Abnormal blood test results

[YadaYadaYada]

If you have been around for a while, you know that I am not one to go to the doctor. Last week I felt terrible, I get hot then cold chills and just generally feel awful, always tired and for a few days I was sensitive to light. All the normal stuff was negative (Flu, Covid, RSV) so my doctor ordered bloodwork. He especially seemed to be concerned about autoimmune. My brother has Crohns and I have had rosacea for 18 years now.

Sorry if this is over sharing and Lord knows I have tried to limit how much I share here, (IYKYK) but I’m just wondering while I wait for the doctor to review everything, what the next likely steps are? Last week I found out that my C-Reactive protein was high and my ALT, so that had me panicked about my liver since my mother passed from liver cancer. The doctor said he wasn’t worried about those results and was waiting for additional test results to come in.

Not looking for a diagnosis but I am trying to prepare mentally for what’s coming.

 

[Matata]

The only thing I can offer now is a hug and PS dust for a better outcome than what you're probably worrying about. Whatever happens, you know you can share here to your comfort level and we'll give you the love and support you deserve.

 

[empliau]

I have no knowledge, but I had a very scary test this fall that required even scarier followups. Turned out to be nothing, which nobody could explain - but I worried myself sick about test results I didn't fully understand. (My PCP didn't either!)

Hugs and good thoughts. May it be either nothing or not too bad. In any case, these things are very hard to understand, even by professionals sometimes.

 

[stracci2000]

Hopefully this isn't anything serious.
Perhaps a mild autoimmune condition?
I hate to think of you going to specialists and such to find out you're really ok.
Doctors have a way of scaring us, for sure.

Here is one of my favorite quotes
'Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose'
Eckhart Tolle

{{{{{{ Big squishy hugs}}}}}

 

[nala]

I feel you. Waiting on my own next steps. I can’t even focus so I know how you feel. You have the courage to share here. I have only shared with a few people. Hubby keeps reassuring me to stay calm. Not helping. I don’t know how to help you bc right now nothing is helping me.

 

[Karl_K]

Every time I have blood work done(2-3x year) something weird shows up. Follow up tests show nothing explainable.
Next time that will be normal and something else goofy.
I know its hard but humans bodies do not conform to some average standards at times.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

@YadaYadaYada im sorry to read you have been feeling unwell
please try not to worry till you get to that bridge, stress wont be helping to make you better

i know its eaiser said than done, but as @Karl_K says above
Every time I have blood work done(2-3x year) something weird shows up. Follow up tests show nothing explainable.
Next time that will be normal and something else goofy.
I know its hard but humans bodies do not conform to some average standards at times.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Matata, @empliau, @stracci2000, @Daisys and Diamonds, thank you for the support and encouraging words and hugs, it means a lot.

@nala, I’m so sorry you are going through this. I share here because for me, it’s easier to share with people online than in person. The only person IRL who knows what’s going on is DH, it doesn’t really make sense to tell anyone else at this point because I don’t have any answers. I hope that you get some answers and that whatever it is isn’t too serious and is manageable.

@Karl_K, it is maddening to have ill health and get no definitive answers. When I was at Yale 10 years ago (eye stroke) they were trying to determine if the rash in my face was lupus or rosacea in order to determine why I had a blood clot in my eye. They never did come up with a reason for the clot, they said it was a “condition of pregnancy”. I’m sorry for all your health troubles.

 

[AprilBaby]

That doesn’t look terrible. Probably autoimmune they can deal with. My alkaline phosphate is at 326 right now. If that were high I would be worried about liver or pancreas ( what I am dealing with right now). I hope you get answers soon!

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

I had a red butterfly mask on my face coupled with a mildly raised ANA. Was sent to rheumatology, which is a thorough going-over, and he said those are just broken capillaries. You're carpeted with them.
Raise a glass if you're of Irish descent.

 

[missy]

Dear @YadaYadaYada I know it’s upsetting but let’s dissect this point by point.

Your ALT is barely elevated. It goes up with the slightest thing. Exercise will raise ALT. Being sick will raise it.

Your crp is elevated but it’s very non specific. You want the high sensitivity crp known as hsCRP. Sounds like you were sick last week and that will definitely raise the crp and it will go back down quickly once you’re well.

As for the ANA yes it could indicate an auto immune condition or it could have gone up due to a viral infection. A positive ANA alone doesn't indicate an autoimmune disease. It is not a diagnosis of an autoimmune disease. A positive ANA just means your immune system is overactive which happens when you’re sick. So it could be due to the fact you were under the weather last week.

At this point I would try not to worry because it could be something as simple as you were infected with a virus last week.

Sending many well wishes and gentle hugs. I hope this turns out to be absolutely nothing to worry about.

 

[minousbijoux]

This is the worst part of our medical system - and the wait is just interminable. I am wrapping you in the biggest warmest hug (unless you don't like hugs then nvm) and sending nothing but the best energy, dust, and thoughts. I love what @missy wrote. She wise!

 

[kenny]

I've no medical/technical into, but I do send you e-hugs FWIW.

I'm also hoping for the best news, and the most competent, up to date medical care ......... and hope you have really good medical insurance.

It's a shame that insurance we have is as important as what medical care is possible.

 

[Kim N]

Sending you good wishes and hugs, YadaYadaYada.

 

[mrs-b]

@YadaYadaYada -

A number of us here have Crohn's and, as with most autoimmune disorders, what you start with is generally not all you finish with. So, many of us have a combo (Crohn's, fibromyalgia, and possibly MS now as well for me, tho my rheumatology appt was cancelled just before my appt, so diagnosing this will have to be pushed back). I also tested positive for Lynch Syndrome, and am post cancer, so this adds an extra layer of hell. Recently, I've also been diagnosed with proteinuria, despite my GFR and creatinine readings being excellent - like - truly excellent. So - why is this? I have no idea. I refer to it as "the circus which is auto-immune". If you have auto-immune, expect weird blood readings every time you go to the dr, because that's just the way auto-immune works. My CRP - a blunt tool at best, as virtually all the medical profession will tell you - is currently around 1. When I was in hospital in 2020 getting stents in my heart and my carotid artery, it was in the high 80's. Somewhere around 15 is pretty normal for me. High inflammation, long term steroid use and artery issues go hand in hand. I also had massive back surgery a year ago, as the inflammation settled largely in my spine and resulted in all sorts of issues. Crohn's is positively correlated with spinal issues as well as...pretty much every other second thing.

And yet, my best advice would be - try to relax with it all. It's easy to panic - I know this from experience. But most of it comes and goes, comes and goes, comes and...well, you get the idea. What I would suggest is what every doctor on the planet will also suggest to you; keep your weight down, exercise regularly, eat your vegies, get plenty of sleep, and try not to stress. More than that, I would suggest - pursue joy. Those things in combo TRULY make the hugest difference.

When you read my list of conditions, it reads like the proverbial little shop of horrors. Yet here's a photo of me this evening at age 63, out for cocktails with my daughter, photo taken by DH.



Despite my health issues, I am truly happy and I love my life. I haven't found "the secret" to anything. I'm just genuinely happy. I do aerobics and I walk - not a lot of either, but enough to keep me moving. I've radically changed my diet over the last few years, and it helps. I thank God every day for all that I have, and I cuddle my family, including my dogs, a lot. I practice gratitude. I invest in friendship. I try to share what I have.

This is sounding a little sermonic, isn't it? I sincerely apologize, because I *truly* don't mean to come across like that. I guess what I'm trying to say is - health isn't your whole story. You can have all the shit that I have, and still think you're the luckiest woman alive. In fact, you can still BE the luckiest woman alive! Don't despair, S; start investing in your health right now, and you'll find wells of physical resource that your body will be able to call on for the rest of your life.

I'm sending you BIG hugs - from one auto-immune sister to (maybe...and maybe not!) another. <3

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@missy thank you for that thorough explanation, it is more than I have gotten so far. I’m going to try not to jump to conclusions and wait until the office reviews the results to see what they think reasonable next steps are.

@AprilBaby, I am so sorry you are having to deal with that. Thank you for the reassurance that it doesn’t look terrible and can hopefully be managed.

@Ibrakeforpossums, yes I am part Irish too! Glad your visit turned out to be nothing to worry about. The rosacea is so annoying, it’s the only reason I wear make-up because otherwise total strangers make comments about how red my face is.

@kenny, thank you and yes we have very good medical insurance and hopefully good doctors here in CT. I guess this will be the real test to see how competent they are.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@minousbijoux and @Kim N, thank you for the supportive words! The wait really is tough but the kids and work keep me busy and my mind mostly off things, so that’s good.

Thank you @mrs-b, I’m sorry for everything you have gone through, I can’t even imagine a person going through all of that. Yet, you can still smile and appreciate all of the good things, that says a lot about you. One good thing is this has been a real wake-up call to eat better, so I have cleaned up my diet significantly. It’s rather hard working around delicious baked goods and not giving in to temptation but I am determined!

 

[kenny]

@YadaYadaYada

Beautiful pair, but which one's the mom?

 

[Lookinagain]

I hope everything works out for you and nothing serious shows up. Sometimes I wonder if the docs posting all these test results for your access, with no real answers is a good thing. For me, it would just make me nervous, perhaps for no reason.
So my advice would be to quit wondering and worrying. Wait for a definitive answer as it may not be anything serious and I'm sure you are worrying about the worst. Please don't.

 

[Lookinagain]

Great photo of two happy people!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@Lookinagain, you aren’t wrong about the downside to having access to test results. In fact I just signed up for MyChart after this recent visit, the doctor’s office encouraged it so I thought why not? Pandora’s box!

Thank you for the good wishes, they are much appreciated.

 

[mrs-b]

Beautiful pair, but which one's the mom?

Oh, you darling, you!

 

[Matata]

@mrs-b You are the personification of grace and an inspiration to those who may be feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of life.

 

[monarch64]

I'm thinking perimenopause. It began for me around 42.

 

[LilAlex]

Not medical advice but here goes:

Less than a week of symptoms and then all of this bloodwork? Must be more to this story. Not that I am asking you to provide that.

I agree that the borderline ALT is likely not significant. The CRP is very non-specific; I would rather see it "normal" but almost anything makes it go up (like an infection).

ANA is a funny test. How it performs as a test depends heavily on the "pre-test probability" (i.e., how likely the test subject is to have lupus [say] in the first place). I know that sounds like a weird concept but hear me out. If you do the test in a bunch of healthy normal folks, you will get a lot of "positive" test results -- but there will be more false positives (people without the disease) than true positives (people with the disease). OTOH, if you do the test in a bunch of people with a new lupus-like rash and low white blood cell count and new diffuse joint pains and microscopic blood in their urine, it can be super-useful. This is part of the reason why ordering all the lab tests in the world is not a great way to screen for generic "illness." (And, to be clear, I am not saying that your doctor did this.) Plus, the "normal range" for a test in most labs is constructed to capture 95% of the normal population; the more tests someone runs on you, the more likely they are to encounter an "abnormal" result that is of no consequence.

I am not saying that these are of no consequence but the ANA is always interpreted in the context of the clinical scenario and is one of the most widely "abused" tests. In a "why did they even order this?!" scenario, it is very hard to interpret.

Mostly, I hope you're feeling better!

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Beautiful pair, but which one's the mom?

You can't buy this, you can only earn it.

 

[kenny]

You can't buy this, you can only earn it.

But, but, but ... she said, "My check's in the mail."

 

[Avondale]

If you have auto-immune, expect weird blood readings every time you go to the dr, because that's just the way auto-immune works.

I can attest to that. No one is ever impressed with my wacky blood work even though the labs do their best to point the abnormalities with huge thick black arrows. Although I guess that's not much of a consolation for a person who hasn't been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition until now and would most probably rather not get diagnosed with one ever.

@missy, being a health professional, explained it about as fully and comprehensively as anyone can. @YadaYadaYada The only thing I can add is that although you got tested for the most common viruses, there are way too many in existence to test for all of them. It's entirely possible that you just had a nasty cold and are now okay. Besides, it's flu season, everyone's sick. Even I was sick last week, and I work from home.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Gah! @monarch64, I’m dreading the big M although I know at 45 it’s just a matter of time. My hormone levels were tested but I know that is not a guarantee of anything since hormone levels fluctuate anyways.

@LilAlex, not really more to the story, the only remarkable (if you call it that) things I’ve had have been Mono when I was a teen, chickenpox in elementary school and an eye stroke when I was 35 and pregnant. I think maybe he was overzealous because he knows I am not one to come in unless something is really bothering me. However your post is very helpful and thank you for the good wishes.

@Avondale, thank you for your thoughts, I realize that there is a lot of “stuff” out there especially in winter, and working with the public on a regular basis means I probably just picked up a virus. Hoping that is the case, I’m not really frantic or overcome with worry but I like to (when possible) prepare mentally for the possible worst case scenario. Everyone’s posts have been very reassuring and comforting so I really appreciate this community.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

You can't buy this, you can only earn it.

That’s what she said.

Sorry, this was too perfect not to use!