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

Hello there.
I am looking for some guidance...
Since the start of the year, I have been dealing with a persistent low-grade fever hovering between 98.6°F and 99.5°F. Initially, I had flu-like symptoms, and my doctor just told me to ride it out. While the other symptoms eventually cleared up, the fever wouldn't budge. About ten days later, I went back to my primary care physician. In the meantime, I had lost 9 kg (about 20 lbs) and felt incredibly weak. They ran a CBC, which came back normal, but my urinalysis showed slightly elevated white blood cell counts, so they prescribed a broad-spectrum antibiotic, suspecting "some kind of inflammation." While taking that antibiotic, I developed an oral yeast infection and thrush, requiring both topical gels and oral tablets. That cleared up, but the fever remained. Following this, I was referred to an infectious disease specialist to rule out mononucleosis. My appetite slowly started returning, and I managed to gain back about 3 kg (around 6.5 lbs). The specialist noted that I didn't show any obvious clinical symptoms and advised me to wait another week while keeping a temperature log. He ordered another CBC and a urine test. My white blood cell count had risen to 12, though the urine results were fine. He then prescribed Zithromax—a different antibiotic—despite no blood or urine cultures being performed. During the course of the Zithromax, I dealt with diarrhea, the fever persisted, and I began experiencing occasional bouts of sweating, malaise, and mood swings. After that week, I returned to the infectious disease specialist. This time, my white blood cell count had dropped back into the normal range, and they didn't even bother with a urinalysis. I was sent for a chest X-ray, which was clear, and told to wait another 3 to 4 weeks. If the fever persists, I was instructed to see an internist. Now, three weeks later, the fever is still there. My GP is now questioning if it might be hyperthyroidism because they are running out of ideas. I just received my thyroid panel results, and everything looks perfectly normal. I am at a total loss. This fever has lasted two months now, and I feel like nobody is taking this seriously. I would appreciate any advice...

Hey everyone, I'm 17 years old and my ESR came back at 30... what could that actually mean? Does this lead to anything serious? Any advice would be hugely appreciated... thanks so much in advance!

So, I finally got my lab results back today...
My red blood cell count came in at 3.84—just a hair under the standard range of 3.86 to 5.08 (it was actually much higher last time, at 4.39)
Hemoglobin is sitting right at 119—which is technically within the 119 to 157 range, though it’s quite a drop from my previous reading of 135
Platelets are at 238, which is totally fine given the 158 to 424 scale, even if they were up at 309 before

Everything else looks pretty much the same as my last round of tests—mostly just some slight decreases overall

mistyjackal842 said:Has anyone dealt with Breyer labs before? I was browsing their site, but they don't list any prices, and I'm really curious about what they charge. Are they super pricey?

I'm looking to get my blood sugar, CBC, creatinine, ESR, liver enzymes—basically just all the standard bloodwork checked. About four years ago, my blood sugar was fine, though it was hovering pretty close to the upper limit. How many days should I avoid sweets before getting my blood drawn?

I'd guess you're looking at somewhere around $300-$117.

Brandon Chavez31 said:Hey everyone!
I really need some help here...
Since the start of the year, I’ve been stuck with this low-grade fever hovering between 98.6 and 99.5. It started with what felt like the flu, and they just told me to sleep it off. The flu symptoms went away, but the fever wouldn't budge. So, about ten days later, I went back to my doctor. In the meantime, I dropped 18 pounds and felt totally wiped out. They ran a CBC, which looked fine, but my urine showed slightly elevated white blood cells, so they put me on a broad-spectrum antibiotic because they suspected "some kind of inflammation." While taking that, I ended up with an oral yeast infection and thrush, so I had to get gel and then pills for that. That cleared up, but the fever didn't. After that, they sent me to an infectious disease specialist to check for mono. My appetite slowly came back, and I gained about 6 pounds. The specialist said there were no visible symptoms, so he told me to wait another week and keep a temperature log. He ran another CBC and urinalysis. My white blood cell count jumped to 12, but the urine was okay. Then he prescribed Zithromax—a different antibiotic—without even doing a blood or urine culture first. While on the Zithromax, I got diarrhea, the fever stayed, and I started dealing with random sweats, fatigue, and mood swings. A week later, I went back to the specialist; my white blood cell count had dropped back into the normal range, but they didn't even bother checking my urine again. They sent me for a chest X-ray, which was clear, and told me to wait another 3-4 weeks, and if the fever persists, see an internist. It’s been three weeks now and the fever is still there. Now my primary doctor thinks maybe it's hyperthyroidism since they have no clue what else it could be. I just got my thyroid labs back and everything looks perfectly normal. I am seriously at a loss. This fever has been hanging around for two months now and I feel like nobody is taking me seriously. Please, any advice?

Looks like everyone is just chasing shadows of infections, but honestly? Go see an immunologist. Looking at these results, it doesn't look like anyone actually checked the CDC levels—an internist definitely should have looked at that if no one else did. You need immunological testing for specific antibodies because that fever could easily be autoimmune rather than just an inflammatory issue from bacteria or some other bug.

vividowl13 said:Hey, first time posting on this board, but hopefully not my last.
Two months ago I dealt with infectious mononucleosis, and man, my liver enzymes were through the roof—we’re talking triple digits, somewhere around 700. Fast forward two months and everything seems back to normal, except my ALT is still a little high at 53, and my blood work is mostly fine, though my RBC is hovering right on the edge.
I haven't sat down with my specialist yet, so I'm wondering if anyone else has been through this. Is it normal for things to be lingering like this after they were that high?
Later.

Look, once you've had a diagnosis like that, your numbers are always going to be dancing right on the line. You just have to be careful from here on out. That elevated ALT means there's still some lingering damage that's normalizing pretty slowly.

velvetdriver30 said:so I'm 17 and my ESR is at 30............what does that even mean........help.....thanks in advance

Look, an elevated ESR is usually just a sign that there’s some acute inflammation going on. That’s pretty much all you can say based on what you told me... though honestly, having high levels at your age could be linked to a bunch of different things. That's just my take from that one sentence you wrote.

mistyjackal842 said:Has anyone actually used Breyer labs before? I was poking around their website and they don't list any prices at all. Does anyone know if they're overpriced?

I want to get my blood sugar, CBC, creatinine, sedimentation rate, liver enzymes—just the standard baseline stuff. My blood sugar was fine about four years ago, though it was hovering pretty close to the upper limit...How many days should I cut out sweets before getting my blood drawn?

You should be eating sweets just like any other day, otherwise the results are totally useless. If you starve yourself of sugar the day before a test but eat it for the other 364 days of the year, you're just lying to yourself. The whole point of checking your sugar is to see where your levels sit based on your actual daily diet and lifestyle.🙄

I mean, I practically inhaled a whole tub of pudding and a pack of Choco Bananas the night before, yet my blood sugar was totally fine🙂)

but honestly
looking back at my post from yesterday
well, I finally got my lab results back
my red blood cell count came in at 3.84—which is just a hair under the standard 3.86–5.08 range—though last time it was 4.39
my hemoglobin is 119 (standard is 119 to 157), but previously it was sitting much higher at 135
platelets are at 238 (normal range being 158 to 424), compared to 309 last time

everything else looks pretty much the same as before—mostly staying within the lines

I’d love to get some thoughts on these three specific numbers. Is there any actual reason to be worried here?

I could really use some assistance here! I picked up my blood work results yesterday and there’s something I just can't wrap my head around. Near the bottom of the report, under the section, it says "mild anisocytosis"—does anyone actually know what that implies? I'll admit, I panicked a little—my doctor is currently out on vacation, so I'm essentially flying blind here. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED!

So, I just got my lab results back, and frankly, the numbers are looking quite concerning—my CDC levels are sitting at 124.23, whereas the standard range should be somewhere between 0 and 5.00.
My iron is also low at 7.3—it really ought to be between 11.0 and 32.0
Electrolytes are showing 1-3
And white blood cell counts are at 3-5, when they should be closer to the 1 to 2 range

I would greatly appreciate any insight or assistance you might be able to offer regarding this situation.

quietbison7 said:It seems most people here are focusing on ruling out inflammation, but if you ask me, you should see an immunologist. Regarding your labs, I don't see anyone mentioning the CDC levels; an internist really should have checked that if they haven't already. You need immunological testing for specific antibodies, because that fever of yours could be autoimmune rather than just inflammatory (meaning bacteria or other infectious agents).

I haven't seen the internist yet—I just got my referral, so I'm heading in this week. As far as I know, we don't have an immunologist at our local hospital. They did check my CDC levels four weeks ago, and everything was normal. My primary care physician decided to leave the "handling" of this fever to the specialists at the hospital. I’ve done some reading on autoimmune diseases, but I don't quite grasp the full picture. I know they often precede other illnesses, but why do they actually develop, and can they be resolved? Thanks for the input. I'll update everyone once I get the results from the internist.

I did a little digging online and stumbled upon this:

I could use some advice—I just got my blood and urine work back today. Everything looks perfectly fine and within range, except for my CDC levels. Usually, it should be 0-5, but mine came back at 14.7. Should I be freaking out??

Elevated:
An increase in CDC concentrations occurs during acute or chronic bacterial infections, autoimmune diseases, immune complex disorders, tissue necrosis, malignant conditions, myocardial infarction, or trauma. These elevations typically show up within 24-48 hours.
Since an elevated CDC level is non-specific, the results can't be interpreted without a full medical history—and even then, only when compared to previous values. A persistently high CDC level suggests that a current treatment isn't working effectively.
Normal CDC levels don't necessarily rule out localized mild inflammation or certain chronic conditions like SLE or ulcerative colitis.

Bottom line—call your doctor. They’re the only ones who can actually tell you what's going on.

Brandon Chavez31 said:I haven't seen the internist yet; I just got my referral, so I'm heading there later this week. I don't think our local hospital even has an immunologist on staff. They checked my CDC levels four weeks ago, and everything was fine. My primary care doctor mentioned they’d rather leave the whole fever situation to the specialists at the hospital to "deal with." I've been reading up on autoimmune diseases, but I'm still struggling to wrap my head around how they actually work. I know they often follow other illnesses, but why do they happen, and can they actually be resolved? Thanks for the help. I'll update everyone once I have the results from the internist.

The internist claims it has nothing to do with them and told me to go back to the infectious disease specialist—even though I have a signed note from the infectious disease specialist stating it isn't their issue either. I'll take your advice and request a referral for an immunologist; there are two specialists practicing over in Chicago.

Brandon Chavez31 said:The internist claims it’s got nothing to do with them, basically telling me to go back to my infectious disease specialist—except I already have a note from the infectious disease specialist saying it has nothing to do with them. Pointless loop. Fine, I'll take your advice and hunt down a referral for an immunologist; apparently there are two specialists practicing over in Phoenix.

Just remember, as a patient, you have every right to demand whatever is being recommended to you. We’re all here to help, but most people seem to forget that part.
Bottom line? Get that immunologist's opinion.

Quick side note on the CDC levels—Google actually works if you use it... CDC stands for C-reactive protein, obviously. Any spike in those levels is taken extremely seriously during diagnosis, unless—and this is still serious, mind you—you're tracking the patient over several days and finally see the numbers dropping.

Casey Richardson55 said:My bloodwork shows my CRP is up at 124.23 when it should be under 5.00
iron is 7.3 instead of 11.0 to 32.0
electrolytes are 1-3
white blood cell count is 3-5 instead of 1 to 2

PLEASE HELP ME OUT HERE

Look, you haven't given us much to work with here, but you seriously need to call your doctor right now to figure this out. Both your white blood cell count and your CRP are elevated, which means there's some kind of process happening in your body—could be something starting up or something winding down, who knows. You haven't even mentioned any symptoms or how you've been feeling lately.

Casey Richardson55 said:Hey guys, I really need some help here! Just got my blood work back yesterday and I’m totally lost. One part of the report has this note under ACLU: ANISOCYTOSIS TRC. Does anyone actually know what that means? Honestly, I’m freaking out a bit and my doctor is out on vacation right now. ANY HELP PLEASE?

Based on just that one little detail, there isn't much you can conclude other than your red blood cells are showing some changes, which they've labeled as anisocytosis... you haven't provided any other results and the causes could be anything from totally benign to something else entirely. Basically, once your doctor gets back, you should probably get more tests done or at least run them again to see if this is nothing or something worth worrying about.

amberheron64 said:that's why I stuffed myself with pudding and those chocolate banana snack packs last night, and my sugar levels actually looked fine🙂)

but
my post from yesterday
so I just got my lab results back
RBC is 3.84 (normal range is 3.86-5.08) (last time it was 4.39)
hemoglobin is 119 (normal is 119 to 157) (previously it was 135)
platelets are 238 (normal is 158 to 424) (before it was 309)

everything else looks basically the same as before, maybe slightly lower

what do you guys think about these three things? any reason to freak out?

Look, since you're female, the difference in these numbers could easily be because you had your period in the meantime (sorry, maybe you did, I don't know how old you are🙂 ) which would cause a slight dip in values, but honestly, everything looks fine to me. My only real question is why you even went in for these tests in the first place. If you aren't feeling crappy or having symptoms, then ignore my question.

I’ve been dealing with my monthly cycle for about 11 years now 🙂
I had it just last week 🙂 ... and I was having some real trouble breathing—like, feeling totally suffocated—so my doctor suspected it might be anemia (among other things...) and sent me to get some bloodwork done once my period is over.

amberheron64 said:been dealing with my period for like 11 years now. 🙂
I had it last week. 🙂 So, I was having this whole breathing issue—basically felt like I was suffocating—and my doctor started suspecting anemia or some other crap. He sent me off for blood work, but told me to wait until after my period is over before getting it done.

My bad on that question.🙂
So, look, at least you’ve got some results that actually fall within the normal range now. Even if you’re still missing those other vital pieces of the puzzle—you know, stuff like your HSBC and Apple data that really helps paint the full picture—it's a start. But honestly? You can't just ignore the big stuff. You really ought to listen to what your lungs and heart are telling you. Getting an EKG wouldn't be a bad idea either. And seriously, go get an ergometry test done. Don't skip it.
Look, that's just my two cents. I don't know what your other test results look like or what your actual medical history is, so take it with a grain of salt.