Help understanding my latest blood tests

This is the place to ask questions if you have symptoms that suggest MS, but aren't yet diagnosed.
LisaH
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Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by LisaH »

I was recently referred to a neuromuscular specialist (saw him yesterday) and he ordered labs. He wants to check for possible mitochondrial or autoimmune problems and for possible metabolic issues. I got the results back on a couple of the tests today but two other tests are complicated "sendouts" and will take longer. Any feedback on what these two results might look like? As for the sendout tests, one is VGKC Antibody test and the other is Paraneoplastic panel. I got a bit nervous when I looked up paraneoplastic because it mentions cancer.

CPK 60 IU/L (standard range 50 - 160 IU/L) -- seems on the low side of normal but maybe that's a good thing?
Lactic Acid 0.7 MMOL/L (standard range 0.5 - 2.0 MMOL/L)
LisaH
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by LisaH »

I thought maybe jimmylegs would offer some information on this...
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jimmylegs
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by jimmylegs »

hi lis just seeing this now. i'm super specialized to a very narrow range of test results involving essential nutrients with few exceptions. eg for cancer, which i'm deep into right now, i tend to look at things like serum copper zinc ratio. i don't know what cpk is without looking it up. re lactic acid i would expect maybe a correlation with magnesium level perhaps?? but i'd be looking it up for i think the first time. sorry i can't be more help on these!
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LisaH
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by LisaH »

Thank you for the reply. I'm hoping I don't have to wait long for the results of the paraneoplastic and VGKC antibody tests to come back. The tests that have come back seem okay but the sendout tests have me on edge. I know the doctor will give me info on everything when all the results are in, but I'm an impatient person and waiting is not my strong suit. :wink:
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jimmylegs
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by jimmylegs »

i hear ya! waiting sucks.
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LisaH
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by LisaH »

The neurologist also ordered sedimentation rate (esr) and mine is 22 MM/HR. The lab shows the standard range as 0-30 but according to what I've read, that range is for women who are over 50. I'm only 47. Women under 50 should have a sed rate less 20 mm/hr. Hopefully the doctor will recognize that when he looks at my test results. :confused:
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jimmylegs
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by jimmylegs »

i searched the forum in case of content re ESR in the past

found this

http://www.thisisms.com/forum/general-d ... c6843.html

and since that bit of info touched on CRP, also this

http://www.thisisms.com/forum/natural-a ... 24350.html

maybe useful, maybe no!
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LisaH
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by LisaH »

Thanks for the links :smile:
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jimmylegs
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by jimmylegs »

i am better at commenting on results like these http://www.thisisms.com/forum/general-d ... ml#p252765
(you have to flip to page 4 to see my input though!)
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LisaH
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by LisaH »

You provide a lot of great information on here so I took a shot that you might have info on my tests. :smile: I'm not sure what this neurologist is looking for but I'll find out more when the other test results come back.
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jimmylegs
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by jimmylegs »

worth a shot! hopefully you won't have too much longer to wait for answers, and someone else may chime in in the meantime as well :)
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LisaH
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by LisaH »

I forgot to add that this neurologist also mentioned doing a muscle biopsy. He said he wants to start with the labs and when he mentioned the muscle biopsy, he didn't elaborate at all. He did discuss the new lesion that was found on my most recent MRI, though. He noted that there was some enhancement and said it could represent scarring or possibly even bleeding and it could be causing some of the movement problems with my legs. This has me very stressed out and I'm hoping today will be the day I get those other test results. :confused: 8O :-S
LisaH
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by LisaH »

Well... I'm very confused about something. I wasn't told how long it would take to get the results back from the two sendout tests, so on Monday, I called to ask if the results were back. Someone named Heather said this to me: ""it shows that he has reviewed your VGKC results and they're in the process of putting it into your chart. He's still going over the paraneoplastic panel results." I've been on edge waiting to hear something so today I messaged the neurologist directly through the patient portal. He replied with this: "Those are send-out labs, and aren't back yet. May take two weeks. I'll call you if there's anything unusual on them." :confused: :-W I replied to him explaining what I was told on Monday and told him that the computer apparently showed incorrect information. I also asked that I be notified when the results come back even if nothing unusual shows up. They had no trouble getting the charge into the billing section of my patient portal immediately. X(
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jimmylegs
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by jimmylegs »

mixed messages, fun fun fun. frustrating, esp when it sounds like one msg is probably bs...
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LisaH
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Re: Help understanding my latest blood tests

Post by LisaH »

It's definitely frustrating! As for which message is bs... my husband and son both think the neurologist is stalling. They (and I) think he told me the test results aren't back yet because he's trying to figure out what the results mean. He probably knows I'd ask if I tested positive for any antibodies so telling me the tests aren't back yet stalls for a few more days. Not only was I told all that (by Heather) on Monday but last Friday when I spoke to a lady named Sandy in the neurology department, the computer showed her that the preliminary result was back for the VGKC but the paraneoplastic panel is still out. The patient portal shows messages in bold until they've been read. The reply that I sent to the neurologist yesterday was read within a few minutes but there has been no reply to it. Maybe I'm just being paranoid?! It's very likely that the results are normal, but the fact that he ordered these kind of tests.. and now the mixed messages.. I'm having trouble keeping it off my mind. :-S :think:
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