ESR & Hemoglobin

[Catherine]

Sarah has no symptoms other than tireness and pale skin.

Her hemoglobin has dropped from 11.5 to 10.5

and her ESR has increased from 24 to 31

What could these results mean?

Thanks for listening.

 

[Trysha]

The fall in hemoglobin could be indicative of blood loss somewhere in the system, could also be lack of B12, iron loss. etc
Perhaps you should be checking with the doctors about it all.
An increased ESR can be due to inflammation it is a non specific test.
Has a CRP been done also?
So sorry that Sarah is going through this bad patch and hope she will be better soon.
Hugs and best wishes
Trysha

 

[Catherine]

Thanks Trisha

I am waiting return call from GI. Can't get a GP appointment until next Friday. Finding hard to wait another 8 days for answers.

There is also a problem with Sarah's iron studies, 3 of 4 number are out of arrange. B12 is around 250 which the doctors tell me is fine.

Sarah has a swim trip comming up which is 8 hours by bus (each way). I need to make a decision on letting her go today or tomorrow at the latest.

 

[David]

Catherine,

A B12 level of 250 is quite possibly NOT fine and they need to test her methylmalonic acid levels to find out for sure. As this paper showcases (print it out and take it to your doctors) a B12 level of between 200 and 400 pg/ml actually means there is a 50% chance that you are deficient in B12 based upon methylmalonic acid levels which is a much better determinant than serum B12.

Based upon this, I would wager that there is a greater than 50% chance your daughter is actually deficient in B12. They absolutely need to find out if she is or isn't rather than basically flipping a coin and guessing.

 

[Catherine]

I will work on getting vitamin B12 tested.

 

[David]

Methylmalonic acid needs to be tested at this point due to her B12 level of 250 since the 250 doesn't tell us what's going on, it's only a signpost.

 

[Catherine]

Thanks David

I will work on having vitamin B12 tested properly for Sarah and myself as my b12 282.

 

[Catherine]

I get it need to have meth..... Acid tested.

 

[David]

Print out this paper and take it with you in case they aren't sure why you're requesting it.

 

[Catherine]

I will print out paper and take it. I think the gp I am waiting for appointment will do the test. If not I tell him that I would like to supplement b12 and see he what he says.

He put me on B6 for breast pain and it seems to be helping.