My blood test result.

[Laurra]

Hi,

I've been diagnosed with sever dry eyes two years ago. My ophthalmologist asked me to take a few tests to make sure I don't have any rheumatoid or lupus because my eyes are not getting any better& they get worse during the summer. My blood result is : My RF is 10 IU/ml & my CRP is 1 mg/L my ESR :18 mm/hour Basophils: 0.05 &eosinophils: 0.13

EO: 1.6 &monocytes: 0.46

I'm waiting for my ANA result & I'm really worried. I sometimes have pain in my bones & in my joints especially when I work hard & I thought that is normal. Does that mean I'm sick?

[Hidden]

Hi. Can you tell us how old you are because this can make a big difference with dry eyes and also ESR. You haven't included the lab ranges so can't say about the other results, but your CRP is absolutely fine and your ESR is only a bit elevated. Could be due to many things.

I have an autoimmune disease called Sjögren's along with Hashimoto's. This causes dry eyes - but then so do many things including some medications, hypothyroidism, ageing and other diseases. So, although it is the most classic symptom, having dry eyes doesn't mean you have Sjögren's.

You are only sick if you feel sick in my book - certainly with Sjögren's, Lupus and RA and poorly controlled Hashimoto's anyway. You would probably feel very unwell if you had any of these. None of your bloods jump out at as particularly worrying to me but I'll let others say what they think.

You haven't said what your thyroid results are. Have you had these taken yet? Being hypothyroid is the most common cause of dry eyes I think.

[Laurra in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your information I'm 28 years old. The doctor told me that I'm too young to have sever dry eyes. besides I had punctual plugs inserted 2 years ago & I still feel no better especially during summer & winter. He suspects lupus or sjögrens. I'm athletic , But I'm skinny & Boney. and I sometimes have joints & muscles pain. But other than that I'm fine.

Regarding my results:

RF: 10 lab range :0-14

ESR: 18 lab range : <30

CRP: 1 lab range <5

Basophils: 0.05 lab range < 0.2

eosinophils: 0.13 lab range <0.5

monocytes: 0.46 lab range < 0.9

neutrophils:4.43 lab range 2- 6.9

regarding the thyroid test my doctor did not ask me to take one . And I'm waiting for my ANA.

[Hidden in reply to Laurra]

Oh okay I understand better now. I asked about your thyroid because you've posted on a thyroid community and also because Hypothyroidism can cause severe dry eyes and affect people of any age.

Your bloods don't suggest that anything inflammatory or untoward is occurring so it would be well worth asking your GP to test your thyroid levels too.

But if your ANA is positive it would be worth asking to be referred to a rheumatolgist for more specific tests to be done and a specialist opinion. But don't panic because healthy people can have a positive ANA result too.

And just in case ... please don't let anyone tell you that you're too young to have Sjögren's because Venus Williams has it and many younger people have it and I'm quite sure I've had it since I was a child. In my case it was misdiagnosed originally as RA though. My eyes have also been extremely dry since I was young.

[Laurra]

Thanks a lot

He did not say I'm young for SJögrens . He actually means young people don't usually tend to have sever dry eyes for no reasons. Dry eyes is normal for old people but no common among young and healthy people.

[Hidden in reply to Laurra]

No I realise that - even I am too young for dry eyes! But if you read up about Sjögren's it usually says that it mainly affects women around the ages of 40 onwards. It also says it often takes a long time to diagnose and is actually quite hard to get diagnosed for many people compared to other diseases. I think the truth is that it often affects younger people similarly to Lupus and RA but it only commonly affects joints, nerves and organs when people are menopausal age. It can affect the eyes and mouth much earlier. I was diagnosed by positive ANA and lip biopsy which was 100% positive - meaning I'd had it for a very long time and I'm 54 now. It affects my nervous system most of all though - dry eyes just an ongoing nuisance as they have been most of my life!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Ps I think Venus Williams was diagnosed after a few years of severe fatigue and joint pain. She is seropositive i.e. It shows up in her bloods specifically for Sjögren's.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I had a period of dry eyes and was treated with acular eye drops - having been prescribed other drops which did not work - these drops definitely helped. I was diagnosed with severe eye allergy and the drops prescribed are used for people who have had eye ops.