Can you tell me what is a normal ESR range for people? Mine is normal at the moment apparently but I have had 2 stroke like episodes and my ESR was at 28 when I had one and 22 when I had the other and the "normal range" in apparently under 15. However doctors are saying that this is not significant... and that the stroke episodes are not induced by Lupus but surely this is significant, especially when the first consultant said that it was a stroke caused by inflammation and not clotting..... your thoughts please?
Also recently I have been getting night sweats on my legs only.... pj bottoms really damp.... has anyone experienced this?
Thanks guys... x
Written by
Kellyleg
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Strokes are caused by reduced blood flow to the brain - inflammation of the blood vessels to the extent that they stop the blood flow could cause a stroke. So to say that a stroke cannot be caused by inflammation is not accurate. Having said that, it may be that in your case your strokes have been caused by something else, so your doctor is more likely to attribute any risk of stroke to that cause, rather than a new one - maybe this is what he meant in this case.
ESR is not such a good indicator of disease activity, it simply shows that your body is fighting something but that could be a foreign invader like a virus, not necessarily own body.
Not sure about the sweating on the legs - I mainly have night sweats of the upper body but sometimes the whole body and then when my lupus is not controlled/I'm in a flare.
As the others have said a raised ESR is only one part of a much larger equation with connective tissue diseases. I know people whose ESR would be considered by them to be soaring at 28 where others such as myself have only ever once made it as low as 17 and usually start at 30 and rise quite often to 70.
My ESR usually reflects my inflammation levels pretty well so I can predict where it is at by how bad I'm feeling. But I have friends for whom it is meaningless - they can be in great pain and flaring and only have an ESR of 11!
I don't know enough about strokes to know whether they can be caused by inflamation or not. I do know that, despite a diagnosis of RA rather than Lupus, my ESR can be high without much sign of arthritis at all and I believe instinctively that in my case my neuro symptoms are being caused by systemic inflammation, but I've yet to have this formally confirmed by a neurologist.
"Personal opinion but I agree with your doc, strokes are a vascular problem not an inflammatory one so I would listen to what he says, he sounds Ok.
Good luck"
I think the above is a very irresponsible comment and to be quite frank, a very ignorant one.
kellyleg, if you are worried and you feel you are not listened to, change a doctor until you find one who listens to your concern and help you.
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Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
x
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