Blood work results - any thoughts?

So, here's the deal...

Last Friday morning, I noticed blood in my urine... so I headed straight to the doctor, who ordered blood work and a urinalysis right away...

Based on the results, he concluded it was a kidney infection.

My white cell count was at 20.60 leukocyte 5.0 x10 (with the upper limit being 9.70)

He started me on Garamycin injections immediately—one shot a day.

The blood in my urine cleared up by Friday evening and hasn't returned; everything seems fine there... no trace of blood left...

Then, the day before yesterday, I went back for more blood and urine tests...

White cells were at 10.20, but my ESR was 66 (normal is 13)

Creatinine, urea, and all the other standard urine markers looked normal... but there were still tons of bacteria present...

So, the doctor decided my kidneys are functioning fine, but kept me on the Garamycin through today...

That means I've had 8 shots of Garamycin so far, nothing else besides drinking plenty of cranberry juice...

With today's labs, my white cell count was 11.80 and my urine looks clean... the bacteria seem to have cleared out...

The question is: why isn't my white cell count dropping despite the Garamycin?

And why did they actually spike again over the last two days???

Physically, I feel okay. Temperature is 98.0°F, digestion is normal...

The only thing is, I was at the dentist yesterday and she accidentally nicked the back of my lower tongue with the drill... though I doubt that would cause a spike in white cells...

I'd love to hear some thoughts!!!

The doctor has officially taken me off the injections and switched me to Clavocin 1000mg twice a day...

Maybe kidney stones? Just guessing since I've dealt with them myself. Or at least, I used to—no more issues now. Does your kidney ever ache like that? Not constantly, just occasionally?

Honestly, there’s nothing to worry about here. Having a leukocyte 5.0 x10 count around 10 or 11 is basically just a normal little fluctuation, not some massive spike or anything crazy. Especially if you’re feeling fine clinically and aren't dealing with any fever, I wouldn't stress—it really feels like you've left the worst of this illness in the rearview mirror.

Scott Allen10 said:It’s nothing out of the ordinary. A leukocyte count of 10 or 11 is just a "slight variation," not some massive spike. Especially if you feel fine clinically and there's no fever, there’s no reason to think the illness isn't behind you.

Are you absolutely sure about that...

Even after a week on Clavocin, my leukocytes dropped from 11.8 to 10.50...

So, I have no reason to worry??? Meaning, I don't need to panic that something dangerous is happening? Because honestly, I'm constantly spiraling, worrying that I might have some kind of tumor or something...

See, I've never been sick in my life... I think I'm one of those rare people who, in 29 years, has NEVER HAD A HEADACHE... I didn't catch a single childhood illness... never broken a bone... I also think I'm one of those rare cases where I've NEVER HAD STOMACH PAIN—aside from the usual stuff when dealing with diarrhea...

Which means mentally, I am COMPLETELY unequipped to deal with being sick... plus, our doctors here aren't exactly known for being informative. You walk out of the clinic and essentially have zero clue what's actually going on or if anything is even wrong...

The only thing I've ever consistently struggled with is my teeth... it runs in my family, and despite all the brushing and flossing, my periodontitis is slowly creeping in...

Right now, the only thing I'm dealing with—and for which I KNOW something is actually happening—is my teeth... a month ago, I had a necrotic tooth and lost it... and on top of that, three wisdom teeth are trying to come in... one is halfway out, the second is right on the verge, and the third is visible on the X-ray I had taken when I dealt with the gangrene...

And, well, the doctor told me those leukocytes could be linked to the wisdom teeth breaking through, but he also said that might not be the case for me...

Aside from those wisdom teeth, everything else seems okay... my other teeth are healthy, no cavities, and my gums look decent considering the mild periodontitis... by "decent," I mean they aren't inflamed... so all that's left is the WISDOM TEETH... that's what I know... and that's what I'm hoping it is...

That's why I'm constantly terrified that something is slowly killing me... long story short, you could say I'm a HYPOCHONDRIAC... but it's not that I'm imagining things, it's more like... hmm... I don't know how to explain it... I'm just scared... I just feel like it's not my time to be hit by something like this yet... 😢

And BTW, what does "variation on a theme" even mean?

Grace Turner said:Maybe it’s kidney stones? Just a guess since I’ve dealt with them myself. Or used to, anyway—no issues lately. Does your kidney ever ache at all? Not often, just occasionally...

Well, my kidneys don't exactly "hurt"... they just give me this little TWINGE in the area every once in a while, but it's totally BEARABLE... nothing intense, just more like... hmmm... a quick little prick and then it's gone...

Timothy Morgan38 said:Basically, my kidneys don't really hurt... I get this occasional sharp TWINGE in the kidney area, but it's BEARABLE... nothing intense, just like... hmm... a quick sting and then it's gone...

I went through the exact same thing. It’s just like that—one second you feel a sharp jab, and the next, nothing. I actually ended up in the ER once because they found a kidney stone. Blood in your urine is pretty common when you've got stones. For me, it all happened out of nowhere; I’ve never had any kidney issues before (don't feel like I have any now, either). I'd seen my doctor beforehand because of some stinging during urination, and he just took a guess and put me on Clavocin 🙄. Turned out to be a stone all along.

Timothy Morgan38 said:Are you actually sure about that...

Long story short, I guess you could call me a hypochondriac... though it’s not really that I’m making things up out of thin air, it's more like... I don't even know how to put it... I just get really anxious about it all.

And by the way, what does "variation on a theme" even mean?

...not really. I can't be certain just looking at this online, honestly. I'm just going off what you wrote here.

...🙂 ...

...I mean, when you take your blood pressure twice in two days and one reading is 140/85 while the next is 135/80 or 143/82... they look different, but it's basically the same thing, just a clinically insignificant wiggle room.

It is possible that you might be dealing with a urethral stricture—that’s the channel responsible for transporting urine away from the kidneys. If that passage narrows, the flow becomes obstructed, which creates backpressure on the kidney and can lead to various types of inflammation. However, I suppose if that were actually the case, you would likely be experiencing some pretty intense pain after drinking a significant amount of fluids.
I guess there is also the possibility of kidney stones, assuming what you're describing feels more like those sharp, rhythmic renal colic pains.

William White2 As follows:
It’s possible we're looking at some kind of urethral narrowing. You know, that channel that carries urine away from the kidneys... if that passage constricts, the flow gets restricted and starts putting backpressure on the kidney itself. That can definitely trigger infections. But honestly... if that were actually what was happening, you’d be feeling some pretty intense pain after drinking a lot of fluids...
It’s possible we’re looking at kidney stones, especially if you're dealing with those intense, cramping pains...

Look, maybe you didn't quite catch my drift... the kidney infection isn't up for debate, and neither is exactly how I ended up with it...

It’s not even a question of whether I still have it or not...

I caught it this way because I wasn't being careful...!

I don't even bother with pajamas; I usually just head upstairs naked... And I almost never wear a jacket, either. I'll just run from the car to the house and back without even thinking about grabbing one... which means I end up sitting in a freezing cold car the next morning without any layers... Honestly, the only time I actually bother putting on a jacket is when I know I'm going to be stuck outside for more than ten or twenty minutes...

If any of that actually holds water...

I’m starting to worry that this has absolutely nothing to do with my kidneys...

Scott Allen10
Everything I wrote is happening exactly as described...

No fever to report. I’m feeling relatively okay—aside from some issues with my teeth, of course—and my temperature is hovering between 97.0 and 99.0. Nothing else really hurts... basically, I feel fine...

The only thing I’d call truly bizarre is these random bouts of dizziness... like when I stand up too fast and everything just spins...

But then you look at these leukocytes that just refuse to drop back down to a normal range... and there's the ESR sitting at 66 when it should be closer to 13...

My doctor mentioned that the sedimentation rate takes its sweet time to settle back down after you've treated an infection... basically, even once the inflammation has cleared out, you have to wait a while before those numbers actually drop back to a normal range...

Look, the fact that I somehow managed to trigger my own kidney infection—and the ridiculous way I actually caught it—isn't even the main issue here... My real concern is that there might be something else going on underneath it all.

Timothy Morgan38 said:Perhaps I wasn't entirely clear...
My concern is that whatever this is, it might be something TOTALLY UNRELATED TO THE KIDNEYS

Are you saying that to me specifically? 😬
Or to everyone here?
Honestly, the absolute worst thing you could do right now is go quoting some medical encyclopedia at me listing out every single symptom for every possible ailment; because every disease has like ten different symptoms, and you're bound to find eight of them on yourself eventually.

William White2 said:Are you talking to me specifically? 😬
Or the whole group here?
Look, the absolute worst thing you can do right now is start Googling medical encyclopedias or reading through detailed symptom lists for every possible disease. Every single ailment has about ten different symptoms listed, and you’ll somehow manage to find eight of them on yourself.

I mean, the whole group... 😂

I'm definitely not doing that... I've fallen down that rabbit hole online a few times before... you go to some site, look up symptoms, and inevitably find a handful that match what you're feeling. It’s a vicious cycle with no exit strategy... once you get caught in it, you start questioning the doctors, you start questioning yourself, and there's just no way out...

So, I just stopped doing it entirely...

I'm just anxious...

I really hope it's just a tooth issue because the left side of my jaw keeps acting up... it's this constant stinging sensation... especially since the damn thing won't fully work its way out...

But we'll see... I'm hoping for the best while bracing for the worst... I just need to figure out how to shake this fear and try to think positively, then I'll be back on track... 🙂

Timothy Morgan38 said:I’m definitely not doing that anymore... I tried it a few times online—you go to these websites, look up symptoms, and you always end up finding five different things that match what you're feeling. It's a vicious cycle. Once you get sucked in, there's no way out... you start questioning your doctors, you start doubting your own sanity, and everything just falls apart.

So, I just stopped doing it altogether.

Why don't you just walk into the doctor's office and pester them until they're driven absolutely insane? Just keep going until you find out EVERYTHING you want to know and address every single doubt you have. That's my strategy.😁
Because, honestly—just like you so eloquently put it above—American doctors are absolute experts at telling you nothing at all.

Christian Sanchez44 said:Why don't you just go to the doctor and pester them until they lose their minds? Just keep pushing until you get answers to everything you're actually worried about. That’s my strategy.😁
Because, just like you so eloquently put it, our doctors are absolute experts at telling you nothing at all...

Eh, I don't know... I'm just not that kind of person...

We'll just have to see how things play out...

Hopefully, it heads in a better direction...

You probably have some kind of abscess brewing...

I need some help here, please
I'm 27 years old. I had a CBC done on February 17th.

Result Unit Ref range
Leukocytes 5.0 x10^9/L 3.4-9.7

Neutrophil
granulocytes 51.7 rel% 44-72

Neutrophil
granulocytes 2.60 x10^9/L 2.06-6.49

CRP 0.6 mg/L <5.0

So, basically: everything looks fine (and everything else was within normal limits)

I went back to a different clinic for blood work on March 4th—so, 15 days later:

Result Unit Ref range
Leukocytes 3.3L G/L 3.4-9.7

Neutrophil
granulocytes 1.5L G/L 2.0-7.5

Neutrophil
granulocytes
% 47 L % 50-75

As for symptoms, I have quite a few, but I have no clue what might be linked to these numbers.
I've been dealing with frequent loose stools (I recently tested positive for Norovirus)
Could these lab results be related to that?
I'm feeling slightly lethargic and occasionally run a low fever of about 98.6°F. I've "caught" it twice in the last 15 days, and honestly, I've been under intense stress during this entire period.
Please help me out. What do you all think?

Drew Reed2 said:I need some help here, please
I'm 27 years old. I had a CBC done on February 17th.

Result Unit Ref range
Leukocytes 5.0 x10^9/L 3.4-9.7

Neutrophil
granulocytes 51.7 rel% 44-72

Neutrophil
granulocytes 2.60 x10^9/L 2.06-6.49

CRP 0.6 mg/L <5.0

So, basically: everything looks fine (and everything else was within normal limits)

I went back to a different clinic for blood work on March 4th—so, 15 days later:

Result Unit Ref range
Leukocytes 3.3L G/L 3.4-9.7

Neutrophil
granulocytes 1.5L G/L 2.0-7.5

Neutrophil
granulocytes
% 47 L % 50-75

As for symptoms, I have quite a few, but I have no clue what might be linked to these numbers.
I've been dealing with frequent loose stools (I recently tested positive for Norovirus)
Could these lab results be related to that?
I'm feeling slightly lethargic and occasionally run a low fever of about 98.6°F. I've "caught" it twice in the last 15 days, and honestly, I've been under intense stress during this entire period.
Please help me out. What do you all think?

Not a pro, but those don't look like huge deviations to me. Loose stools could just be IBS (you mentioned being stressed, and stress is the biggest trigger for gut issues). As for the temperature, check if it's happening during the second half of your cycle (post-ovulation)—it can stay slightly elevated until your period starts, so factor that in. Definitely talk to your primary care doctor, but don't freak out. Stress is hell on the body.

vividpilot39 said:I’m no medical expert, but those don't look like major deviations to me. Loose stools can be a classic symptom of Irritable Bowel Syndrome—you mentioned you're stressed, and stress is the primary trigger for that. Your temperature isn't significantly high either; if I recall correctly, it tends to rise during the second half of the menstrual cycle (from ovulation until your period starts), so keep that in mind.

Thanks so much for the reply! 😊 I am definitely going to check in with my primary care physician. What’s also been rattling my nerves is this bizarre "vibration" in my legs that started about a month ago (who knows if it's stress or something else entirely). It feels like some kind of current running through my feet and slightly up my legs. It is an absolutely unsettling sensation that honestly scares me because it feels so unnatural. When it first happened, I actually thought a cell phone was vibrating somewhere underneath me! I can even feel it when I touch the surface of my leg. My family already thinks I'm losing my mind over this, but I'm genuinely worried. Could this be linked to the digestion issues, the temperature, or my blood work? I already deal with Restless Leg Syndrome, which I've learned to live with, along with various cramps and tingling, but this is something completely new and different. Is it possible my syndrome is progressing? 🙂Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Also, is it possible to run a fever of 98.6 degrees just from stress? It seems to me like my temperature spikes during a stress attack and then spontaneously drops back down after two hours. Thanks in advance!
Despair 🙏

Everything you just listed could potentially be a symptom of all sorts of different things, though it's honestly very likely that you're just dealing with some intense anxiety. Have you ever thought about maybe sitting down for a chat with a psychologist?

dustymaker642 said:Everything you just listed could potentially be a symptom of all sorts of different things, though it's honestly very likely that you're just dealing with some intense anxiety. Have you ever thought about maybe sitting down for a chat with a psychologist?

I’ve already been there. I’ve talked to professionals, and they’ve flagged me for anxiety, so for now, I’m just on Xanax to take the edge off. Am I stressed? Absolutely. Could all of this be a byproduct of that stress? Probably. But then I look at my bloodwork—showing low neutrophils—and suddenly everything gets blurry. Is it the stress? Is it the bloodwork? Is it both? Where does one thing end and the next begin? I don't even know where to start. This morning, I woke up shivering, feeling this weird internal chill that practically forced me toward the bathroom. Once I dealt with that, a hot bath finally made me feel human again. I truly have no idea what is going on with me.

I honestly can't thank you all enough for the support and the answers. I truly mean it.
After looking at my lab results, my doctor ordered six different tests. Since I have absolutely no clue how to interpret these things myself, I’m just going to dump them here. I am genuinely dreading this last one—nothing looks good to me:

CMV positive

Parvovirus B19 IgG result —> >46.0
negative < 0.8
borderline 0.8 - 1.1
positive > 1.1

Parvovirus B19 IgM -0.5
negative < 0.7
borderline 0.7 - 1.2
positive > 1.2

Antinuclear antibodies ANA
Result 320
Unit - titer
Ref. interval
< 80 negative
80 - 160 borderline
160 - 320 slightly positive
>320 positive
Note: speckled fluorescence pattern

Here is my own breakdown of what this means and why I'm freaking out:

CMV (which I assume relates to mono) is present, but does that mean it's active right now? I don't think this specific test tells us that. It could mean I caught it years ago, or that I have an active infection currently. (Personally, I suspect I’ve already had it once before.)

As for Parvovirus, it seems to be present but not necessarily active—at least, that’s how it looks to a layman like me.

So, Anna—slightly positive.
The note says what? ????

I refuse to look up what Google says I might have; the search results are absolutely soul-crushing.
Does anyone actually know anything about this??

In addition to those, I also had
C3 and C4 checked, which are fine, and my EBV came back negative.

Born in 1993
My symptoms: metabolic issues—mostly loose stools, that feeling where you just can't fully empty your bowels, vibrations, tingling, and various weird sensations in my legs. My sinuses have been draining constantly for two months straight. I've run a low fever of 98.6°F twice. I am under massive, constant stress and I can't seem to escape the source of it. Occasional malaise.
Thanks in advance 🙏