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

fadedfalcon40 said:Hi, I'm 35. Two healthy pregnancies behind me, plus gallbladder surgery and fibroids.
I started getting tested because of pain in my hand joints.
Rheumatoid factor 29 (ref. range up to 20)
Waler rose neg
CCP 5)
ANA luminex POSITIVE
anti-DNA 29 ( Anti-topoisomerase antibodies 46 (>40 pos)
AHA 49 (>40 pos)
And I've been anemic since I was 15.
Looking for opinions.

It’s difficult for anyone to provide a diagnosis based solely on these numbers. The context is missing. What prompted the testing? Joint pain? What kind of pain, which specific joints, any swelling? Are there other symptoms—rashes, sun sensitivity, skin changes, weight loss, trouble swallowing, breathing issues, shortness of breath, or fevers? And what about the rest of the labs? Regarding the anemia: what's the hemoglobin level, red blood cell count, MCV, iron status? Are you currently taking any medications?

Let me try to clarify things a bit more...
A few years back, the pain first started showing up in my hands and elbows. It isn't just one constant ache throughout the whole arm—instead, it migrates every couple of days to a different spot. Certain areas get swollen, too; I have this persistent swelling on one arm right now that doesn't actually hurt at the moment, but it’s very noticeable to the naked eye.
I tried to brush the pain off at first, but it's honestly getting worse—some days I can barely turn a doorknob, and I've had to stop washing the dishes because those tiny little joints just hurt too much.
On top of that, I'm feeling constantly exhausted, even though my job is strictly office work.
My hemoglobin levels have dropped down to 90, so I've been taking Heferol, though I haven't had my iron levels checked recently.
I always just assumed I was feeling poorly because of the low iron. Last year, about 15 days after having a C-section, I had to undergo a curettage because blood was pooling in some sort of internal pocket—the doctors weren't quite sure what was causing it, but I had been bleeding heavily since the C-section and they couldn't get it to stop.
Lately, I've noticed a loss of appetite, and I often wake up with puffy eyes—I wear glasses, by the way—and my vision gets blurry quite frequently.
In short, I have quite a collection of symptoms, but I never really suspected they were signs of an actual illness...
And yes, my nails have started peeling, and my hair is thinning and breaking easily.

Hey everyone,
I haven't posted in a while because I've been busy hunting down the cause of my health issues. Just to recap, I originally came here because of this insane back pain that eventually spread throughout my entire pelvis and upper legs.
I’ve seen pretty much every specialist out there—physiatrists, neurosurgeons, physical therapists, chiropractors, pain management clinics, immunologists, and finally an orthopedist. After a mountain of tests, I finally found out I have a labral tear in my hips and a super rare diagnosis called ischiofemoral impingement. Currently waiting on surgery.

Big thanks to bluefire for sliding into my DMs and helping steer my diagnostics in the right direction, and of course, thanks to Felix the Cat for all the answers and input.
Hopefully, this info helps someone else on this thread.

Maria Fisher46 said:I would certainly consider it, but the issue is that since a potential infection hasn't been identified in your case, there is the question of what would even serve as a sample. Furthermore, we have to ask if we are actually dealing with an infection at all, or perhaps something else entirely.
It is clear from this that you require further evaluation—starting with a consultation with a neurologist or a physiatrist, followed likely by radiological imaging. An X-ray of the spine, and perhaps the hips, would merely be one part of the process and will likely not be sufficient to reach a final diagnosis. My colleague velvetmoose9 already touched upon this in a previous post.

I've been reading up on sciatica symptoms, and honestly, it’s a perfect match for what I'm going through: Sciatica involves pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, traveling from your lower back through your hips and buttocks, and down into your legs.
The pain can intensify significantly when coughing or sneezing.
Mornings are the absolute worst. The pain leaves me feeling completely paralyzed. My entire lower right side and leg are stiff, and there is this brutal, burning sensation.

Ashley Booth12 said:I’ve been reading up on sciatica symptoms, and honestly? It’s like looking in a mirror. This is exactly what I’m dealing with right now: Sciatica refers to that specific type of pain that... It radiates along the sciatic nerve path—running from your lower back down through the hips, buttocks, and all the way through your legs.
Pain can spike significantly during coughing fits or when you have the flu.
Mornings are the absolute worst. I’m feeling completely paralyzed by the pain. It’s my entire lower right side, and my leg feels stiff and burns like hell.

It’s true that many of your symptoms align with a diagnosis of lumbar sciatica. However, looking back at those initial blood tests—specifically the leukocytosis with neutrophilia—our stance hasn't changed: that kind of reading isn't a hallmark of sciatica. It clearly pointed to something else entirely. At this stage, it's hard to be certain, but velvetmoose9 likely hit the nail on the head when he suggested we were looking at two distinct issues: an underlying infection (possibly oral) occurring alongside the spinal issues.

restlessstag71 said:I owe a debt of gratitude to bluefire for reaching out via DM; she really helped steer my diagnostic process in the right direction. I also have to thank Nicholas Myers for all his insights and perspectives.
I hope this thread ends up being useful to someone.

Since this thread gets pretty massive—with several posts popping up almost every single day—it might be worth carving out some space. When you have a moment, maybe start a separate, dedicated thread where people can briefly outline their experiences: the symptoms they faced, the diagnostic hurdles, and so on. It would make things much easier for anyone searching for specific symptoms later on. 🙂

fadedfalcon40 said:Let me clarify things a bit.

It’s difficult to give a definitive answer right now. However, based on your symptoms and that positive ANA result—even though the titer wasn't specified, which is still a key factor—there is a strong suspicion that we might be looking at a rheumatic or systemic autoimmune disorder. While certain antibodies came back positive, they aren't present in high enough titers to pinpoint one specific antibody that would clearly signal a particular disease.

Based on your symptoms and those antibody results, I could probably list a whole range of potential diagnoses. But honestly, I'm not sure how much sense that would actually make right now.

You’re definitely going to need to see a rheumatologist and/or an immunologist.

Thanks for all the input!
I’m planning to redo my blood work in about a month. I heard that taking antibiotics can sometimes "mask" inflammation if you get tested too soon after finishing a course (?), so I'll wait until then. In the meantime, I'm just hoping the pain subsides. Since I haven't been able to get an X-ray referral from my doctor, I'm still in the dark about whether there's anything actually wrong with my spine.

Maria Fisher46 said:Since this thread is getting massive and people are posting here almost every single day, I think it might be a good idea—whenever you get a chance—to start a separate dedicated thread. You could briefly outline what symptoms you dealt with and where the diagnostic issues were. That way, if someone else is searching for their own symptoms, they can find a specific thread more easily. 🙂

I’ve already posted on the vulvodynia thread, where I regularly update everyone on what's happening, and I'll post everything regarding my hip arthroscopy once I've had the first surgery.

Can anyone help me make sense of my mom's labs? She's 68 and had a myocardial infarction three years ago. At her last checkup six months back, her iron had tanked to 4.5—hemoglobin was 103, hematocrit 0.338, MCHC 305, MCV 74.1, MCH 22.6, RDW 21, WBC 8.2, RBC 4.56, and TIBC 50.

She just redid her blood work yesterday after taking some iron supplements—which she’s been having a really hard time tolerating.
Here are the new results:
RBC 4.38
Hemoglobin 113
Hematocrit 0.347
MCHC 326
MCV 79.2
MCH 25.8
RDW 17.7
WBC 8.1
Fe 6.8
UIBC 42.4
TIBC 48.7

Na 140
K 4.8

Glucose 6.8

HDL 1.03
LDL 1.9
Cholesterol 3.7
Triglycerides 1.81

Can someone tell me if she's actually improving?

I just got my blood work back today and finally have the results.
My CBC, glucose, iron, and total protein levels all look normal. However, my albumin came in at 52.6 (range 35-52) and my albumin/globulin ratio is 2.0 (range 1.1-1.7). I read somewhere that dehydration can cause these numbers to spike, which is worth noting since I’ve barely touched water the last few days—just sticking to tea.
If anyone has any insight on this, I’d appreciate it!

So, I’ve been crunching some numbers in my head—given a fibrinogen level of 4.3 and a platelet count sitting at 431—and considering I’m 42, a non-smoker, and deal with migraines with aura... would oral contraceptives be considered contraindicated in this situation? Thanks so much for any insight!

placidhawk9 said:Please, could someone help me understand my mother's lab results. She is 68 years old and suffered a myocardial infarction three years ago. At her last checkup six months ago, her iron had dropped significantly to 4.5; her hemoglobin was 103, hematocrit 0.338, MCHC 305, MCV 74.1, MCH 22.6, RDW 21, WBC 8.2, RBC 4.56, and TIBC 50.

She repeated her blood work yesterday after taking some iron tablets—which she finds quite difficult to tolerate.
So, here are the fresh results:
RBC 4.38
Hemoglobin 113
Hematocrit 0.347
MCHC 326
MCV 79.2
MCH 25.8
RDW 17.7
WBC 8.1
Fe 6.8
UIBC 42.4
TIBC 48.7

Glucose 140
K 4.8

A1C 6.8

HDL 1.03
LDL 1.9
Cholesterol 3.7
Triglycerides 1.81

Could you please tell me if her condition is improving?

The results are certainly better—she is less anemic, and the microcytosis is slowly trending toward normocytosis. It will likely be necessary to continue the iron supplementation.
However, it would be prudent to determine her serum ferritin levels to see what her actual iron stores look like. Generally speaking, one needs to distinguish whether we are dealing with iron deficiency anemia or perhaps anemia of chronic disease—the latter of which can also drive down blood iron levels.

The lipid profile looks good, though—if we want to be nitpicky—according to current guidelines, the target LDL cholesterol for this specific demographic (individuals post-myocardial infarction) is actually below 1.8.

Joseph Morales2 said:I just got my blood work back today.
CBC, glucose, iron, and total proteins are all normal. However, Albumin is at 52.6 (range 35-52) and the Albumin/globulin ratio is 2.0 (range 1.1-1.7). I read somewhere that dehydration can cause elevated results, and I should mention that I’ve barely had any water lately—mostly just tea.
If anyone could offer an opinion, I would be grateful!

I would agree with your assessment.

Lisa Perez37 said:Given fibrinogen levels of 4.3, platelets at 431, and a history of migraine with aura starting at age 42 (non-smoker), is oral hormonal contraception contraindicated? Thank you so much!

It would be best to consult with a gynecologist regarding this.
Both fibrinogen and Trc are sitting near the upper limits, and it is well established that oral contraceptives can increase thrombosis risk in certain individuals.

Is the contraception absolutely necessary due to a medical condition, or...?

Sandra Vaughn50 said:Honestly, you really ought to run this by a gynecologist first.
Both my fibrinogen and TRC levels are hovering right near the upper limit of normal—and we all know that taking oral contraceptives can actually bump up the risk of blood clots for certain people.

Is birth control absolutely necessary because of some underlying medical issue, or...?

It's for acne treatment. When I'm on the pill, my skin is flawless—but the second I stop after three months, my face just goes completely haywire.

Thanks for the reply.

Thanks, Bryan Barnes2. Honestly, such a huge weight off my shoulders. All her other blood work looks normal—the only outlier is her uric acid, which hit 380. They didn't bother checking Ferritin this time. My mom mentioned she was always prone to anemia back in the day and used to take iron supplements occasionally. She says she’s feeling better than before, too—not nearly as exhausted as she was six months ago.
I forgot to mention—her stool test came back negative.

Also, her A1c usually hovers right on the edge, between 6.1 and 6.4, but now it’s bumped up slightly to 6.8. For such minor fluctuations, is medication actually necessary, or can she just manage this through a diabetic diet?

Thanks again for the help.
Best,

placidhawk9 said:Her IRS levels have been hovering right at the threshold—somewhere between 6.1 and 6.4—but they've recently ticked up to 6.8. Is medication necessary for such minor fluctuations, or would sticking to a diabetic diet be sufficient?

Thank you again for your responses.
Best regards,

An IRS reading of 6.8 isn't necessarily an alarming figure.
That said, I assume the "sugar" was measured while fasting—which means the real question is what those glycemic levels look like postprandially (after eating).

To get a truly objective view, it will be necessary to determine the concentration of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)—this provides a window into the average IRS values over the last three months.
If the HbA1c (which is not the same thing as a single IRS reading!!!) remains below 6.5%, then dietary changes would be the primary course of action.

Thanks for the reply. For us laypeople, getting this kind of info actually means a lot.

Can someone please help me make sense of this:

Ferritin 16.9 ng/ml 5-148
Iron 26 nmol/L 8-30
UIBC 40 nmol/L 26-59
TIBC 67 nmol/L 49-75
Iron Saturation 39 % 15-25

I don't get it—if my Ferritin is low, how is my Iron level fine?
I showed my doctor, and she says everything is okay. But I don't trust a word she says because she totally screwed me over regarding something else before.

Correction - Iron Saturation 39% 15-50

Hey everyone, I was wondering if someone could help me make sense of these lab results. It’s for a friend of mine, she's 25. She used to be on Diane, but she’s been taking Yasmin for over eight years now.
Cholesterol 6.4 mmol/L (ref. 3.5-5.2) (Her cholesterol was actually high like this a year ago too, so it seems to stay elevated)
Triglycerides 2.3 mmol/L (ref. 2.28)
Creatinine 69 (44-90)
Urea 2.9 (2.8-8.3)
AST 15 (10-32)
ALT 10 (10-33)
GGT 7 (9-35)

Also, this is the second time her ESR has been up. Leukocytes are at 20 (ref. 0.3-0.5
Urine microscopy - RBC + (should be negative)
Urine microscopy - proteins + (should be negative)
Urine microscopy - Platelets (U) 5 (ref. 0-1)

I guess I'm wondering... could long-term use of birth control pills be causing these numbers?

Thanks for any insight! 🙂

I already posted this on the iron thread. My levels jumped from 6 to 27 out of nowhere.

Here are the results from five days ago.

Hematocrit: 0.349 L.

Iron levels: 27.8.

UIBC is low at 20.8. Get it checked.
TIBC is low at 48.6. It's low.

Ferritin: 16. That's normal.
Transferrin: 2.53. Normal.

Everything else looks perfect. I’m only posting the stuff that came back low. Everything else is totally normal.

So what now?