Rising ESR levels

[Sunshinereturns]

Hi everyone, I’d appreciate any knowledge.

After a horrible year of flares, medication finally seems to be working for me. I’ve been feeling much better. However my blood tests show my inflammation levels rising. My ESR was down at 5, even during my periods of unwellness. I’ve felt well for the last two months but my levels rose to 15 and are now 21. I’m pretty sure this means te disease is active and progressing so the medication is not as effective as I’ve felt. GP just says don’t worry. However I am worried. I want to be in a controlled state.

Advice or information would be so welcome. Thanks

[KittyJ]

I’d listen to your GP and not worry about it, that in itself won’t help. As you posted 10 days ago how well you are doing now I would just keep an eye on it, other things can affect your ESR and I’m sure your doctors will be keeping an eye on it too.

[Lolabridge]

Yes I agree with KittyJ. A rise in ESR can indicate an infection too I think. Could you have one? There are a lot about at the moment!

[Neonkittie17]

Hi, Agree with KJ and Lola.💗💗 It could be an infection you’re not aware you’ve had and isn’t making you actually feel bad to notice it but is showing in your ESR. Also things like anaemia can elevate your ESR. Happened to me early on in my RA.

I don’t feel it’s anaemia as your rheumy would have seen your red blood count and said. Also if you are older your ESR is more elevated, but you’re not older! I know it’s frustrating and you don’t want to have your ESR higher than the norm, but some NHS monitoring uses 15 as its upper threshold for ESR and some use 20. Mine uses 15. I have my CRP done as opposed to ESR as my rheumy prefers that. I hope next test it’s decreased and makes you feel more at ease and I fully understand that but try not to worry as stress doesn’t help it either! Doesn’t do a lot for your immune cells in general. If you aren’t feeling any telltale breakthrough signs of RA coming back then hopefully your med is still working well enough, but you are right there to be cautious too, keeping a check on things after you’ve had a difficult year of flares.

Also, your rheumy/doc looks across the board at all your blood results over several results/months and will be looking at results such as your white blood cells to check they are steady.

[Sunshinereturns]

Thank you so much for your kind responses. Much appreciated. It’s just my GP looking at the tests just now and I don’t think I’m due to see my rheumatologist for about four months. However I’ll request help if it doesn’t go down. Thank you so much for reassurances.

[hellykay in reply to Sunshinereturns]

Could you contact your Rheumy nurses and ask them the questions? Mine would then send the consultant a quick email if they felt it was warranted and it might put your mind at ease. I really like my GPs but they don't have the specialist knowledge needed, I have found in the past.

[Runrig01]

I really wouldn’t worry. ESR only tells you there is inflammation somewhere in the body. Often that may be an infection, even viral infections can raise it. Unfortunately an ESR can’t tell you where the inflammation is. It’s not alarmingly high, so if you feel well, I wouldn’t worry. Listen to your gp. Although bloods are taken by your gp, your rheumatologist will still be copied into the results, so he can act if concerned.

[Connie49]

It’s my understanding that an ESR below 29 is ok for a woman; a little less than that for a man. Mine is usually about 25 and my Rheumatologist has been fine with that. I know when I was first diagnosed it was 77!

[Sunshinereturns]

I so appreciate you all taking the time to answer. I feel much better now! I was just feeling so surprised the levels were rising when I have been feeling so much better but perhaps it’s just one of these things and they’ll rise and fall. Many thanks

[Neonkittie17 in reply to Sunshinereturns]

I think so and your levels will be monitored so enjoy feeling decent! 💗