looking for medical opinions ( I do have a physical soon but just curious)

[Dznypal]

I had my lab work done yesterday--

a few things have me concerned

first my

RBC are a little high 5.3 range 4.0 to 5.2

HGB 16.2 range 12.0 to 15.5

HCT 47.0 range 36.0 to 46.5

anion gap 6 this one is low range 10 to 20

Ive never had numbers like these--this part of the labs has always been really good (its the other numbers I have to worry about)

but just wondering what these numbers mean and how worried I should be-- I did a search but only got more worried

LIke I said I have a app with my dr but not till the end of July

and Id like to have some idea of what these mean--so Im not looking for advice of what I should do just wondering

thanks

 

[ptlohmysoul]

Firstly, if your doctor thought it was imminently fatal, you would not be waiting until end of July to be seen. Secondly, this is a good opportunity to research your symptoms, figure out questions you have for the doctor, and be prepared to change your lifestyle, if necessary, for your health. and just to be clear, I know nothing of these particular symptoms. Essentially, don't worry about what you can't do anything about right now.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I had my lab work done yesterday--

a few things have me concerned

first my

RBC are a little high 5.3 range 4.0 to 5.2

HGB 16.2 range 12.0 to 15.5

HCT 47.0 range 36.0 to 46.5

anion gap 6 this one is low range 10 to 20

Ive never had numbers like these--this part of the labs has always been really good (its the other numbers I have to worry about)

but just wondering what these numbers mean and how worried I should be-- I did a search but only got more worried

LIke I said I have a app with my dr but not till the end of July

and Id like to have some idea of what these mean--so Im not looking for advice of what I should do just wondering

thanks

Excuse me for being off topic but I had my labs done forever ago and I have no idea what my numbers are and my doctors appointment is next week how do you know you know your numbers

 

[longboard55]

my question is a check up is basically a blood test, so why not check the blood first and if everything is normal, save money and skip the checkup. We need to figure out ways to do this cheaper

 

[Emtgirljen]

Excuse me for being off topic but I had my labs done forever ago and I have no idea what my numbers are and my doctors appointment is next week how do you know you know your numbers

I don't know how the OP got her results, but the hospital where I get my regular bloodwork done has an app that lets me see all of my test results when they're ready.

 

[Dznypal]

my numbers are posted sometime after midnight on the clinic website--

since I had numbers on my mind I woke up around 4 this morning and there they all were

of course since they werent that good I couldnt get back to sleep but it is what it is

this is all part of our yearly physical--you get your numbers taken and then see the dr who also does blood pressure-heart lungs things like that

for a while my dr had me go every 4 months for numbers then me come in to talk about them then she sent out a paper just repeating what she had told me

trust me that set up didnt last long at all!!!! just a money maker deal

 

[cvjw]

Our hospital system has a website that shows all your medical history, lab results, appointments, etc. Easy to keep up with everything that way.

OP, one time when my blood was tested, multiple things came back weird. So weird that the dr wanted my blood tested again.

Come to find out, if your blood sits too long before being tested, it can give in accurate readings.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I dont believe it's a money grab I believe it's a opportunity to talk to your doctor about your health what's working and what's not

 

[Lynne M]

my question is a check up is basically a blood test, so why not check the blood first and if everything is normal, save money and skip the checkup. We need to figure out ways to do this cheaper

You can't diagnose everything through a blood test. The kind of blood work that's ordered with a routine physical is useful for screening for a few common conditions, but there are plenty of very serious ailments that'll never show up on a blood test.

 

[DLgal]

Those numbers aren't that far out of range, and the ranges are often based on averages, but in reality, your numbers can be slightly out of range and still be normal. Can you look at an older lab test and see if the numbers are close to these values?

You can also end up with erroneous results due to lab error and if your doctor is concerned, will likely start by having you do another blood draw.

I had a situation a year and a half ago where my liver enzymes and cholesterol were all elevated (pretty significantly compared to the range of normal). My doctor thought it seemed odd but wasn't overly concerned, because my other numbers were okay and I had no symptoms. A year later, the numbers returned to normal with no effort on my part. It was just a weird thing that happened with no explanation. Lots of things can affect blood test results without there being an illness. Try not to worry.

 

[Allison]

Those numbers are only slightly outside of the range. I wouldn't be concerned about that.

 

[lifesavacation]

I know better than to look up my results on my online account. Even if it’s off by a little bit, I’ll fixate on it. My doctor and I have an agreement that he’ll call me only if there’s a concern. Otherwise, I don’t want to see a copy of the results.

Give the nurse a call if you’re concerned. Try not to worry, though. Like someone else said, they would have reached out if it was really concerning.

 

[Lynne M]

I had my lab work done yesterday--

a few things have me concerned

first my

RBC are a little high 5.3 range 4.0 to 5.2

HGB 16.2 range 12.0 to 15.5

HCT 47.0 range 36.0 to 46.5

anion gap 6 this one is low range 10 to 20

Ive never had numbers like these--this part of the labs has always been really good (its the other numbers I have to worry about)

but just wondering what these numbers mean and how worried I should be-- I did a search but only got more worried

LIke I said I have a app with my dr but not till the end of July

and Id like to have some idea of what these mean--so Im not looking for advice of what I should do just wondering

thanks

Retired med tech here. Test results and normal ranges aren't hard-and-fast numbers. Your HGB (hemoglobin) level, for example, varies from day to day and even within a day. If you got more blood drawn tomorrow for a repeat test, it might be within the normal range. It might be just a little lower, or a little higher. So personally, I wouldn't even bat an eye at something that close to normal. A touch of dehydration could explain that and the hematocrit (HCT). Or it might be due to some medication you're taking.

So, to answer your question, if it were me, I wouldn't lose a moment's sleep over any of the results you mentioned.

 

[C&Jx2]

Those are barely out of the normal range. I’d worry more about the RBC and H&H if they were on the low end.

 

[Dznypal]

actually the HGB and HCT are a tad on the high side--just strange