Abnormal lab results

Posted , 8 users are following.

Hello Ladies, I went for my follow up this morning and got the results from my lab work .. almost all my results were abnormal !! 

I had a high level of inflammation, so the Dr. recommends me to a Rheumatologist because she says she is pretty sure it is Rheumatoid arthritis.

I also had elevated liver enzymes which she said was probably from all the inflammation but she will be monitoring.

I am borderline diabetic ... i told her I don't want to take medication I will try and control with diet.

I don't drink alcohol so I don't understand the liver thing and I try to stay away from fried foods... 

She did say I was premenopausal, but she said that has nothing to do the rest of the stuff going on , the only thing she did agree that was a symptom was the hot flashes which I don't get very often , she said that was because I'm probably done with menopause .

I am 51 and I had a hysterectomy when I was 40 so I shouldn't really have menopausal symptoms?

Can anyone tell me what a rheumatologist does to find out if it is or isn't arthritis?

0 likes, 17 replies

17 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Grace, You will probably have an ANA titer test to check for auto immune diseases, including RA. My bloodwork shows inflammation sometimes too, I think it’s quite common.  Inflammation usually just means that something is aggravated in the body.  I have arthritis in my neck and back. I’ve had ANA antibody tests that came back positive, then negative for all the bad stuff (RA, etc).

    your dr is just covering all bases.  Fingers crossed for you! 🤞

    • Posted

      Thank you Lou, I am praying that it's not rheumatoid but if it is I know with Gods help I will get through this. Thanks for your encouragement.

  • Posted

    Well, the rheumatologist will do additional blood tests to determine it.  But you should also know that there's a chance for false positives.  Do you have symptoms of arthritis?  

    Also, your liver enzymes could be elevated because of fatty liver disease.  Are you overweight?  How fatty liver disease is diagnosed is by ultrasound to determine whether you have deposits of fat in your liver. Even though you don't drink alcohol, you can have fatty liver disease, which is thought to be caused by consuming excessive amounts of sugar, any type of sugar.  

    It is believed that the biggest culprit In this process is caused by high fructose corn syrup.  This additive is used in most prepackaged convenience foods to make them more palatable.  And, it's used in most sodas. Your post said that you're pre-diabetic. Are you over weight? Fatty liver disease can be reversed by changing your diet.  It's important to understand that "liver detoxes" don't work and can be dangerous.  The best way to remove fatty deposits in the liver is by making sure you get adequate nutrition and drastically reduce your intake of all sugars. 

    Though you had a hysterectomy (I'm assuming your ovaries were removed) the fat in your body will produce some estrogen.  So, it's possible that you could still have hot flashes.  

    Hope the above helps. xx       

    • Posted

      Yes, I do have the joint stiffness in the mornings but the pain in my fingers is constant.

      I am not overweight although according to my height and small body frame I should weigh 116 and my weight this morning was 129... she did say that it could be hereditary 

      My sister has fatty liver.

      I do still have my ovaries and cervix unfortunately I had a partial hysterectomy.

      I will start by cutting out sugar and try to eat healthier I have to follow up with her in 3 months. Praying for better results.thank you😊

    • Posted

      Take care, Grace!  I hope and pray that things improve for you!  xx
  • Posted

    My sister had Hysterectomy but they said that even though you have a complete one you will still go through menopause when you reach that age, I hate it when one doctor says one thing and another says something else.
    • Posted

      I know my Mom also had a partial hysterectomy and  although she didn't experience joint pain she struggled with other issues. 

  • Posted

    Hi grace, I had a really bad frozen shoulder hurt so bad.. When I finally went to the doctor they took blood and I was seropositive that means for sure rheumatoid arthritis, you can also be seronegative where it doesn't show up in blood tests but then just go by symptoms, would be a maybe you have it.. But you pretty much know you do have rheumatoid arthritis there will be no denying it, pain in the joints are pretty BAD!!! and you get flare ups in your joints could be your fingers knees wrists toes ankles, and when you get a flare up in one joint and the pain goes away, the other joint on opposite flares up a couple days later.. The flare ups for me last exactly 72 hours like clockwork, and the 2nd day being unbearable, for about 24 hours, and I wrap whatever joint is flaring up with a heat source and don't move it for them 24 hours period, then I remove wrap and start to move it again, then pain is gone... Certain things can and will trigger a flare up and you will learn what those flare ups are..( if you have it) some of my triggers are a very bad stressful event, a cold or flu or virus, lifting something too heavy, and certain exercises.. Also certain foods can trigger a flare up.. Doctor will also do xrays to make sure you have no deformation of the joints yet.. And will do bending and stretching tests to see what your range of motion is.. I do believe all this (my autoimmune problems started with perimenopause) so I believe it is definitely all connected to hormones or lack there of.. For sure. One of the blood test will be to test antibodies.. Mine were very high, also high for hashimotos, if you have one autoimmune disease chances are you have more.. If you don't or can't take the medication which is very powerful and side effects can be awful then definitely do an anti-inflammatory diet it helps a lot.. But you have yo be strict with it or you'll get the flare ups and you'll know, good luck and I'm here if you have anymore questions you can pm me...

    • Posted

      Thank you Gypsy, yes your right I have all those symptoms it started in my left shoulder and when it flares it lasts a couple of days and then my right shoulder starts doing the same thing. It is very painful and scary.

      Does changing your diet really help the inflammation and what do you suggest?

    • Posted

      Hi grace, yes the anti inflammatory diet really does help,I just focus on lean meats , fruits , veggies, nuts and seeds..and lots of water, I don't eat red meats or pork, and im gluten free.. Makes a big difference.. Also you'll notice if you don't already joints swell and become inflamed with a lot more flare ups all through the winter months.. I dread winter now, I use to love it but I am in too much pain now, always concentrating on how to keep my pain low and my menopause symptoms gone its exhausting.. But do feel like I get that break during the summer, at least with the joint pain anyway!

  • Posted

    Hi Grace, back at my sickest I had extremely high liver enzymes, like in the 300s. They did tests for all types of hepatitis and then even talked about performing a liver biopsy. Luckily my levels started coming down on their own and I tested negative for all the types of hepatitis. I thought at the time it was due to to zantac I was taking, even though the doctors said the levels wouldn't have been that high. I also had reactivated EBV going on, and I think this can make levels higher too. My levels have stayed normal now for the last year and a half. 

    For rheumatoid arthritis the rheumatologist will test your ANA levels. I had those tests too, all were negative. They even gave me a round of prednisone to see if I would feel better, but I didn't, so the cause wasn't autoimmune.

    You had a hysterectomy, but did they take your ovaries? If not, you will still be producing hormones. I would think that you would go through meno just like everyone else but can't tell because you don't get your periods. Surely you would still get all the symptoms regardless. 

    Good luck at the doc. I hope it all turns out to be nothing.

    XO

    • Posted

      Thanks Suzanne, yes I do have my ovaries.. I'm glad that you tested negative for rheumatoid I pray that I have the same outcome. Were you having joint pain is that why you were seen by a rheumatologist?

    • Posted

      I was having all kinds of symptoms, and yes, lots of joint pains. I also had very painful frozen shoulder. The rheumatologist checked me out and couldn't find anything rheumatologic going on. I've got other autoimmune issues, and so does my mother, so it's always in my mind that I could get other ones.

      I could be wrong, but I think when you have RA your joints also become red and swollen. I've never had that.

      Please keep us updated as to how you are doing! 

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