Elevated ESR levels
- Thread starter Tulip
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ESR is a non-specific test that goes with varoius inflammatory diseases
have you had other tests that go with "normal", expected inflammatory and connective tissue diseases? i.e. ANA, Rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein to start with? have you ever had a colonoscopy (or a reason to want one)?
If you've had any of the above tests, were the results abnormal (and which ones)? If you have not had them, you might ask for the blood tests (ask your doctor to investigate why your SED rate is abnormal), and ask about inflammatory bowel disease if that seems like a fit for you.
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/esr/test.html
It does look like arthritis could case elevated SED all by itself.
have you had other tests that go with "normal", expected inflammatory and connective tissue diseases? i.e. ANA, Rheumatoid factor, C-reactive protein to start with? have you ever had a colonoscopy (or a reason to want one)?
If you've had any of the above tests, were the results abnormal (and which ones)? If you have not had them, you might ask for the blood tests (ask your doctor to investigate why your SED rate is abnormal), and ask about inflammatory bowel disease if that seems like a fit for you.
http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/esr/test.html
It does look like arthritis could case elevated SED all by itself.
taniaaust1
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My ESR has been going up every year since 2006 in which it was in the mid range.... now its right at top of normal so I assume my next time its tested, it will be out of normal range.
ESR shows up things like rheumatoid arthritis so Ive assumed it is possibly due to rheumatoid arthritis running in my family and that I will get it like my nanna (Ive developed all the other health issues my nanna has.. so why not that one too).
ESR shows up things like rheumatoid arthritis so Ive assumed it is possibly due to rheumatoid arthritis running in my family and that I will get it like my nanna (Ive developed all the other health issues my nanna has.. so why not that one too).
Thanks,
I have only had crp which are also past normal levels. GP was not interested in finding the reason for the elevated levels, but i'm off to the rheumatologist soon after I begged her. I was just interested as according to cheney if a patient has above normal esr levels they don't have ME/CFS. I thought that was an odd thing to use as a marker since the patient may have ME/CFS and something else..
I have only had crp which are also past normal levels. GP was not interested in finding the reason for the elevated levels, but i'm off to the rheumatologist soon after I begged her. I was just interested as according to cheney if a patient has above normal esr levels they don't have ME/CFS. I thought that was an odd thing to use as a marker since the patient may have ME/CFS and something else..
correct, elevated ESR is not a typical finding in ME/CFS, but there is nothing to prevent you from having ME/CFS and, say, RA (rheumatoid arthritis).
In the diagnosis-by-exclusion scheme, used in the typical (but incorrect) manner, if they found any other major disease which could cause fatigue (and which would cause elevated ESR), such as RA or Lupus, then you would not be able to be diagnosed with CFS (ME/CFS) under Fukuda.
Properly, if the other disease was fully treated and you still had fatigue, or if you had symptoms not explained by the other disease, you should still be able to be diagnosed with CFS under Fukuda. However, this is more complicated than it seems because Lupus, for instance, can cause all sorts of neurological and other ME-type symptoms.
We need biomarkers to be accepted for ME/CFS (Klimas' NK cells, Jammes' neuromuscular dysfunction, etc.).
In the diagnosis-by-exclusion scheme, used in the typical (but incorrect) manner, if they found any other major disease which could cause fatigue (and which would cause elevated ESR), such as RA or Lupus, then you would not be able to be diagnosed with CFS (ME/CFS) under Fukuda.
Properly, if the other disease was fully treated and you still had fatigue, or if you had symptoms not explained by the other disease, you should still be able to be diagnosed with CFS under Fukuda. However, this is more complicated than it seems because Lupus, for instance, can cause all sorts of neurological and other ME-type symptoms.
We need biomarkers to be accepted for ME/CFS (Klimas' NK cells, Jammes' neuromuscular dysfunction, etc.).