Confused about blood tests

[Doraflora]

After having had a slight flare while on my last tapering programme, my GP said that my inflammation markers were ok. However, when I got the print out of them yesterday it stated my CRP was 16! Is this not a sign of a flare-up?

Also, she said that all other bloods were ok when in fact my eGFR had dropped slightly to 76. Is this ‘normal’ too? Only some sites say anything over 60 is normal and some say normal is anything over 90. Am I worrying unnecessarily?

[piglette]

My GP says SATISFACTORY when my CRP is 60. I have 60 as minimum on my printout for eGFR. I notice mine is 40. I should not worry too much if your GP is happy and you feel OK.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

GFR falls with age - over 90 is for young and totally healthy people really,

niddk.nih.gov/health-inform...

kidney.org/atoz/content/gfr

Is there a range for CRP in brackets after the result? A trend is more interesting/helpful - and a comparison with the lowest level you have achieved.

[Doraflora in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, PMRpro. The range says (90-200)

[MarkWin]

Everyone is individual, and GPs, and others should bear this in mind. Unfortunately, there were no 'baseline' figures around for me to compare what I had at the very beginning with where I am now, so it has become 'trial and error', and I keep a chart for the trends. The bracket for normal/satisfactory seems to be for the population as a whole, though there are some variables for age too (not a criticism please, just an observation!) I know where my 'baseline' is for CRP and ESR, and can also 'feel' when I am unwell, though that may not be because of the GCA but could be any other illness/infection the body is fighting. I do watch the trend as much as anything, though a year ago, I 'knew' I was heading back in to difficulty despite GP saying I was ok. I eventually got a referral to the Rheumy who put me straight back on high dose and I am now tapering and feel slightly stronger again. An unpleasant experience that suggests that GPs following standard parameters does not always mean they know what an individual body is doing. I have to say GP is good, though I am new to the practice.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to MarkWin]

It's so frustrating when that happens though isn't it - and why the real experts say symptoms rule and listen to the patient who usually knows their disease better than anyne else