First Blood Test Results Back

[lemons]

Just got my first blood test results back today, since starting AP three months ago. My “SERUM C REACTIVE PROTEIN LEVEL” has risen to 32mg from 27mg but “ERYTHROCITE SEDIMENTATION RATE” has dropped from 31mm to 30 mm. Are these considered good results or bad ?

[Woods1977]

Hi lemons,

As you know I

[lemons]

Hello Woods, thanks for the info. I am having on off days, yesterday I felt great, today I feel like I have flu but overall I am having more and more good days. I don’t understand why CRP has gone up but SED rate has gone down 😕 I know its early days and I am quite pleased the results weren’t too different in comparison to last time. See my AP doctor next week and Im hoping he doesn’t want me to do IV antibiotics as I cant cope with needles, I nearly passed out when I had the blood test. I think the nurse thought I was such a drama queen when afterwards I requested some iced water !!

[lynnie_sydney]

lemons – blood work can herx in the same way as physical symptoms (mine all went up on AP for the first 6 months – documented in my testimonial). It’s also a fact that inflammation markers can and do fluctuate and it’s a trend that is more important. 3 months is very early into the protocol and patience is the key. Good that you are noticing some good days – how you feel is by far the best indicator – and many have found that this can be a two steps forward, one step back progression

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[lemons]

Thanks for getting back to me Lynnie. I sort of realise its early days and wasn’t expecting miracles, its just I am bit confused (doesn’t take much). Why would sed rate go down and crp go up ? I would’ve thought they would both go in same direction 😕 😕 😕

[A Friend]

@lemons wrote:

Just got my first blood test results back today, since starting AP three months ago. My “SERUM C REACTIVE PROTEIN LEVEL” has risen to 32mg from 27mg but “ERYTHROCITE SEDIMENTATION RATE” has dropped from 31mm to 30 mm. Are these considered good results or bad ?

Hello Lemons,
Your comment and your question above took me back several years. And made me wonder if some of the things we learned about thickened blood and our test diagnoses regarding these might still be in the message archives if a search was done next to General Discussion.

Below is a link to a thread… there may be something of benefit to you and others about various testing results and thickened blood, and how many organisms can “hide out” in this.

Keep searching and the answer will probably suddenly appear for you. My guess is that it just might be helpful to use such as ibuprofen 30 minutes before taking Minocin, etc. to better reach organisms. Also, the tests I referred to in some of the thread posts helped in addressing my own problems when the physician had me use Bromelain instead of the sometimes used Heparin. He wanted no part of that for me at that time, and neither did I. What we did worked.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=922&p=6755&hilit=dr+brown+comments+on+tests#p6755

Good luck,
AF

[lemons]

Thankyou Friend, I will have a look at that link. I think you are right and taking an Ibuprofen before Minocin makes sense. Im now going to go and lie down ,as the reference about “thickened blood” has made me feel quite ill.

[Maz]

@lemons wrote:

Why would sed rate go down and crp go up ? I would’ve thought they would both go in same direction 😕 😕 😕

Lemons, the following link explains the difference between CRP and ESR (erythrocyte sedimentation rate or SED rate).

http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-the-difference-between-an-esr-and-crp-test.htm

As the article explains, the ESR test is a less sensitive (and older) test than CRP.

“Changes in ESR are slower than changes in CRP, so it is a less sensitive indicator. In addition, many non-inflammatory conditions may elevate the ESR, such as anemia, menstruation, pregnancy, and use of a variety of medications.”

So, basically CRP is more reflective of what is occurring on the day of the test, whereas ESR moves more slowly in either direction (up or down). Prior to a flare, for e.g., the ESR may start going up a month or two ahead of it, so can be helpful as a predictive marker, but it also means that it’s slower to come down and may take months after a flare has passed to lower back down. CRP, on the other hand, will change from day to day, so with this test, it may go up and down from test to test, depending on what is happening on that day.

It’s the long-term trend with lab results that matter really and a measurement of a point or two higher is negligible and doesn’t mean too much. If blood is drawn every month, while it may fluctuate slightly, the overall trend in a year, for example, should be that the labs are moving down. AP doesn’t stop flares, however, so these can and usually do still occur, but the flares should also be getting less frequent, less intense and shorter in duration.

[lemons]

Thankyou Maz that explanation really does make sense, as on Monday when I had test done I felt a bit rough. Next day (Tuesday) I felt great, so CRP would’ve possibly been lower if the blood had been tested that day. All Im taking is Minocin and the occasional Ibuprofen but the improvements are there and mainly in my hands. Today I peeled and chopped 2kg of potatoes, two months ago I wouldn’t have been able to grip a knife. Thanks for everyones help and suggestions, I now feel pleased that although not great, the blood results are going ( sort of) in the right direction.

[Author]

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