I won't be able to see my LLMD until December and was wondering if anyone else has seen similar results on their blood work. I'm not having much luck Googling some of this.
Keep in mind the blood was drawn during my 3rd week on antibiotics (Doxy at the time)and practically symptom-free.
My WBC result was a little low - 3.1 (range is 3.4-10.8) with a note that Fibrin strands were present and results may be questionable.
I am especially concerned about the Hematology Comments: "We are unable to perform a differential due to gross degeneration of all cellular elements". This sounds scary to me.
My TGF-b1 result was high -8400 (range 344-2382)
Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Antibodies (IGG) was positive at 1.83 (range 0.91-1.09 equivocal)
Only 1 band (41 KD IGG band) was reactive on the Western Blot.
All other test results were within the normal ranges.
If anyone can shed some light on some of these results I'd greatly appreciate it!
Thank you, Laura J
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
Hematology results:
The sample may have been sitting around too long or got exposed to too high a temperature before the tests were performed, thus resulting in the degradation of the blood cells.
The best thing to do is try to get the tests re-done to verify whether these results were accurate.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- What lab for the lyme test?
About the degeneration:
What day of the week was blood drawn?
Did the blood sample get processed (exactly as per the testing lab's instructions) and shipped out that very day?
Was it overnight delivery to the lab?
Does the test mark the time of the blood draw, the date / time delivered to the lab and also the time the test was done / completed?
No need to reply, just know that here's why I ask:
Public Health Alert (PHA) is a newspaper committed to researching and investigating Lyme Disease and other chronic illnesses
Laboratory Tests and Diagnosis for Lyme Disease and Co-infections - June 2013
- by Armin Schwarzbach, M.D., Ph.D. - Five Pages -
[ 10-25-2014, 03:12 AM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Prof. Garth Nicholson's research in Mycoplasma is to be commended. He does not treat. Still, he is THE top expert researcher in this field (although that does not mean others don't have some good insight, too). Here is his main site:
Pro Heatlhâs ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia Message Board
Dr Nicolson - 9/13/10 (you would want to see what he since has to say if anything has changed)
Q & A about mycoplasma IgG levels -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Fibrin - that could be a marker for lyme
Most who don't know about lyme won't understand this if it's "off kilter" on a regular blood test. It will likely be seen as "artifact" or just something off that no one will care to look into. A LLMD will know about this.
Fibrinogen in your blood converts into fibrin -- that can be high with lyme / TBD (tick borne disease) and result in platelet sticking together, or stacking (see: Rouleaux).
This can be painful, too, as the blood may be too thick to go through the vessels, that hyperviscosity would naturally add to the kind of wide spread body pain that most with lyme experience.
Often, especially for those with lyme on IV treatment, a blood thinning agent, heparin, is used to keep the blood from being too thick, stickiness or over clotting.
For those not on IV, there are also other methods. Actually, garlic / allicin capsules are very helpful but there are also other ways.
Prickly Ash Bark (an herb often in lyme formulas) another of several.
Certain enzymes such as WOBENZYME can be extremely helpful.
Below, from a very lyme literate author, this is rather detailed, just glance at the photo and the first few paragraphs for now. Your LLMD will know more and there is no need to delve to far into this as it's just part of the deal, along with so much other stuff that we still have more to learn about.
Lyme Rouleaux: Covert symptom or clue to something more? - by P J Langhoff -
Posted by Laura Jean (Member # 44625) on :
Razzle - Thanks a lot, that puts my mind at ease!
Posted by Laura Jean (Member # 44625) on :
Keebler,
Thanks so much for all of this rich information! I have gone through most of the references and will be going back to re-read, but my questions have been answered, thanks to you.
FYI, the testing was done by LabCorp. The blood was collected at 5:00pm (too late for collection) on a Monday 9/29/14 "Date Entered" 10/01/14 Date Reported 10/07/14.
So I see how this could explain the "gross degerneration" of all cellular elements and I am relieved to know this - thanks!
Regarding the Mycoplasma - great information by Professor Nicholson!
And the Fibrin info also very interesting.
The Western Blot explanations that you referred me to previously posted by Lymetoo gave me great insight. That testing was done at DAL lab and received on the same day blood was drawn.
Again, thanks so much for your time and for sharing your wealth of knowledge!! I'm learning as I go and there is oh-so much to learn! :-)