160/100 on three separate occasions over different days. After taking the meds, his ears feel a little better, but he just got his blood work back today. Everything looks normal except for his liver enzymes, which are through the roof—AST is 101, ALT is 330, and GGT is 133. That’s pretty significant. For now, the doctor told him to stick to a zero-salt, zero-alcohol diet for twenty days before retesting. I’m wondering why those enzymes would be that high—could it be linked to the high blood pressure? I’d really appreciate any insight or explanations.

He needs to follow a strict liver-friendly diet for about 2-3 weeks, then redo the tests if things still look pathological. If necessary, an abdominal ultrasound should be done, along with testing for hepatitis markers, ALP, a lipid panel, fasting glucose, bilirubin, etc.
Regular blood pressure monitoring is essential.
Follow up with an ENT specialist if needed.

Thanks to everyone for all the replies.
vividsailor7—could you walk me through what a specific liver diet actually looks like? I mean, what am I officially allowed to eat and drink?

You need to overhaul your eating habits. Aim for more frequent, smaller meals—think four to six a day—rather than heavy hits. Cut out the canned goods, greasy fried stuff, grilled meats, and anything carbonated. Alcohol is strictly off the table. Focus on reducing overall fat intake; stick to plant-based oils like olive oil. Fill up on fresh or cooked fruits and vegetables along with whole grains. For protein, go with lean meats, poultry, low-fat dairy, or fish. These guidelines might shift later depending on the specific nature of the liver condition.

Thanks so much, Nicholas Myers! I'll definitely recommend that kind of diet to him—fingers crossed his next lab results look a lot better!

Hey there!
I’m looking for a little help for a friend. She’s currently at the hospital with her baby—the little one tested positive for staph.
I know there are different types out there, and she isn't quite sure which specific strain they found....
🤷
This is what she told me... they found it in his gastric aspirate, and his CRP was sitting at 45.
The baby is already on antibiotics.
What does all this actually mean? Is there any way to read between the lines here??

I can't seem to find anything specific on the forums regarding staph... just general stuff. How dangerous is this bacterium, really?

Dear Madam,

There isn't enough data here to draw any definitive conclusions. Finding staph in a gastric aspirate can sometimes just indicate colonization—essentially the bacteria moving in without actually causing an infection—which is quite common in newborns.

Since the baby is currently hospitalized, you can expect them to receive the highest standard of care available.

Wishing the best for the little one, for your colleague, and for you as well.

Best regards. 🙂

Maria Fisher46 said:Hi there,

There’s just not enough data here to say anything definitive. Finding staph in a stomach aspirate can sometimes just mean colonization—you know, where it's just hanging out without actually causing an infection—especially with newborns.

Since the little one is in the hospital, you can pretty much count on them getting the best care possible.

Wishing the baby, your colleague, and you all the very best.

Best regards. 🙂

Thanks so much,🙂 it’s honestly really nice to read a post like this.
It’s super likely that Colleague Sashica and the baby will be heading home next week and everything will turn out fine. 😁