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

Megan Ross36 said:Hi 👋

We are talking about a 3-year-old child.
Because of swollen lymph nodes and a high fever, a CBC and ALP were ordered, along with a test for infectious mononucleosis.
Mononucleosis was ruled out, but the lymph nodes remain visibly enlarged, and the ALP is 25% above the upper limit of the reference range.

After a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics, they were sent for follow-up testing of ALP, AST, ALT, GGT, CRP, and a CBC.

What is the goal of this kind of diagnostic workup?

Dear Enzo Ferrari,

The tests requested aren't specific; doctors order these kinds of panels every day for patients with various suspected illnesses or as part of routine checkups. Because of that, it isn't possible to pinpoint a specific target based solely on the information provided.

There are infectious disease specialists on this forum, including one user, Khan, so you might want to try reaching out to him via private message. Once you provide him with a more detailed history—what happened with your child, which specific tests were run, and what the results actually showed—he should be able to explain the different possibilities being considered.

Best regards, and I hope your child feels better soon. 🙂

Megan Ross36 said:These are my results. I pretty much understand the cholesterol part... but could someone tell me about the CRP, Sedimentation rate, and pH levels?

I have fatty liver, though my values from a year ago have dropped by half now, which is great.

Lab report copy/paste:
...

Dear silvertiger95,

CRP (C-reactive protein) and Sedimentation rate are non-specific markers of inflammation. "Non-specific" means that based on elevated levels alone, we can't determine what kind of inflammatory process is occurring or where it is located in the body.

The values in your report are only very mildly elevated. It might just be a trace of a minor infection you had when the blood was drawn (like a mild respiratory virus, for instance).

In any case, since these elevations are quite slight, I don't think you need to worry. It should be enough to simply coordinate with your doctor to repeat the tests after a short period—maybe two weeks—to see if the levels have returned to the normal range.

Urinary pH measures acidity; it typically sits around 6, with a standard range between 4.5 and 8.0. Essentially, urine is normally slightly acidic to slightly alkaline.

Your cholesterol and triglyceride levels still aren't where they need to be. Given the fatty liver you mentioned, these should ideally be lower, so you’ll need to consult with your physician to adjust your management plan.

Your liver enzymes are slightly elevated, but the fact that they are trending downward is definitely a good sign.

In short, the results show that your cholesterol and triglyceride levels are still off—you'll need to focus on driving those down further. Your liver enzymes are only slightly elevated, though the fact that they're trending downward is a positive sign. There are also some lingering indicators of mild inflammation.

Consult with your primary care physician.

Greetings. 🙂

Megan Ross36 said:...Can Clavulin really tank your white blood cell count that much when you're dealing with a virus and using fever reducers? Can someone else help me interpret this blood work?
How many days should pass before we recheck the little one's blood work? I was thinking maybe 3 or 4 days. Is that too soon?
She hasn't had a fever since yesterday. Just a very congested nose now.

Dear Anthony White8,

Leukopenia can show up alongside severe viral infections, and it’s also been noted as a rarer side effect of Clavulin. Essentially, a heavy virus could trigger this drop in white blood cells all on its own, and the Clavulin might have just added fuel to the fire.

Your daughter’s blood work—specifically that drop in white blood cell counts alongside the spike in lymphocytes—could suggest she's fighting off a more significant viral infection.

In any case, if the low white blood cell count is linked to a viral infection, you should expect those levels to stabilize within a few days of recovery. It is absolutely critical to monitor the results.

It’s certainly not too early to get a blood count checked. Not at all. Make sure you double-check everything. It's essential.

Best wishes to you and your daughter. 🙂

Hey everyone, I need some clarification on what this means:
Unsegmented DKS at 13 (high)
Segmented 66.
Lymphocytes at 16% (low).
Monocytes 4.
SE 61
Hemoglobin 136.
L 9.2
4.65
I think I've picked up some kind of viral infection; I’m feeling pretty rough. Head is throbbing, throat hurts, and I can't stop coughing...
Is it normal for lymphocyte counts to be low during that kind of inflammation? I read somewhere that low levels only happen when someone has HIV. 😲

I’m looking for some insight regarding my low platelet count. Mine came back at 144 (normal range is 158-424). My Sedimentation rate is 6; Glucose is 6.9; total cholesterol is 5.9; and LDL cholesterol is 3.9.
My AST, ALT, GGT, HDL cholesterol, and Triglycerides are all within the normal range.

I could really use some help interpreting these semen analysis results...😢

Abstinence for 3 days, volume 3 ml

Progressive motility: 19.05%
Total motility: 23.81%
Non-progressive motility: 9.52%
Immotile: 47.62%

Diagnosis: Asthenoteratozoospermia
Note: Morphology shows 71% of sperm have irregular shapes
-Head abnormalities: 61%
-Neck abnormalities: 28%
Tail abnormalities: 11%

Does this mean I'm going to have a massive uphill battle trying to conceive? Is this result actually as bad as it looks to me? 😢((((( My doctor told me it was relatively okay, but I can't help but worry...😢

Maria Fisher46 said:Hey Anthony White8,

Low white blood cell counts can pop up with nasty viral infections, and it's also listed as a rare side effect of Clavulin. So, a heavy-duty virus could cause that drop all on its own, and maybe the Clavulin just added fuel to the fire...

Your daughter's blood work—showing low white cells (leukopenia) alongside high lymphocytes (relative lymphocytosis)—could totally be a reaction to a rough viral bug.

Either way, if this is just from a virus, you’d expect those white cell levels to bounce back to normal within a few days of recovery. You absolutely have to get that checked again.

It is definitely not too early for a follow-up blood test! You seriously need to get it rechecked!

Best wishes to you and your daughter. 🙂

Thank you for the quick reply. I forgot to mention we also had the CRP tested back then, and it was (I assume negative, since there wasn't a number, just that it was under 8)... could a blood count like this point toward the flu? This week at daycare, out of a group of 25 little ones, only 8 showed up, so I'm guessing it's some kind of nasty virus🤷. We're going in for a blood check tomorrow. If it was a virus, should we expect the white cell counts to be back to normal since the last test on Monday
(which was also the last time she took Clavulin), or does it still need more time to process?

Charles Alvarez67 said:Hey everyone, could someone clarify this for me:
WBC unsegmented 13 (high)
segmented 66
lymphocytes 16 (low)
monocytes 4
SE 61
Hb 136
L 9.2
E 4.65
I think it might be some kind of viral infection; I’m not feeling great. Headache, sore throat, coughing...
Is it normal for lymphocytes to be low during an infection like this? I read somewhere that low lymphocytes only happen when you have HIV.?? 😲

Hello,

First off, it is WRONG to assume that low lymphocyte counts in the blood only occur with an HIV infection. If that were true, there would be no point in HIV testing because a diagnosis could be made immediately from a standard CBC based on lymphocyte levels—and we all know that isn't how it works, right?

In untreated HIV infections, there is a decrease in CD4+ T-lymphocytes, which is a specific subset of cells. You won't see those reflected in a routine blood count; they require specialized testing. So, there you have it—you were misinformed.

As for your blood work, what stands out most is a "left shift," meaning there is a higher number of immature neutrophils. This suggests your body is ramping up its defenses to fight off an infection.

A CRP test, which measures inflammation, could also help us determine more precisely what kind of infection we're dealing with.

You should consult with your primary care physician.

Best regards. 🙂

Charles Alvarez67 said:I'd like your opinion regarding my low platelet count. Mine is 144 (ref. range 158-424). Sedimentation rate 6; Blood Sugar 6.9; total cholesterol 5.9; LDL cholesterol 3.9.
AST, ALT, GGT, HDL cholesterol, and Triglycerides are all normal.

Dear Drew Roberts412,

Looking at the results you provided, the elevated blood sugar level is quite noticeable. Assuming you fasted for at least 8 hours before the draw, that value should ideally be under 6.0 mmol/l. You will definitely need to retest your glucose and follow any other testing recommended by your doctor.

Furthermore, your cholesterol levels are also mildly elevated, and I believe you should look into lowering them in coordination with your physician.

A slight drop in platelet count is often discovered incidentally during a routine blood count. Your values are only marginally outside the normal range. Unless you are experiencing symptoms related to bleeding issues—such as skin bruising from minimal trauma, easy or repetitive bruising, or frequent nosebleeds—the only necessary step is to repeat the test after a period of time to monitor the trend (whether they are rising or continuing to fall).

Please discuss all of this with your doctor.

Greetings. 🙂

Megan Ross36 said:I need some help interpreting a sperm analysis...😢
Diagnosis: Asthenoteratozoospermia.
Does this mean I’m in for a real struggle with my diet? Is this lab result actually as bad as it looks to me? 😢My doctor told me things are looking relatively good. 😢

To whom it may concern,

The diagnosis is asthenoteratozoospermia. Essentially, it means there's a reduction in both the number of progressively motile sperm and those with normal morphology.

One thing that bears emphasizing: evaluating male fertility requires analyzing more than just a single semen analysis.

You also need to schedule an appointment with a urologist. They’ll determine if you need microbiological testing—specifically for aerobes, anaerobes, Chlamydia, or Mycoplasma—and whether further andrological workup is required, such as a testicular ultrasound, testosterone levels, FSH, LH, and so on.

Since this isn't my area of expertise, I wouldn't dream of offering any estimates.

Your urologist will provide more specific details once they've had a chance to review these results, perform an exam, and determine the next steps for your treatment.

Greetings. 🙂

Megan Ross36 said:Thank you for the quick reply. I forgot to mention that we also ran a CRP test back then, and it came back low—I assume it was under 8 since there wasn't a specific number listed. Could a blood count like this point toward the flu? There were only 8 kids left out of a group of 25 at the daycare this week, so I suspect we're dealing with a particularly nasty virus going around.🤷Heading in for blood work tomorrow. If we're looking at a virus, should I expect any noticeable changes since Monday's labs?
Since the last time I took Clavulin, my white blood cell count returned to normal. Or does the process still need more time?

Dear Anthony White8,

That CRP result you mentioned only reinforces the suspicion that we're dealing with a viral infection. I won't speculate on the specific virus, though—based strictly on the individual parameters from the labs provided so far, pinpointing it isn't possible. That said, influenza is certainly on the table.

The main thing is that the child is feeling better, the fever has broken, and the signs of infection are fading. It’s only logical, then, to expect the blood work to follow suit—specifically, in this case, seeing that total white blood cell count start to climb back up. You usually see things normalize a few days after recovery sets in.

Greetings. 🙂

I am 29 years old, and I have been dealing with a slightly elevated temperature for nearly half a year now; meanwhile, for almost that same amount of time, I have been noticing blood in my stool—which my proctologist suspects is *not* just hemorrhoids—along with bloating, increasingly intense abdominal pain, and general digestive issues... though I haven't lost any weight.

Over the last few months, I have undergone various blood tests...

Results from about 4-5 months ago:
LDH = 128 (ref. range 110-241)
Total protein = 73 (60-80)
A/G = 1.5 (0.80-2.00)
FSH = 3.4 IU/L (within ref. range - everyone says it looks fine)
LH = 3.4 IU/L (within ref. range - everyone says it looks fine)
Prolactin = 533 mlU/L (81-597)

Results from 2 days ago:
WBC = 4.9 (ref. range 3.4-9.7)
CBC
LIM% = 54.4% (20.0-46.0)
MON% = 5.9% (2.0-19.0)
GRA% = 39.7% (44.0-72.0)
RBC = 4.48 (3.86-5.08)
Hb = 137 (119-157)
Hematocrit = 0-404 (0.356-0.470)
MCV = 90.0 (83.0-97.2)
MCH = 30.5 (27.4-33.9)
MCHC = 339 (320-345)
RDW = 16.7 (9.0-15.0)
Sedimentation rate = 6 (4-24)
Platelet count = 340 (158-424)
PT
Prothrombin time = 1 ( Anticoagulation therapy
INR = 1.0 (2.0-3.5)
Iron = 27.4 (8.0-30.0)
CRP = 0.3 (
Urine:
DIPSTICK
All values 0/neg (ref. 0/neg)
SEDIMENT in Urine
WBC: 1-2
Squamous epithelial cells: 0-2

Stool analysis:
Occult blood = negative

My primary care physician suspects Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but the proctologist is pushing me toward a colonoscopy because of the specific symptoms I'm experiencing... is there anyone here with medical expertise who could tell me if a more serious illness (given how much these problems have been worrying me over these past few months) would actually show up on a standard blood panel?

Can anything concrete even be concluded from these results? Are there other tests I should consider doing first, or is a colonoscopy simply unavoidable at this point?

Thank you.

🙂

Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. Honestly, looking back at my childhood, Quote: Felix the Cat was always my absolute favorite comic strip. Sorry if I’m totally veering off track here.

Hey everyone. Does anyone actually understand how to read a PET CT scan? Maybe someone could explain these results to me. Thank you so much.

Maria Fisher46 said:Hey Anthony White8,

That CRP result you mentioned just points more toward a viral infection. I'm not gonna guess which specific virus it is because, honestly, looking at just these few numbers, there's no way to be sure... but yeah, the flu is definitely on the table.

The main thing is that the kid is feeling better, the fever broke, and those signs of infection are fading. So, it's totally expected that the blood work starts looking better too—specifically, seeing that total white blood cell count go back up. Usually, things normalize a few days after they start recovering.

Best, 🙂

so we checked the blood today. WBC is at 4.5 now (after three days)🙂....

ruggedpilot16 said:29 years old. Running a low-grade fever for nearly six months now. Around that same timeframe, I’ve been noticing blood in my stool—my proctologist thinks it’s likely not just hemorrhoids. On top of that, there’s bloating, increasingly intense abdominal pain, and digestive issues. No weight loss to report.

Over the last few months, I’ve been running various blood tests...

(...)
My primary care physician suspects Irritable Bowel Syndrome, but my proctologist is pushing for a colonoscopy due to the symptoms I've been dealing with. Does anyone with actual medical expertise know if a more serious condition would show up on a standard blood test within the next few months while I wait to address these concerns?

Can anything concrete actually be concluded from these results? Is there any other test I should consider first, or am I at the point where I really need to face a colonoscopy?

Thank you.

🙂

Dear ruggedpilot16,

GI bleeding—specifically seeing blood in your stool—isn't a typical symptom. It doesn't fit the clinical picture of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Standard routine lab results aren't enough here. Given the recurring blood in the stool, they don't provide sufficient evidence to rule out an underlying organic disease.

Clearly, we're looking at symptoms that demand a specialist's eye and a thorough workup. If you find yourself second-guessing the proposed diagnostic plan, go find a second opinion from a gastroenterologist.

If I were dealing with symptoms like those, I’d grit my teeth and just go ahead with the colonoscopy. That’s just my take, though—you should definitely consult with your own doctors.

Greetings. 🙂

Drew Roberts412 said:Thank you for the quick response. On a side note—and I apologize for the tangent—back when I was a kid, Quote: Felix the Cat was my favorite comic strip.

It’s good to hear from you, Nicholas Myers. Quote: Felix the Cat It took me back to my childhood, if only for a moment. Take care out there. Wishing you all the best. Regards. 🙂

fadedtrucker5 said:Hey everyone. Does anyone here have experience interpreting a PET CT scan? Could someone help me make sense of these results? Thank you.

Try reaching out to the forum member. wanderingcobra76Maybe reach out to her—she’s a radiologist, so she might actually be able to help you make sense of this. Best regards. 🙂

Megan Ross36 said:So, we had the bloodwork done today. After three days, the white blood cell count is at 4.5🙂....

It’s good to see those white blood cell levels slowly returning to the normal range. Thanks for the update. Wishing you and your daughter all the best. Best regards. 🙂

Thank you for getting back to me. To be honest, what’s really weighing on my mind—and frankly keeping me up at night—is the fact that blood in the stool is so frequently linked to colon cancer, yet on the other hand, I have this deep-seated dread regarding the whole colonoscopy process. 🤷

rustyheron17 said:I'm dealing with frequent urination and a really unpleasant odor—it's been a struggle. I’ve gone through the whole gauntlet of tests: urine, bloodwork, ultrasounds, swabs, and even an ejaculate analysis. They found a bacterium in my sample, so I took Zithromax, and while my follow-up tests came back negative, the symptoms just won't quit. Now, my urologist has me on Propecia for a month. He mentioned I should start feeling better in about ten days, but if things don't improve, I have to wait another two months before seeing him again. I’ve been on it for eleven days now and honestly, nothing has changed—if anything, it feels like the symptoms have actually flared up, much like they did when I was taking the Zithromax. Maybe I should just be patient and wait out the full month, but I'm struggling here; this has been dragging on forever and I'm desperate to get rid of it. Does anyone have any ideas or advice? I'm even seriously considering bioenergy treatments—I've always been open to that kind of thing, especially since I see so many other people suffering through these exact same issues without any luck.

So... for anyone who might be dealing with similar issues—Propecia didn't do much for me, but I went to see a bioenergy healer instead. After just four days of therapy (each session only lasts a few minutes), I'm all healed up.🙏 🙏🙏

It looks like a lot of people are dealing with similar issues and getting dragged through it for years—which would probably be the case for me, too. People spend months poisoning themselves with antibiotics only to end up with nothing to show for it... personally, I healed myself with bioenergy in just a few days. Maybe that’s because the root cause wasn't a standard medical one—doctors couldn't really pinpoint a specific illness or prescribe the right treatment—since the whole thing was triggered (looking back, the pieces have finally fallen into place) by a relatively short period of intense stress.

Bioenergy.👍👍👍

🙂

Maria Fisher46 said:Maybe try reaching out to wanderingcobra76, she's a radiologist... might be able to help. I guess. Regards. 🙂

Thank you so much 🙏

I had to go get a chest X-ray, and the report says I have some bronchopneumonic infiltration on the left side of my lung. Is that... I don't know, is that dangerous? 😢
It hurts so much whenever I cough.

I finally got my allergy testing results back; my pulmonologist sent me over to the local Health Department to get those specific tests done.
So, here is what I ended up with:

IgE 343 H
RAST g 6 (Timothy grass) concentration 98.0 H
class +5 H
RAST w 6 (Mugwort) concentration 3.40 H
class +2 H
RAST t 3 (Birch) concentration 1.75 H
class +2 H
RAST w 1 (Ragweed) concentration 4.26 H
class +3 H

I am assuming the "H" stands for high, because looking at these, everything seems to be way outside the normal range, quite significantly too. It looks like I’m incredibly allergic to several things, though I must admit I don't fully grasp the technical nuances of what these numbers actually imply for my day-to-day life 😕 and to make matters slightly more frustrating, my follow-up appointment at the hospital isn't scheduled for another two weeks.

Hi there!

Maybe someone could help me make sense of these results? I haven't really encountered anything quite like this before...

Throughout my life, I've struggled with anemia quite often. My red blood cell counts would be low, my Hemoglobin was usually low, and my ferritin was either low or just barely hovering at the limit. Usually, I'd just take some Feosol for a few months and call it a day.

During my pregnancy, I was taking two tablets a day—since my initial tests showed that same old anemia—along with a prenatal vitamin. Even then, my levels were right on the edge before delivery, and actually, after giving birth, I had to receive a blood transfusion because I kept passing out.

After the baby was born, I stayed on the Feosol for a while. Three months postpartum, I had more blood work done and everything looked fine, so I stopped the iron supplements (E 4.2, hemoglobin 130, iron 15.4, UIBC 40.1, TIBC 55.5)

But recently, I've started feeling pretty lousy. I feel weak, dizzy, and just generally exhausted. So, I went ahead and got my blood drawn again this morning to see what's going on (my baby is 13 months old now, so I definitely haven't taken any iron for about 10 months) and here are the results:

red blood cells 4.29
hemoglobin 131
ferritin 19

but on the other hand,

iron 30.2 (normal range is 8-30)
UIBC 10 L (26-59)
TIBC 40 L (49-75)

What does it mean when the iron is elevated like this while the UIBC and TIBC are both low?

Thank you !!!!

Could someone please help me make sense of these results? I had a Holter monitor done about a week ago and just received the report today, which reads as follows:

Holter ECG: A heart rate was continuously recorded with an average of 65 bpm, a minimum of 39 bpm, and a maximum of 142 bpm. A-V conduction is normal, though there is some conduction delay in the right bundle branch. No significant changes in final oscillations were noted. Ventricular heterotopy is represented by 1 PVC, and supraventricular heterotopy by 1 SVC...

Thank you...

Can someone make sense of these labs? I'm losing my mind... about a month and a half ago, I started running a fever... just felt like something was coming on. My back was aching and everything, nothing unusual... I took Aspirin and Tylenol for 5 or 6 days, but the fever wouldn't budge, hovering around 99.3 or 99.4. Ten days later, I went in for blood work and my platelet count was high at 462 (limit 424), white blood cell count was 11.0 (limit 9.7), eosinophils were 0.67 (limit 0.43), basophils 0.14 (limit 0.06), monocytes 1.39 (limit 0.84), and CRP was 51.7 (limit 5). They suspected mono, and the tests showed Epstein-Barr Virus IgM negative, IgG 94-positive; the doctor said I must have had mono in the past, but doesn't think it's what's happening now. Ten days after that, I did more blood work—white cells rose to 11.4, eosinophils 0.66, basophils 0.11, monocytes 1.31, and CRP was 32.4. My lung scan was clear, stool test for parasites was fine, urine was fine... then I saw a hematologist for a blood smear. That showed platelets ++, eosinophils 1, basophils 1, segmented neutrophils 67, lymphocytes 23, monocytes 3, plasma cells 1, reactive lymphocytes 4... they sent me to an immunologist... currently waiting for that appointment. My latest labs from the 24th show platelets are back to normal, but my Platelet count is low at 6.5 (range 6.8-10.4)... white cells are still slightly elevated at 10.4, though they dropped a bit... monocytes are normal, CRP dropped to 5.4, neutrophils are up at 6.86 (limit 6.49)... eosinophils 0.68 and basophils 0.09. But now my creatinine has dropped to 47 (lower limit 49), and my liver enzymes have spiked—they were fine before, AST 39 (limit 30), ALT 44 (limit 36). I tested ACE, serum calcium, and 24-hour urine, all okay... but I still have this temperature that stays under 98.6 in the morning and late at night, but hits 99 near the afternoon. Three weeks ago, I got erythema nodosum bumps on my shins and was prescribed liquid potassium iodide... those are better now, no more swelling, just some blue spots left. I don't know why my liver is acting up now; could it be the potassium iodide since my liver was normal before taking it? I was on birth control, but stopped 15 days ago and my cycle is back to normal. I've never been sick a day in my life... I get regular checkups, last gynecologist visit was 5 months ago and everything was perfect. I'm scared... I have no idea what's going on... and I didn't even have a sore throat or anything when this all started a month and a half ago.