• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Ellencee

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

Whyte Noise

Senior Member
What is the name of your state? TN

This isn't a malpractice issue, but a medical one that I'd like your interpretation on if you don't mind. I lost your E-mail addy, or I'd e-mail you directly. :(

Last Sunday, went to the ER with sever upper abdominal pain that radiated into my lower abdomen and upper back. I thought I was having another gall bladder attack. Blood was drawn, and x-rays ordered. X-rays showed "No acute abdominal findings by plain film. Probable disk space narrowing L4-5."

The actual ER report states:

"LABORATORY DATA: Urinalysis revealed a specific gravity of 1.025. There was no hemoglobin. There were no red blood cells. There were positive nitrites, 5-10 white blood cells, and 1+ bacteria. There is 25 units of leukocyte esterase. Complete count revealed a white blood cell count of 19,800 with 68 segs, 29 lymphocytes, 2 monocytes 1 eosinophil. Hemoglobin is 15.2, hematocrit 43.2. There were no bands. Blood chemistries revealed a sodium of 135, potassium 4.2, chloride 100, cO2 26, BUN 11, creatinine 0.9, glucose 188. Liver function tests were within normal limits.Amylase was within normal limits."

On the actual bloodwork, CBC W/DIFF:

WBC - 19.8 (high)
Corrected WBC - 19.8 (high)

Under DIFF:
segs - 68 (high)

Everything else on the bloodwork was within normal limits.

On CMP:
NA - 135 (low)
CL - 100 (low)
Glucose - 188 (high) *I am diabetic, on oral meds*
Calcium - 8.7 (low)

On the UA:

DIPSTICK:
UA LK ESTERASE - 25/UL
UA NITRITE - positive
UA PROTEIN - 15 MG/CL
UA GLUCOSE - Trace (50 MG/DL)

MICROSCOPIC:
UA WBC - 5-10
UA EPITH CELLS - 4-5
UA BACTERIA - 1+

I've only listed here what was not within normal limits. If it's not listed here, then I was OK on that one.

Now, I know why my glucose is high. Like I posted above, I'm diabetic. I also know that an elevated WBC count usually means an infection. They did diagnose me with a UTI.

They also did an EKG on me. The findings on that one:

Interpretation: Abnormal

No explanation about WHAT was abnormal... just, ABNORMAL. Now, I do have mitral valve prolapse, and when I have an EKG done I have inverted T-Waves. I already know that. I just hope that was the "abnormal" they were talking about! :/

Anywho... the ER doc wanted me to follow up with my PCP, and they were also going to order an abdominal ultrasound. I followed up the next day (Monday), had the US Tuesday. The US report states:

"There are multiple small hypoechoic areas within the liver which appear to lie within the right hepatic lobe. These are not typical of cyst or hemangiomas. Recommend abdominal CT with and without contrast." Everything else in the US was normal. Nothing else noted.

Had the CT done 2 days ago, on Monday. CT report says:

FINDINGS:

Lung bases: normal
Liver: normal
Biliary system: normal
Spleen: normal
Pancreas: normal
Adrenals: normal
Kidneys: normal
Aorta: mild calcification
Small Intestine: normal
Lrge Intestine: normal
Lymph nodes/mesentery: normal
Intraperitoneal fluid: none

IMPRESSION: Normal examination.

Everything on the CT was "normal", except that it picked up mild calcification in the aorta.

Now that I've given all the test information...

Can you explain the bloodwork results to me?
And why in the hell would something show up on a US, then a week later be gone when the CT is done??? Where did it go? What was it to begin with?

My PCP now has me seeing a gastroenterologist Friday to see if they can figure out what's going on. He's had me have blood drawn 3 times in the last week, because I had AFP levels in my blood that were >500. The first time is was over 500, he had it redrawn. The second time it was over 500, he had me come in once again to have it redrawn, and sent to a different lab. THIS time, it came back <500 from this different lab. The >500 readings, along with what the US found, had him (and ME) thinking I might have liver cancer! But, he kept retesting until he got a reading <500, and now the CT doesn't show anything on my liver at all, even though the US said there were "multiple" things on my liver.

What in the world is going on? Any idea? :confused:
 


ellencee

Senior Member
MissouriGal
My interpretation is that you are perfectly healthy except for a mild to moderate UTI and some early 'hardening' of the arteries. Diabetes can speed the hardening of the arteries, but you can make some changes now that will help. It's easy, too: just take a couple of fish oil capsules daily or a couple of flax oil capsules daily, don't smoke, and get some additional exercise on a regular basis. OK, so the last two may not be that easy!

On your CBC: the segs, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, etc. represent bacteria/viral fighting cells and immature cells which are elevated in infections. If you think about it, it's logical to have increases in all components of white blood cells when the WBCs are being manufactured at a fast pace; some are 'complimentary-acting' cells that assist in fighting infections; some are the developing cells that haven't reached mature WBC status.

The urinalysis results are WNL and include some skin cells.

Actually, for a diabetic, your results are great.

The abnormal ECG results are a little hazy. If all it says is "abnormal", then it has not been compared to previous ECGs; and, since you were not sent for a cardiac work-up, I wouldn't worry about it.

The liver filters the bad stuff from the blood. If you have bacteria in your urine, the liver is doing its thing and filtering the blood to remove the WBCs that have died fighting your infection, etc. and sometimes, the bacteria or the antibiotic will show up on an x-ray of the liver. Sometimes, it's just a little calcium that broke away from the walls of the venous system and the liver is filtering the calcium out, too. Since nothing showed up on the CT scan, I suspect it was just one of these transient processes that happened to be captured on film.

The AFB, which is alpha-fetoprotein, is the same protein that when identified in amnionic fluid indicates fetal abnormalities such as spinal bifida. In adults, it can indicate liver carcinomas or chemical injuries. Tests results can be abnormal in persons with diabetes, multiple pregnancies, or obesity. It makes sense for this antigen to be present in a diabetic with an UTI (due to the chemical processes that would be ongoing).

I am not an MD, nor do I have any desire to be one, unless of course I do get to play one on TV; so, trust your PCP before you take my word on any of this.

You can email me through this site; I accept emails and private messaging.

EC
 

Whyte Noise

Senior Member
Thank you EC.

I'm not too worried about the abnormal finding on the EKG. Like I said, I have inverted T-waves, and I imagine that's exactly what it is. I just found it odd (ok... funny in a weird sorta way) that's all it would say... "abnormal". No reasons WHY it was abnormal, or what was abnormal on it... just that one little word on a big sheet of paper. LOL

Thanks for explaining the bloodwork to me. I asked my PCP's assistant (who calls to give me the results), but she's always vague. I guess she thinks I wouldn't understand what she was talking about. LOL I have a little bit of a medical background (CNA), so I'd understand the terminology, I just didn't know what exactly these tests were measuring and how they all went together for a total picture.

I have to go to see the gastrointestinal specialist tomorrow at 1:15. Hopefully he'll be able to figure out what's going on, because I'm still taking Vicodin for the pain in my upper right quadrant of my abdomen.

I also have an EMG at 8 in the morning and 2 MRI's (back and head) tomorrow too... gonna be a full day. Yay me.

Thanks so much for answering my questions. And in the future, I'll be sure to e-mail or private message you instead of taking up space on the board. :D
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top