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

Sam Hall15 · 2008-11-07T19:15:08+00:00

An elevated GGT level can sometimes indicate nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which involves more pronounced fatty changes in the liver. Potassium levels need to …

brisknomad6 Active Member

222 messages
joined Nov 2012

#1081 · Dec 6, 2010

Hey experts 🙂

So, I went to do a plasma donation last week and my platelet count came back at 414 🙂

I mean, I’m obviously stoked that I’m such a great donor (even if my hemoglobin is way too low right now to give whole blood), but I’m also kind of freaking out a little because I read that high numbers can be linked to thrombosis issues.

Back when I had my last labs done (about 9 months ago), they were sitting at 380.

Thanks

Kate Rogers64 Newcomer

1 message
joined Dec 2010

#1082 · Dec 6, 2010

So, I’ve got this sore throat that feels like there’s actual pus in it, and honestly, swallowing has been pretty painful lately. On top of that, my doctor noticed one of my lymph nodes is a bit swollen, so she prescribed some Augmentin—she's suspecting it might be bacterial tonsillitis. But, just to be safe and cover all our bases, we decided to run some blood work and check my LDH levels to see if we might be looking at mononucleosis instead. My complete blood count actually came back totally normal, which is a relief, but my LDH was sitting at 271, even though the standard range here is usually between 124 and 224. Oh, I totally forgot to mention that I haven't actually run a fever or anything, but my bones are aching like crazy and I've got this nagging little cough. Has anyone else ever dealt with something like this?

Benjamin Nelson8 Active Member

146 messages
joined Aug 2006

#1083 · Dec 6, 2010

What does MPV actually mean in a CBC? Does it even matter if it's slightly elevated? My doctor didn't say a single word about it.
Everything else came back normal...

Nicholas Myers Active Member

163 messages
joined Jan 2012

#1084 · Dec 6, 2010

brisknomad6 said:Hey experts. 🙂

I went to the lab for some blood work last week. My platelet count came back at 414. 🙂

As much as I appreciate being an exceptional donor—even if my hemoglobin is currently too low for a full donation—I can't help but feel a bit uneasy about how high counts are linked to thrombosis.

On my last lab results from nine months ago, it was 380.

Thanks.

Platelet counts are within the normal range, so there's no elevated risk of thrombosis here.

Plateau levels for platelets shift constantly based on various factors. It’s hardly unusual. Following an infection—say, a nasty case of strep throat—your platelet count can spike temporarily, even while you're recovering. Other triggers include stress, physical strain, or hormonal shifts in women leading up to menstruation. You also see elevations due to iron-deficiency anemia, significant blood loss, and similar physiological stressors. It's just how the body reacts.

Look, like I already pointed out, your results are perfectly fine. I only brought up that other example to illustrate a point: platelet counts aren't some static, frozen number. They have their own ebb and flow, much like any other parameter in a complete blood count.

Greetings. 🙂

brisknomad6 said:I've got an ingrown toenail that’s oozing pus, and swallowing is becoming a bit painful. I also noticed a slightly swollen lymph node. My doctor prescribed Silapen—suspecting bacterial tonsillitis—but I had some bloodwork done, specifically checking my LDH levels to rule out mononucleosis. My CBC came back normal, but my LDH is sitting at 271, while the standard range is 124–224. I forgot to mention I don't have a fever, but my bones ache and I've got a slight cough. Has anyone dealt with something similar?

What you’re describing doesn't fit the standard clinical picture for strep throat or infectious mononucleosis. It’s true that about 90% of patients with mono show elevated LDH levels, but if that’s the only outlier in your labs, it isn't enough to clinch a diagnosis. You'll need to circle back to your family doctor for a follow-up and run some additional tests to figure out what's actually going on.

Hello. 😉

brisknomad6 said:
What does MPV represent in a CBC? Does it actually mean anything if it's slightly elevated? My doctor didn't even mention it.
All my other values are normal...

MPV stands for mean platelet volume—basically the average size of your platelets. You have to look at it in relation to your total platelet count to get the full picture. If you're just seeing a minor deviation in MPV while the rest of your CBC looks solid, I’d consider it a normal result. It's likely why your physician didn't flag it.

Best regards. 🙂

brisknomad6 Active Member

222 messages
joined Nov 2012

#1085 · Dec 6, 2010

So, you're saying fatigue and low iron could actually be what pushed my platelet count up? I guess that makes sense... 🙂

Thanks so much for getting back to me! 🙂

Benjamin Nelson8 Active Member

146 messages
joined Aug 2006

#1086 · Dec 8, 2010

Maria Fisher46 said:MPV stands for mean platelet volume, which essentially refers to the average size of your platelets. It’s always interpreted in relation to your total platelet count. If you're just looking at a slight deviation in the MPV while the rest of your blood work looks perfectly normal, I’d consider that a clean bill of health—nothing worth sweating over, and I doubt your doctor would pay it any mind either.

Best regards. 🙂

Thanks so much!
🙂

Michael Sanders54 Newcomer

7 messages
joined Nov 2009

#1087 · Dec 8, 2010

My results say:
"The received material consists of four small tissue fragments, approximately 2mm in diameter, representing histological sections of gastric mucosa covered by cylindrical epithelium. Within the lamina propria near the glands, which partially show reactive changes, there is moderate infiltration of mononuclear cells.
Giemsa staining did not detect Helicobacter pylori colonization in this sample."
I get that the H. pylori isn't there, but what about that first part? Can anyone help me make sense of this?
Thanks!

Benjamin Hall22 Newcomer

2 messages
joined Dec 2010

#1088 · Dec 8, 2010

Hey there...
So I was admitted to the hospital on November 2nd (finally got discharged on the 27th) because my fever was hitting crazy highs—like 105 degrees—accompanied by these brutal hour-long chills and constant coughing. They tried everything, Voltaren, Ibuprofen, you name it, but nothing touched the fever... it just wouldn't budge. Then they switched me over to 64mg of Medrol, and suddenly, everything stopped, and I was fine for the next two weeks. Now they’re tapering me down to 16mg. They ran basically every test imaginable to rule things out—X-rays, heart ultrasounds, abdominal scans, checking lymph nodes, even had my thyroid checked at a specialist clinic in Chicago, plus a colonoscopy, EKG, CT scans of my brain, abdomen, and chest, and even a liver biopsy which showed some damage (looks like toxic poisoning)... My liver enzymes like ALT, GGT, and CRP are still elevated, though they're finally starting to trend down from the last check. What I'm really stuck on are these immunology results; everything was negative when I first came in, but the labs from November 23rd show:
ANA -neg
ANTI DS DNA-15
ENA-borderline
ANCA-positive
ANTINUCLEOSOM-61

My doctor went over them with me during my follow-up today and says everything points toward an AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE, so now I have to go back to the rheumatology department for more monitoring
.
WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK ABOUT THIS?! How is it even possible for those antibodies to pop up so fast... the tests were totally negative while I was still running that massive fever...🤷

Patrick Brown3 Member

19 messages
joined Aug 2008

#1089 · Dec 9, 2010

Hi everyone.

I am looking for some insight regarding these lab results.

It concerns my husband, age 32.
A month ago, he saw his doctor for a sore throat. He was prescribed two different courses of antibiotics; the most recent one was a three-dose regimen, though I don't believe it was Sumamed.
While the throat pain has subsided, he is still dealing with coughing fits and producing thick white mucus.
Following his third visit, the physician ordered blood work, a urinalysis, a chest X-ray, and swabs for the throat and nose.
We have only received the blood panel so far. I would appreciate your thoughts.

His enzyme levels are elevated:
ALT 51 (ref: 12-48)
GGt 69 (ref: 11-55)

Regarding electrolytes, he is low:
Sodium 136 (ref: 137-146)

Additionally, his triglycerides are high at 2.3 (should be under 1.7).
😉 Thank you in advance for your input.

Chris Kim7 Active Member

56 messages
joined Jul 2013

#1090 · Dec 19, 2010

Hey everyone. Every single fall and winter my immune system just falls apart... I catch every bug going around, and even a basic cold turns into something serious that takes forever to shake off. I’ve tried basically every supplement under the sun to boost it, but nothing actually works. To make matters worse, I’ve been on so many antibiotics lately that my body seems to have built up a resistance and they barely touch anything anymore... Anyway, I found a private clinic that does immunological testing (IgA, IgG, IgM, IgE, antistreptolysin titer). I decided to pay out of pocket because I am completely done dealing with the hospital system and they won't even give me a referral...I just finished a round of antibiotics, so I was wondering how much time needs to pass after finishing them before I can get these tests done so the results are actually accurate? I mean, do antibiotics even mess with these specific levels? Please help! The staff at the clinic seemed pretty unsure about this, so if there's anyone here with actual expertise who can weigh in, I'd really appreciate it... Thanks in advance!🙏

melloworca6 Regular

551 messages
joined May 2010

#1091 · Dec 19, 2010

As for immunoglobulins (IgE, IgG...), I don't think antibiotics have much of an impact there. However, they definitely mess with the AST-O (antistreptolysin titer), so she really ought to wait at least two weeks after finishing her antibiotic course before getting that tested.

Chris Kim7 Active Member

56 messages
joined Jul 2013

#1092 · Dec 19, 2010

melloworca6 said:Regarding immunoglobulins (IgE, IgG...), I don't think antibiotics make much of a difference, but they definitely mess with ASTO (antistreptolysin O) titers, so she should probably wait at least two weeks after finishing the antibiotics before getting that checked.

Thanks for the info! I guess I'll just wait then... If anyone else here has dealt with a weakened immune system or run these same tests, please reach out. One of the most annoying things is this lingering low-grade fever (around 99.5–99.7°F) that just won't quit even after the illness seems to pass... Let me know if you found anything that actually worked. Seriously, speak up, because most doctors just shrug their shoulders when they don't have a real answer, other than the usual "drink more tea, lemon, and honey" nonsense...

Terry Ramos7 Newcomer

1 message
joined Jul 2011

#1093 · Dec 20, 2010

Terry Ramos7. Does anyone happen to have any insight on this?

Terry Ramos7 Newcomer

1 message
joined Jul 2011

#1094 · Dec 20, 2010

Hello everyone. I am 40 years old. I just finished up some lab work.
My MCV came back at 105—the standard range is usually 83.0–97.2.
My MCH is 34.4, while the normal level is 27.4–33.9.
GGT is sitting at 105, which is quite high compared to the typical 11–55 range.
To make matters more stressful, my Ca 19-9 tumor marker hit 66.7—well above the normal 33 limit. Because of this, I've already been scheduled for an MSCT scan.
I am incredibly worried—honestly, I haven't even been able to sleep! If anyone here has dealt with something similar, or if you have any insight at all, please reach out. Is it possible for these numbers to return to a normal state? Please, I would truly appreciate any help you can offer. Thank you.

dustymarlin10 Active Member

238 messages
joined Nov 2015

#1095 · Dec 20, 2010

Google is your best friend, isn't it?

Copy-paste from WebMD:

"CA 19-9
CA 19-9 is a monoclonal antibody used to detect monosialoganglioside, which is often found in patients with digestive tract cancers.
Levels are elevated in about 20-40% of patients with stomach cancer, 20-40% of those with colorectal cancer, and a massive 70-93% of those with pancreatic cancer. In pancreatic cases, higher numbers might suggest a more advanced stage. However, don't panic just yet—benign issues like gallstones, pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, or gallbladder inflammation can also cause CA 19-9 levels to spike."

http://www.webmd.com/cancer/tumor-markers.htm

The bottom line here is that markers alone aren't some magic crystal ball for diagnosing cancer.
Just sit tight and wait for the actual lab results—trying to diagnose yourself via the internet is neither reliable nor particularly smart.

Terry Ramos7 Newcomer

1 message
joined Jul 2011

#1096 · Dec 20, 2010

Dustymarlin10, thanks so much!

mistymaker8 Newcomer

4 messages
joined Feb 2011

#1097 · Dec 21, 2010

Hey there!
This might sound like a silly question and maybe it’s not quite the right spot for it, but I was wondering—if I have GERD, gastritis, or some other stomach issue (I've got a gastroscopy scheduled for next month), would that actually show up on blood work? Like, would things like elevated leukocytes or CRP be affected?
Thanks! ! !

George Clark19 Member

35 messages
joined Jan 2007

#1098 · Dec 21, 2010

So, my CRP—that's C-reactive protein, for those who don't speak doctor—is sitting at 9.6 mg/L, while the "normal" range is supposed to be anything under 5 mg/L. My doctor is basically looking at me like, "Yeah, you've got some inflammation going on." And I'm just sitting here thinking... do I really? I mean, my nose is running like a faucet, and there's this weird phlegm stuck in my throat, but my throat doesn't actually feel inflamed or anything. I haven't even been prescribed antibiotics yet, which is confusing me because my leukocyte count is totally normal.

What am I even looking at here?

Nicholas Myers Active Member

163 messages
joined Jan 2012

#1099 · Dec 21, 2010

Sophia Adams63 said:Hi!
Maybe this sounds silly and isn't quite the right place for it, but I'm wondering if things like GERD, gastritis, or some other stomach issue would show up on blood work? Like, would you see elevated leukocytes or CRP, or what?
Thanks!!!

Generally speaking, when dealing with issues like gastritis or GERD, we don't expect to see changes in a standard blood count. However, if there's bleeding involved—say, from an ulcer or erosive gastritis—you might see anemia. Certain types of gastritis, such as atrophic gastritis, can also lead to anemia findings in the blood work.

Sophia Adams63 said:My CRP (C-reactive protein) is 9.6 mg/L, while the normal range goes up to 5 mg/L. My doctor says it indicates inflammation. It makes sense because my nose is running and there's mucus in my throat, even though my throat doesn't feel inflamed. I haven't been prescribed antibiotics yet, but I'm confused because my leukocyte count is perfectly normal.

What does that mean?

Think of CRP as an early warning system for inflammation. It’s more sensitive than leukocytes; it tends to rise faster, usually about 2–3 days before the white blood cell count starts to climb. Because of that, seeing an elevated CRP while the leukocytes remain steady isn't unusual at all.

mistymaker8 Newcomer

4 messages
joined Feb 2011

#1100 · Dec 21, 2010

Nicholas Myers;30671969 said:When you're dealing with stuff like gastritis or GERD, we don't typically expect to see changes in your blood work. However, if there's bleeding involved—like with an ulcer or erosive gastritis—you might show up with anemia. Certain types of gastritis, such as atrophic gastritis, can also cause anemia to show up in your labs.

Thanks for the info. To give some context, I mentioned earlier that I "accidentally" ended up with a case of strep throat, and I've already burned through several rounds of antibiotics for it. But my throat is still bright red, and now my doctor thinks it might actually be coming from my stomach. That could make sense given the brutal heartburn and acid reflux I've been dealing with. Honestly, I ended up in the ER because of this sharp, stabbing pain under my right ribcage and up toward my shoulder—I actually thought it was my heart. My heart tests came back totally clear, but my labs showed elevated leukocytes, CRP, and GGT, along with low ferritin, MCV, and MCH. My iron is right at the bottom limit, so basically, it's anemia.

I'm wondering, if there is an ulcer and it’s flared up or ruptured, what kind of symptoms should I be looking for? I don't have a fever, I haven't vomited, and my stool looks normal.
Right now, all I'm feeling is that stabbing sensation near my liver and also on my left side. This started happening after I switched to Silapen 1500 following the Amoxicillin. On my ultrasound, they noted diffuse lesions on the liver (I can't quite make out the exact wording).😢 Also, I've put on quite a bit of weight pretty suddenly.

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

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