Ever-changing bloods

[mistymeana]

Hi All,

Been getting odd blood results for the past few months. ESA/CRP low as ever but first was told I had low white cell count and ,although I had enough platelets, they didn't think they were quite doing what they should. Hence the pretty patterns of bruising that crop up when I as much as look sternly at my skin. Then, a couple of months ago, they found my iron and haemoglobin were really low. Cameras stuck everywhere you don't want cameras stuck revealed nothing sinister so high-dose iron with all it's lovely side-effects. Had another test a couple of weeks ago and heard nothing so assumed all on track then I got a letter from the surgery asking me to go in to discuss the bloods. Oh dear, thinks I, suspect iron pills aren't doing their job. Nope! They didn't ask for iron to be checked this time (!!!) but GP thinks probably improving as haemoglobin levels up. This time my protein levels are really low! Asked GP what might cause that. "Well it could be an absorption problem but we would have expected something to have shown up on the colonoscopy if that was the case. It's most likely because of your RA." That would be the RA my caring sharing rheumy said I don't have then. Aaaaaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhh! So more bloods next week and take it from there. I'm daft enough to hope this means someone might just take the time to review my diagnosis and actually ask me some salient questions this time rather than prodding my hands and waving me out the door. Rant over.

[allanah]

Sounds like you are going through a rotten time with your tests. I hope they get you sorted soon , sorta going through lots of tests too at the moment , so I hope you get the answer soon . X

[sylvi]

Hugs for you.xxx

[miss]

Sorry your having such a hard time at the moment. Sending you a hug xx

[Hidden]

Here's hoping you get something positive in the form of a diagnosis and treatment very soon - I know you've suffered bravely for a long time now and it's high time you had some proper attention and a reason for all these awful things you've had to endure. Txx

[earthwitch]

have they actually done blood tests for coeliac disease? that would need an endoscopy to check if blood tests are positive, and one that goes right through the stomach into the first part of the jejunum, plus biopsies taken. I had endless malabsorption problems with blood results going all over the place, and interestingly enough, bruising and bleeding problems too (including problems with unstable clot formation after dental extraction), and it took years before my doctor even considered coeliac disease. She was most apologetic in the end when my coeliac blood test came back sky high, and the biopsy showed severe villous atrophy (about as bad as it could get). You do need to be eating a full gluten diet for at least 6 weeks before being tested though.

If you have had an endoscopy looking for coeliac disease and its come back normal, thats not impossible - oftentimes damage can be patchy, or start just below where they got to with the endoscopy, and therefore they miss it, so having the blood test done is a good idea.

[mistymeana in reply to earthwitch]

Hi Earthwitch. Yep had coeliac bloods done a while back and all clear. Also had endoscopy as above a couple of weeks before the colonoscopy to check no internal bleeding etc and nothing visible to account for odd blood results.