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Lab Work Results - Clear as Mud?

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KnitOrMiss
KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
edited November 2024 in Social Groups
It is never so clear to me how little I know until I start attempting to review my lab results and realize I have no idea what I'm looking for (aside from obvious categories like cholesterol and blood sugar), what is an improvement, what is a negative result, or what is a red flag waving around... Especially as far as PCOS stuffs - not even normal people stuff. Guess I should add that to the "things I've learned about PCOS and wish other people could understand" list...

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  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    lol, I know that feeling. :)

    The labs around here usually have a range and most of the time, I default to that range. If something's on the edge one way or another, I make a note to keep an eye out for changes in it in the next round of bloodwork, and look up what it is, to get an idea of what happens when it goes too far out of bound. Thankfully, most of my stuff is smack dab in the middle of "normal," except for the stuff directly related to PCOS that are on the standard panels.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    Do you have a link to the standard PCOS related things? This latest round of labs sincerely has 71 results lines and counting... I'm not even sure what a bunch of this crap is...

    Most surprising to me, without any Potassium supplements my levels were right on where they have been for several years. Magnesium was low, but I skipped supplements a few days before the test to see where they were without supplements....

    And SOOOO sad/upset that blood glucose and A1c seem to have gone up or stayed the same. Insulin result not back yet... :(

    Almost doubled my B12, but it is nowhere near where it needs to be yet... Might have to get Rx supplements this tmie. :(:(:(
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    Oh, and I don't mind posting what I have back if anyone is curious....

    As expected, overall cholesterol is up, but HDL is up, trigs are down, and waiting on the size and actual count of LDL, as it is up too...
  • macchiatto
    macchiatto Posts: 2,913 Member
    I understand! It can be confusing.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Do you have a link to the standard PCOS related things? This latest round of labs sincerely has 71 results lines and counting... I'm not even sure what a bunch of this crap is...

    Most surprising to me, without any Potassium supplements my levels were right on where they have been for several years. Magnesium was low, but I skipped supplements a few days before the test to see where they were without supplements....

    And SOOOO sad/upset that blood glucose and A1c seem to have gone up or stayed the same. Insulin result not back yet... :(

    Almost doubled my B12, but it is nowhere near where it needs to be yet... Might have to get Rx supplements this tmie. :(:(:(

    I was just referring to the "standard metabolic panel" stuff - lipid panel, A1C, etc.

    The stuff specific to PCOS would be - estrogen, progesterone, DHEAS, etc.

    I feel you on the blood glucose one. My fasting glucose has been around 110 just about every morning I've tested it. Thankfully, my A1C was good last time it was checked (not spectacular, but good), but that's kind of to be expected when you don't generally eat carbs. :)
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    Dragonwolf wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Do you have a link to the standard PCOS related things? This latest round of labs sincerely has 71 results lines and counting... I'm not even sure what a bunch of this crap is...

    Most surprising to me, without any Potassium supplements my levels were right on where they have been for several years. Magnesium was low, but I skipped supplements a few days before the test to see where they were without supplements....

    And SOOOO sad/upset that blood glucose and A1c seem to have gone up or stayed the same. Insulin result not back yet... :(

    Almost doubled my B12, but it is nowhere near where it needs to be yet... Might have to get Rx supplements this tmie. :(:(:(

    I was just referring to the "standard metabolic panel" stuff - lipid panel, A1C, etc.

    The stuff specific to PCOS would be - estrogen, progesterone, DHEAS, etc.

    I feel you on the blood glucose one. My fasting glucose has been around 110 just about every morning I've tested it. Thankfully, my A1C was good last time it was checked (not spectacular, but good), but that's kind of to be expected when you don't generally eat carbs. :)

    Tested positive for auto-immune, though rheumatoid factor is super low, so not that type apparently. Shall hopefully have more news after tomorrow. I wish I could tell what other things to look for. Apparently my rampant sun sensitivity is a huge red flag for this grouping of types of auto-immune.

    Fasting insulin is down like 0.2...or something. Don't remember.

    Please send me positive thoughts for the next couple days...I rummaged through my kitchen today, wanting to binge through all the foods I've given up, knowing they aren't good for me, wanting to feel relief for a heartbeat...but I left it behind, at least so far. If I binge out on pepperoni and cheese, at least I know that it's mostly on plan/target.

    S

    i

    g

    h
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Dragonwolf wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    Do you have a link to the standard PCOS related things? This latest round of labs sincerely has 71 results lines and counting... I'm not even sure what a bunch of this crap is...

    Most surprising to me, without any Potassium supplements my levels were right on where they have been for several years. Magnesium was low, but I skipped supplements a few days before the test to see where they were without supplements....

    And SOOOO sad/upset that blood glucose and A1c seem to have gone up or stayed the same. Insulin result not back yet... :(

    Almost doubled my B12, but it is nowhere near where it needs to be yet... Might have to get Rx supplements this tmie. :(:(:(

    I was just referring to the "standard metabolic panel" stuff - lipid panel, A1C, etc.

    The stuff specific to PCOS would be - estrogen, progesterone, DHEAS, etc.

    I feel you on the blood glucose one. My fasting glucose has been around 110 just about every morning I've tested it. Thankfully, my A1C was good last time it was checked (not spectacular, but good), but that's kind of to be expected when you don't generally eat carbs. :)

    Tested positive for auto-immune, though rheumatoid factor is super low, so not that type apparently. Shall hopefully have more news after tomorrow. I wish I could tell what other things to look for. Apparently my rampant sun sensitivity is a huge red flag for this grouping of types of auto-immune.

    Fasting insulin is down like 0.2...or something. Don't remember.

    Please send me positive thoughts for the next couple days...I rummaged through my kitchen today, wanting to binge through all the foods I've given up, knowing they aren't good for me, wanting to feel relief for a heartbeat...but I left it behind, at least so far. If I binge out on pepperoni and cheese, at least I know that it's mostly on plan/target.

    S

    i

    g

    h

    The obvious thought is Hashi's, but I assume you've already been tested for that, given your history with thyroid issues? Even if it's always low, it can still be Hashi's (it eventually stays low when the thyroid burns out, it's kind of like the type 2 Diabetic who becomes insulin dependent, because the pancreas has burned out).

    Good thoughts and prayers coming your way. :)

    And remember -- you're very likely on the right track for best managing through lifestyle whatever autoimmune condition it is. It's quite likely it would have been far worse if you were still eating the way you were a couple of years ago.
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