Why bother doing esr

[Billybongos]

No matter what my esr says Wether it's 15....26...or last week 31 I'm told it's normal , I just don't understand please can some1 help 😨

[nomoreheels]

Lab ranges tend to vary but the values for the hospital where my ESR is tested is 1- 7 mm/hr but it can go up to 30mm/hr so maybe this is what's meant by normal, anything within range is normal for you. It's worth bearing in mind that your ESR is an indicator of long term or ongoing inflammation so not generally as helpful as your CRP, which is an indicator of acute inflammation or inflammation that you may currently have. It's especially important to determine if treatment is effective or if there's inflammation from an alternative source such as an infection.

If you're bothered about it I'd ask your nurse, or whoever takes your bloods, next time they're done.

[Billybongos in reply to nomoreheels]

Thanku nomoreheels

[helixhelix]

The lab my doctors use classes normal as under 30, and increases the figure with age. These are just general figures and each individual is a bit different. Some people have naturally high levels and 50 or so is ok for them. I have extremely low inflammation markers and it took years of plotting my results on a graph to be able to convince my rheumy that if my ESR went over 10 it meant I was flaring.

Keep a note of your results and how you feel and you'll find out what's normal for you.

[Billybongos in reply to helixhelix]

I give up to it.. the hospital seem to use result to suit

[Hidden]

Inflammatory markers are only one part of the picture. You can have active RA with a perfectly normal ESR (and CRP) and you can have raised ESR which doesn't mean an awful lot. Blood test results shouldn't be considered in isolation, it's only part of Rheumatoid.

[Lisazs]

My ESR very rarely reflects what's going on - I can have visible swelling in many joints and it will be same result as good days. Rheumatology team say it's quite common!