ESR and CRP Numbers

[Mom2oneboy]

I know that ESR and CRP numbers are indicators for inflamation in the body and that's about all I know. In looking at my son's bloodwork results and it shows that the Range for ESR is 0-15 and CRP is .00-1.00. His numbers are 12 and .29 and this is before we started the Entocort. Is it ideal to be at 0 on both of these or do you shoot for somewhere in the middle. Sorry if this is a silly question. I feel like I'm in the middle of a Crohn's crash course or something

Thanks,
Shelley

 

[archie]

Hiya it can be confusing but they are a range of values that have prob been worked out on a range of people therefore that's why there is a lower and higher range. Anywhere within this range is seen as normal so you just have to aim to be in it. There can be different factors that might make it rise or drop on a day to day basis eg having a bug of some sort hence the fact dr's will repeat bloods to see if they change. They also use these values to gauge what is normal for that individual so no you don't have To aim for absolute zero but just within normal limits. Obviously your bloods can be an indication of things going on thats why they are used to help in diagnosis of seversl different pathologies. I hope I haven't confused you even more

 

[DustyKat]

I agree with Archie. Anywhere within those reference ranges is normal so don't look to zero just to be within them.

Without throwing a spanner into the works, for some people these inflammatory can be well within normal limits but inflammation is still present. This was the case with my daughter so I like to to go with what I call the double check...that being that the bloods reflect what is in front of my eyes when I look at my child.

Dusty. xxx

 

[imaboveitall]

Yes, what Dusty said.
V's CRP is always normal and the highest ever was 2, even when cap endo showed "significant" inflammation in her TI.
Her GI LOVES fecal lactoferrin as a more specific marker for gut inflammation as it shows presence of a protein released by WBC's at the locus. Ask your doc about it, it's just a stool specimen so noninvasive. You cannot put a ton of emphasis on labs, V's are not very off, always just a tad, whether or not she is very sick or quite well. I questioned this and since reading these forums I have found many who say the same!

Yep, a crash course indeed! :ywow: I was so ignorant of Crohn's when V was dx that I thought IBD and IBS were the same thing...and I have a master's in a med/sci field. It is enough to make your brain hurt...especially if you're of an obsessive nature as I am...:redface:

 

[Mom2oneboy]

Thanks for the great info!

It makes it all the more confusing for me when I look at the labs and the comments by the doc, "Mismatch between how great his labs look and significant bowel disease. Labs look good." I look at my son and he looks great and has all the energy he's had in the past. If I didn't have the pics from his colonoscopy that show an inflamed ileum I wouldn't believe anything was wrong.

In my world, I like things to be black or white. Grey makes me unsettled and nervous. Crohn's seems to be nothing but grey..grrrr!

 

[imaboveitall]

OMG, Mom2One, we are soul sisters :tongue: I am all about black/white and gray makes me MAD and crazy.

The highly individualized pattern of disease presentation w/IBD is absolutely INFURIATING and confounding.
Read more threads and your head shall spin even more. :eek2::eek2:

 

[Dutch941]

Lab work....grrrrrrr!

I concur. The lab numbers are so frustrating...,especially since the labs all use different processes and consider different amounts normal. We just left the ER today after Matt had stomach pain, fever, headache....lab work all over the map but then our GI didn't seem too concerned. I JUST WANT THIS UC ISSUE TO BE OVER!!! No offense everyone but I want to leave this group in the worst way. I feel horrible for my son and my nerves are about shot..andits oly been 3 months.

 

[AZMOM]

Hang in there Don....... It's easy for me to say "it'll be okay" because I remember the roller lasted of the early days but you are smack in the midst of them. Just know that we so get it!!!!!!! Hopefully this regimen will get your sons disease under control so you can find your new normal (that's what I call it anyway). There's certainly no denying that crohns & UC are terrible diseases and like you, I wish none of us were in this club but conversely, I am SO THANKFUL not to be alone either.

Hugs,

J.

 

[imaboveitall]

Yep, a club no one wants to be in and tries to escape from...there is NO ESCAPE :hallo3:, it's like the Hotel California...
It drives behaviors formerly foreign, such as posting about your kid's butthole on a public forum, did you ever think?
This forum is a great sanity aid for me, though. TOTALLY out of character, I'd NEVER before posted on a public forum, don't have Facebook (kids do but not me) and am not very internet-loving but here I am, daily.

It gets easier as they stabilize, though. But never easy. :heart:

 

[Mom2oneboy]

imaboveitall, you totally crack me up!! Never thought I'd be talking so much about my son's arse. I also thought I was done looking at it so much once he was out of diapers. I have to check it EVERY day to see how the former abscess area looks. Doesn't bother him a bit now. The other night he said, "While you're there can you see if my balls are getting any hair on them?" LOL

 

[Mom2oneboy]

Love it! That's just classic!

 

[Mom2oneboy]

I concur. The lab numbers are so frustrating...,especially since the labs all use different processes and consider different amounts normal. We just left the ER today after Matt had stomach pain, fever, headache....lab work all over the map but then our GI didn't seem too concerned. I JUST WANT THIS UC ISSUE TO BE OVER!!! No offense everyone but I want to leave this group in the worst way. I feel horrible for my son and my nerves are about shot..andits oly been 3 months.

Don,

How is Matt feeling today?? Bless his heart, I hope he has gotten some relief today.

Shelley

 

[Dutch941]

Much better..thanks for asking.....

 

[AZMOM]

I'm glad, Don!

And imboveitall, I'm the self proclaimed poop police around here.....following a kid with a flashlight just in case any "product" needs inspection. :ywow:

J.

 

[Mom2oneboy]

I'm glad, Don!

And imboveitall, I'm the self proclaimed poop police around here.....following a kid with a flashlight just in case any "product" needs inspection. :ywow:

J.

A flashlight!!! I'm the official poop professor here too and never thought of using a flashlight. What a great idea! I'll be putting that right beside the wipes he uses to make sure we clean the abscess area really well Thanks Azmom!

 

[imaboveitall]

Ah, try to top having to excavate the pillcam from a HUGE soft poo...oo:...I dare ya...

 

[Tesscorm]

:rof::rof::rof::biggrin: You guys are too funny! It's great to be able to laugh about it sometimes! :biggrin: One of Stephen's 'flushes' didn't completely clear out this weekend, it was like a 'bonus' that I actually got to see for myself how things are looking! :redface:

 

[imaboveitall]

THAT made me laugh aloud, Tess...
:biggrin:
I have to send specimens every two weeks after each Humira shot so I get up close and personal on the regular these days...whee...:dance:

Also awesome is the disposing of the "poo collection device" that goes in the toilet...do you put it in the regular garbage can wrapped in a plastic bag, or take it outside to the garbage can...what if raccoons get in which they often do...will it be in the driveway when I go out in the morn...will my neighbors see...

 

[Tesscorm]

:lol:

 

[Twiggy930]

:rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof::rof:

I have had the exact same thought about the raccoons!!!!!!! My solution was to bungee cord the garbage can SHUT. So far so good. :biggrin:

I now keep a flashlight in the cabinet next to the toilet for all my "investigations". Better yet, it's a headlamp... It's been handy lately :biggrin:

 

[imaboveitall]

OK, I got today's two week special...V said, "wasn't it perfect? Looked just like Mr. Hanky" (South Park fans shall get this).

Sometimes I cannot believe this is my life...:ytongue: