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

northernviper12 said:Thanks for getting back to me!
These are just my pre-op tests (bloodwork, urine, EKG, X-ray) for my upcoming knee surgery that I have to hand over to the anesthesiologist.
Regarding the red blood cells, it shows this:

RBC 5.51 (4.34-5.72)

Which seems to be right within those "normal" ranges.
Now I'm just sitting here wondering if I should be stressing more about my knee or my blood counts... 🙄
Is there any chance these results could cause the anesthesiologist to pull the plug on the surgery? (I've been waiting three months for this)
Thanks again!

🙂

Well... look, I'm definitely not an anesthesiologist, but I really doubt they'd push back a surgery because of numbers like those... 🙂

Honestly, now that you mentioned the knee, everything makes way more sense... 🙂your bloodwork is likely just reacting to the issues with your knee, and you seriously shouldn't sweat it since everything is basically sitting right on the edge of the normal range without showing anything actually alarming... 🙂

If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't be worrying one bit, that's all I can say... 🙂
And I'm crossing my fingers that everything goes perfectly with your surgery. 🙂

Hey there!

I've got a referral for some fertility testing over at the Mayo Clinic (Peterson's clinic), specifically for a semen analysis and culture.

I'm planning to head in this Wednesday, May 19th.
Right now, I'm finishing up a course of Sumamed antibiotics—started last Friday and I'll be done by Tuesday (the day before my appointment).
Will being on antibiotics mess with the results, or should I wait a few days after I finish them?
Wednesday is perfect for me since I already cleared it with my boss at work to take the day off...

Sumamed is definitely going to mess with the sperm culture results, and honestly, it’ll likely skew the semen analysis too. You really ought to reach out to Peterson and get their take on this...

Grace Smith said:Same old story... honestly, that’s a question for a hematologist. It's such a niche subspecialty that if you aren't one, it’s pretty much impossible to give a real answer. I’ll try to weigh in based on what I've picked up from my medical texts, though.

From what I gather, your tests were meant to pinpoint exactly which type of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma we're dealing with, especially since they're looking at CLL. Personally, I feel like those CD8 levels (cytotoxic T-cells) and the NK cells are looking way too high.

With chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), you’re looking at B-cells that show markers like CD19, CD20, and CD23 (or even CD22), but they also express CD5—which is weird because that marker usually belongs on T-cells, not B-cells.

Since you've got those confirmed markers on your B-cells (CD 19, 20, and 22), I really think that finding could actually be used to prove it's CLL.

The T-cell results are what's throwing me for a loop... Honestly, there isn't a simple answer to that. You didn't mention what they were actually looking for when they sent you in for this test, and that context is huge if you want to make sense of the numbers. I'm not a hematologist or an internist—just an enthusiastic student—so without that info, I'm basically just grasping at straws and trying to guess what might be going on.

For sure, feel free to jump in if I missed anything or got something wrong—I definitely did some digging through a few books before posting this.

Why did my hematologist send me in for those tests?

My white blood cell count came back high at 11.8, which immediately sent my mind racing toward leukemia. My hematologist told me there’s a 99% chance I'm totally fine, but since I’m clearly spiraling, she sent me off to deal with my paranoia... Does that actually make sense?

fadedmarlin402 said:Sumamed is definitely going to mess with the sperm culture, and likely the semen analysis too. You should probably give Peterson a call to check...

Yeah, I actually called the fertility lab over at Peterson... Their advice was: finish the antibiotics, wait seven days, hold off on sex for 3 to 5 days, and then head in for the test.

Hey everyone!

Edward Chase5 said:Why did my hematologist order these tests for me?

My white blood cell count is a bit high at 11.8, which totally made me spiral thinking about leukemia... My hematologist told me there's a 99% chance I'm fine, but since I was clearly stressing out, she sent me for more testing just to put my mind at ease... Does that actually make sense?

Look, I gotta be real with you, I honestly feel like posting something like this on a public forum isn't really the move because we're talking about something super sensitive and incredibly specialized...

Plus, like I mentioned before, I'm just a college student and I definitely don't have the training to break down subspecialty lab results... High white blood cell counts don't automatically mean leukemia—that's just one of those common misconceptions patients have where they think it's always bad news, but that's totally not true... I honestly have no clue what specific reasons your doctor had for ordering those follow-ups...🤷

But yeah, this is strictly hematology territory that only a specialist can truly read... I've been digging through my textbooks trying to help out as much as I can, but I can't give you any guarantees on what these numbers mean because my medical knowledge isn't even close to being on that level—honestly, I feel like I might have overstepped by even replying since I'm just not qualified for this...

The only answer I could offer is the one I gave you, because beyond that, I'm stuck... I'm not a hematologist (which takes like seven extra years of school compared to where I am now)... Your hematologist is going to give you the only real, precise answer based on your actual labs, and I'm seriously crossing my fingers that everything comes back great for you... 🙂

I'm sorry, but I really just don't have the expertise to interpret subspecialty findings... 🙂

Grace Smith said:🙂

Look, I’m obviously no anesthesiologist, but I highly doubt they’d push back a surgery just because of results like these. 🙂

Unfortunately, my anesthesiologist doesn't see things my way.
🤷
I was actually at the clinic seeing them today, and their take was basically: "No clinical signs of a myocardial infarction. Please re-run the CBC, metabolic panel, and CRP."; so I managed to get that done this afternoon, but honestly, something still feels off. Some of the numbers have actually climbed even higher:

RBC 6.18
WBC 11.5

CRP 7.45 (Range: 0.00-5.00). This wasn't showing up on the first round of tests—so what's the deal with that?

Since I didn't clear the exam today, I don't really believe I'll pass tomorrow if the results look even worse, which means my Wednesday appointment is probably going down the drain. 😠
Given that the wait times are three months long, the next opening won't be until August unless I can track down some rogue surgeon willing to bypass the anesthesiologist entirely. 😂
[Does anyone know a doctor who does "off the books" work? 🤣]

northernviper12 said:Bummer, looks like the anesthesiologist isn't really on the same page as you... 🤷
Popped in to see my doctor today and her diagnosis was...I'm not seeing any clinical signs of an infarct here, so maybe we should just run those labs again, like the CBC, coagulation profile, and CRP...So, I finally knocked out everything on my to-do list this afternoon, but man, things still feel just a little bit off... plus some of these numbers are looking way higher than they should be...

Just saw my red blood cell count hit 6.18... definitely feels like things are moving a bit fast lately...
Just saw my white blood cell count hit 11.5... honestly feeling pretty good though, so I'm just riding that wave and hoping for the best...

So my CRP came back at 7.45 when the normal range is basically up to 5.00, and since it wasn't even showing up on my first set of labs, I was just wondering what exactly that's supposed to be telling us...

Since I didn't pass my checkup today, there's no way I'm getting a clean bill of health tomorrow with these even worse results, so my appointment this Wednesday is probably gonna fall through... 😠
Since I'm stuck waiting three whole months, it looks like my next one won't happen until August unless I can track down some super talented surgeon who doesn't even need an anesthesiologist to get the job done... 😂
anyone actually doing that kind of thing at a local dive bar... 🤣]

Look, you clearly didn't post the full lab results... or maybe you just weren't sure what they actually meant, I can't really tell... but honestly, seeing some elevated white blood cells or red blood cells on its own shouldn't be enough to put a surgery on hold... though that’s just my take based on the little bit of data you actually shared here. You can't just drop a few numbers on a forum and expect a definitive answer from us when there are actual specialists who know your whole medical history... and besides, your anesthesiologist and the rest of the surgical team at the hospital definitely have a much better handle on your situation since they're focused on minimizing any risk to you. If they decided to postpone, then there's probably a good reason for it, and there's really no point in pushing for the procedure if the doctors feel like you aren't quite ready yet...

@ northernviper12
Forget about getting that surgery done anytime soon. They’re blocking you just to cover their own backs—and honestly, who cares? It’s their turn to deal with the fallout when they're the ones under the microscope next. As long as the hospital boards and insurance companies stay satisfied, they don't give a damn about you. If you end up taking them to court—assuming you even make it that far—they won't blink an eye.
Technically, someone could let you through under their own discretion, because let's be real: objectively speaking, nothing is going to happen to them, especially if you're younger or if we're talking about some minor infection so subtle that even basic clinical tests wouldn't catch the symptoms.

But fine, whatever. One day you guys are going to realize that you’ve built the exact kind of healthcare system you deserve. Constant complaining and finger-pointing only makes life harder for you in the long run, because when things get real, the whole process becomes a nightmare for the patient if the doctor is primarily focused on protecting their own skin.

vixen27:
I did some digging, and turns out this "CRP" thing wasn't on the standard list (at least not under that specific name). My aunts over at the lab mentioned it because they claim it’s a much more "precise indicator" than just checking your ESR, but since they don't run that test in-house, I ended up going to a private clinic. They actually took the time to look over my old records and compare them to these new results, then pointed me toward where I should get the rest done. It was an interesting contrast, too—the folks at the private clinic were perfectly pleasant, though they had that somewhat "coldly professional" vibe. My aunts were way more friendly and approachable. Of course, the private clinic is all shiny and new with everything organized to perfection—they clearly have higher volume and way more cash 😁
. Look, I wasn't expecting any definitive answers; I just wanted someone's opinion or a bit of clarification on what the numbers meant (because obviously, expecting a pinpoint diagnosis is totally unrealistic). You gave me exactly that, so thanks again for the help! 👍👍👍
When you consider how long I spent being completely clueless (from Friday afternoon through Monday morning—aka the weekend when nothing moves), every single response you sent provided some psychological relief, not just technical info 👍👍👍

Kate Collins67:
Oh, I get it. I know they're ultimately protecting themselves while trying to protect me, too. It just feels like walking into a company where the computers haven't been updated since the nineties and the employees are constantly bickering and refusing to talk to each other. In that scenario, I basically feel like a courier hired to deliver messages between departments—except this particular courier is personally invested in the content of the messages, and frankly, is a total klutz

northernviper12 said:.....
They just act like a company with computers that aren't even networked and employees who can't stand each other—so I end up acting like some delivery guy just carrying messages back and forth between them....

It’s not that they act like, they actually are a company with disconnected computers and a staff that's constantly at each other's throats.
Honestly, you don't even realize how much you hit the nail on the head with that one.

northernviper12 said:Jacob Fox6:
I did some digging and realized this "CRP" test wasn't actually on the list (at least not under that specific name), but my aunts back at the lab suggested I get it since it’s supposedly a much more "precise indicator" than just checking "sedimentation levels," though they don't run it there, so I ended up going to a private clinic instead. They even took a look at my old files to compare them with the new ones and pointed me in the right direction for the rest of my tests. It was interesting because while the private clinic staff were nice, they felt a bit "coldly professional," whereas the ladies at the lab were way more friendly... plus, everything at the private place is super modern and sleek, and the organization is just top-notch since they handle so much more volume and have way more cash 😁...
I wasn't looking for any definitive answers, just some insight or a little clarification on what the results meant (since I know asking for a real diagnosis is totally unrealistic), and I really appreciate you giving me exactly that! 👍👍👍
Considering how much I didn't know over the weekend (from Friday afternoon through Monday morning—basically when everything was closed anyway), every single thing you said helped me out mentally just as much as it did technically... 👍👍👍

Thanks. 🙂

Honestly, thinking about it later, I feel like in trying to answer your question, I might have gone a bit too deep when I probably shouldn't have, seeing as I'm just a student and not a doctor... so I'm really glad my response didn't cause any trouble. 🙂

Wishing you nothing but the best... 🙂

northernviper12 said:The title just reflects the blood test results.

Values outside the reference range:
WBC 10.9H (3.4-9.7)
Neutrophils 6.59H (2.06-6.49)
Eosinophils 0.60H (0.00-0.43)
Neutrophil percentage 60% (44-72)
ESR 22H (2-13)
Fibrinogen 4.3H (1.8-3.5)

Can someone explain what this means?
Thanks in advance!

From what I can tell, this CBC was flagged by the analyzer automatically, which makes it prone to errors and essentially useless data... WBC and ESR are slightly elevated, but it's negligible and doesn't mean anything regarding the op

Grace Smith said:Looking back on it, I realized that while I was trying to answer your question, I might have gone a bit too deep into the weeds. I probably overstepped my bounds a little, considering I’m just a student and definitely not a doctor. Honestly, I'm just relieved my response didn't cause any unnecessary drama or headaches. 🙂

I honestly don't get why you feel the need to recap your entire backstory after every single reply. You've already mentioned several times that you're a college student, and frankly, any sane person scrolling through this forum would have picked up on that by now. It’s getting a little repetitive, don't you think?

Grace Smith said:Once again, I’m sending nothing but good vibes and best wishes your way. Good luck! 🙂

Thanks, I'm definitely going to need it. Just 8.5 hours left until I actually check into the hospital. 🙏
I ended up pulling through in the end.

mellowraven32 said:From what I can tell, this CBC was automatically kicked out by the analyzer, which makes it super prone to errors. It’s basically useless data at this point. Sure, the white blood cell count and sedimentation rate are slightly elevated, but it's negligible—definitely not enough to serve as a contraindication for the op

I actually realized the same thing after a little while (and with a bit of outside perspective)
It honestly feels like doctors want those numbers to be higher just so they have an easier, more "certain" way to explain things to you. 😂

northernviper12 said:Thanks, I'm definitely gonna need it. Just gotta hang on for another 8.5 hours until I'm officially checked into the hospital🙏
(I actually made it through in the end)

I guess I just wanted to cover my bases in case anything went sideways... 🙂

Sending all the good vibes your way... 🙂

mellowraven32 said:From what I can tell, that DKC was just kicked out of the analyzer automatically, which means it’s basically a magnet for errors and doesn't actually mean anything useful at all... The white blood cell count and sedimentation rate are slightly elevated, but honestly, it's nothing to worry about and definitely isn't a reason to hold off on surgery...

I felt the exact same way when I wrote that... honestly, I just couldn't see any reason to push things back at all... luckily, everything worked out perfectly in the end... 🙂

The diagnosis is listed as: Varicocele left side, suspected.
Left testis under observation (pain)

It’s basically a varicocele on my testicles, so I was wondering if there's a doctor or anyone here who can actually make sense of these medical abbreviations.
I am so over specialists who just sit there in silence, nodding their heads, scribbling two or three lines of incomprehensible jargon on a notepad, and calling it a day...

Anonymous said:Diagnosis: Suspected left-side varicocele.
Left testis under observation (pain)

Basically, we're looking at a varicocele, and I'm trying to find a doctor—or just someone who actually knows how to read these medical abbreviations.
I am so sick of specialists who just sit there in silence, nodding their heads, scribbling two or three lines in some jargon nobody understands, and calling it a day...

suspected varicocele in the left testicle
left testicle being monitored due to pain

In short, it's an enlarged vein. You'll need regular check-ups, and if things progress, you might have to go under the knife...

Anonymous said:The diagnosis is: Varicocele left side, suspected.
Left testis under observation (pain)

It looks like I've got varicocele in my scrotum, so I was wondering if there are any doctors here or anyone who can actually make sense of these medical abbreviations.
I am so sick of specialists who just sit there in silence, nodding their heads, scribbling two or three lines in some incomprehensible medical jargon, and calling it a day...

Thanks so much!