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

I’ve got gallstones, and I had this blood work done because I'm using AVISTA for osteoporosis.

The rest of the panel looks like this:
Hematology:
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WBC = 4.5
RBC = 4.3
Hemoglobin = 119
Hematocrit = 0.36
MCV = 82 L
MCH = 27 L
MCHC = 333
RDW = 14.1
Platelets = 209
ESR = 7

Coagulation Panel:
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Prothrombin Time = 99
INR = 0.98

Metabolites and Support:
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Total Bilirubin = 8.5
Creatinine = 63

Lipid Panel:
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Cholesterol = 4.9
Triglycerides = 1.11

I believe this was just an incidental finding, so there’s really nothing to worry about. We can simply re-run the tests in a month unless any other symptoms pop up, which seems unlikely. Don't stress; everything else looks perfectly fine. If the follow-up ultrasound comes back clear, it will confirm that this was just a fluke... at which point we'll just repeat the blood work in a month.

Thanks so much for the response; things feel a lot more settled now.
🙂

My creatinine came back at 60, even though the normal range is 63-107
GGT is 7 (should be 9-35)
ALP is 63 (64-153)

PT (Prothrombin Time) is 37 (26-36)
PT ratio is 1.27 (0.8-1.2)

As for my urine test, the protein levels are a total nightmare. Protein is sitting at 1.0.
Red blood cells are 1-2 (the reference interval says 0-2), and white blood cells are 1-2 (0-3). I think it says there's plenty of epithelial cells and bacteria too.

Can anyone actually make sense of this crap? 😳

Since the results indicate a high presence of bacteria and epithelial cells, a urine culture seems necessary... the blood work appears normal enough.

Could this be linked to the fact that I started feeling that scratchy throat and cough later that same night?
What kind of illnesses or organ issues could these results actually point to? There's way too much stuff listed here to even begin naming them all.

Back again, but for a different set of results. I had bloodwork done for HIV and a few other things, and here’s what came back. My doctor didn't explain a single thing to me—I have no clue what any of this means... so if someone could please break this down ASAP, I'd appreciate it because I'm stressing out.

IMMUNO-ENZYME TEST
Toxoplasma gondii............ IgM .....negative
IgG .....0 IU/ml
Reference values for IgG: <4 negative
>4.. blah blah = just what does negative mean? And this toxoplasma thing—what even is that?

HIV 1 and 2 antibodies.... negative
Cytomegalovirus.... IgM... negative
IgG... 1:883 positive
Epstein-Barr virus.... IgM... negative
IgG... 184 units/ml positive

I know what HIV is, but what's CMV... and Epstein? And why is the IgM negative but the IgG shows up as positive? What does that actually signify? Is this all normal?

Sophia Moore28 said:Back again, but with different results this time. I got bloodwork done for HIV and some other stuff, and here’s what I got back. My doctor didn't explain a single thing, and I have zero clue what any of this means... so if someone could please break this down ASAP, I'm freaking out.

IMMUNO-ENZYME TEST
Toxoplasma gondii............ IgM .....negative
IgG .....0 IU/ml
Reference values for IgG: <4 negative
>4.. blah blah = what does that mean? Negative is negative, but what is this toxoplasma thing anyway?

HIV 1 and 2 antibodies.... negative
Cytomegalovirus.... IgM... negative
IgG... 1:883 positive
Epstein-Barr virus.... IgM... negative
IgG... 184 units/ml positive

I know what HIV is, but what's cyto... and epstein? And why does it say negative for IgM first, then positive for IgG lower down? What's the deal with that? Is this result okay?

Both Epstein-Barr and cytomegalovirus are viruses that most people carry around. You basically just "pick them up" at some point in life, and in the vast majority of cases, they don't cause any issues at all. Sometimes they show up as mono, or very rarely as transient hepatitis, and they can play a role in fetal development, but that's a whole different conversation. Having a positive IgG antibody titer just proves you came into contact with these viruses at some point in your life and were "exposed"—meaning you've got them living in you, likely without even knowing it. More importantly, they tend to hang out in your system for a long time, lying dormant without causing health problems. IgM antibodies are what show an acute, recent infection, which clearly isn't the case here.
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite—a microorganism that can be dangerous for women because it might cause issues for a baby during pregnancy. In adults, an acute infection can look like anything from fatigue and headaches to muscle and joint pain, sometimes a rash, or even an enlarged liver, spleen, or swollen lymph nodes (especially in the neck). Those same viruses mentioned above can also cause those symptoms. Based on these tests, I'm guessing you had your lymph nodes checked out.
Bottom line: these results don't show an active, acute infection. Like most people, you've just been exposed to these two viruses before.

Thanks for the lightning-fast reply!!! You’ve been a massive help!! 🙏 🙏
It was actually about swollen lymph nodes—so, back to the endless hunt for a cause, ugh... 👎 But thanks a million, 🙏 👍

Sophia Moore28 said:Thanks so much for the quick reply!!! You really helped me out!! 🙏 🙏
It was actually about swollen lymph nodes. So, back to the drawing board to find the cause, ugh... 👎 but thanks a million 🙏 👍

No worries at all. Good luck with everything...

So, basically, those tests were for my gynecologist. My Pap smear came back showing some pretty bad inflammation. Do you think this urine situation is just because of that inflammation, or should I hit up my primary care doctor for a referral for a urine culture?

Hey everyone (actually, let's make that ladies!),
I really need some advice here!
So, I’ve done three urine ABGs now—and EVERY SINGLE TIME, the results come back flagged as "contaminated" or "non-sterile." It might not be that surprising if I hadn't been going to LeBron James' clinic in New York City for the last two—they gave me incredibly detailed instructions which I followed to a T. I wash my hands thoroughly (they provide disinfectant soap), head into the restroom, and the nurse provides two separate wipes. One wipe is soaked in disinfectant, the other is just a standard wipe with a lid. So, I take the first wipe, clean myself from front to back, and toss it. Then I grab the second wipe and repeat the process. Next, I take the specimen cup with its lid, carefully pop it open, catch the mid-stream urine—discarding the first bit—collect the rest in the cup, and snap the lid shut. I place it on the tray, knock on the little window, and the nurse takes it away. Simple, right?
What I just don't get is HOW IT CAN CONSTANTLY BE A "CONTAMINATED SAMPLE"??? I won't even get into the terminology—I was terrified at first.
WHERE AM I GOING WRONG??? And honestly, where could I possibly be messing up??? The first time, I brought a container from home, so fine... but the last two times???
The reason I'm doing this is because I have some red blood cells and white blood cells in my urine, plus some bacteria showing up in a standard sediment test—is it possible there's so much of it that they're labeling it a "contaminated sample"?

Please help!

Thanks!

Honestly, that strikes me as weird too.😕

Are you using any kind of intimate hygiene gels? Because nothing else really jumps out at me. Your best bet might be to just take it somewhere else for a second opinion and get another analysis.

Not a thing! There’s plenty of water available... though, if I were actually going to drink it, I suppose I'd need some disinfectant to kill off whatever is lurking in there first.
I’m currently drinking Pete Rose, but I guess they’d let me know if that was an issue...
It is honestly quite frustrating!!!

I have a referral for a urinalysis at the local public health clinic (first morning void, midstream), and I’m trying to figure out if I can drop it off on Monday morning if I collect the sample on Sunday morning. That would make the urine about 24 hours old. My plan is to keep it refrigerated for those roughly 20 hours. I’m asking because I have to head out of town on Sunday evening, and since this needs to be handled urgently, I wanted to see if one of my family members could drop it off for me on Monday morning. Is a sample that old still valid for testing? Thanks.

I'm not entirely sure what else to tell you, but I don't think that's going to work... My understanding is that urine can only be out of the house for about an hour max. That’s what they always tell me when I bring samples into the clinic, since I can't exactly find a restroom there and have to bring it from home.

Honestly, you’d be much better off grabbing them fresh... if you can manage that after your trip—they tend to go fast anyway. — Incidentally, there’s a note posted right on the wall in the lab stating that they shouldn't sit out at room temperature for more than two hours; if they stay out any longer than that, they really ought to be tucked away in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

I've got a question for you guys...
So, I wanted to describe how they handle urine samples at our local hospital in Columbus: you walk into the restroom, grab one of those basic plastic cups sitting on the sink next to the toilet, pee in it, and then just stick a little numbered slip of paper on the side. That's pretty much the whole process.
Is that actually sterile? There aren't even lids on the cups, and they just leave everything sitting on a table in the clinic where people are waiting for blood work.

Amanda Garcia25 said:I've got a question...
Let me walk you through how they handle urine samples at our local hospital in Columbus: you walk into the restroom, grab one of those standard plastic cups sitting right there on the sink next to the toilet, do your business, and then grab a little slip of paper with a number on it to label the cup. That’s the whole process.
Is that actually sterile? There aren't even lids on the cups, and they just set everything down on a table in the clinic right where people are waiting for blood work.

Sterility isn't actually required for that specific test because they're just looking for general baseline results. You only need a sterile sample if they're running a full culture.
That's the exact same answer I got back at my local community clinic where the procedure is identical to yours.

...well, as far as I am aware, those specific hygiene protocols are really only necessary when you are prepping for a urine culture. Personally, I always prefer using my own specimen cup—I just pick one up at CVS. I can't stand those "ultra-sanitized" public restrooms where you never know who was just in there, and besides, it is nearly impossible to go when you feel someone hovering right outside the door! It seems quite unfortunate that they don't provide lids; perhaps you could ask the nurse for one? I mean... just imagine if someone were to stumble and accidentally splash their contents everywhere🤣...on several occasions, I have had to provide a 24-hour urine sample, and I realized that even those plastic jugs they hand out aren't truly single-use. In fact, it doesn't look like they even disinfect them properly, because they still carry that distinct scent of urine inside—not to mention they don't even bother wiping off the name of the previous patient instead of yours... at least, that has been my experience down in Chicago. Therefore, it is probably best to just bring your own empty Coca-Cola bottle.