Hi. What heppened about this concern? Sorry if its posted somewhere else. This post jumped out at me cause my levels are off of this too but they said no real concern. I know its hard not to worry about off numbers but some I think are less of a concern or everyone is different. I'm not sure about this issue though. Your a good care taker it sounds.

Daniella:

Just got off the phone with Dr. Fred's office. The girl read me the numbers from the most recent blood test.

His new LYMPHOCYTES,ABSOLUTE number is 1373. A far cry from the 311 from the week before when he took the test with a fever of 101.5.

Then I had her read me the Triglycerides number.
The week before it was 198. She goes: "Wow, it's 332". I said "how can it be 332, he doesn't eat any beef or meat. She said "no, it's not from beef or meat, it's from carbs, it's bread, cereal and pasta and potatoes".

I said "really???, well he eats cereal for breakfast (and those muffins,those darn muffins, well no more muffins for him!!!!). He eats a sweet potato for supper with his fish or chicken.

Now how a person can go from 198 to 332 in 7 days, well, I have no clue. And I know if it was a source of concern, Dr. Fred would get in touch with Alan. He knows Alan's diet. He knows about the IVIG. Alan is on plavix and aspirin also.

Don't know if the infusions of antibodies could have any impact on a triglycerides reading. But to go from 198 to 332 in 7 days. Something is kaplooey here. Alan wanted an appointment to speak to Dr. Fred about this but the only opening is the day of his next infusion.

And tomorrow we go to Dr. Baird to see if he gets a foot operation.

My oh my, all this excitement. First his infusion is screwed up, then his takes a blood tests with a feverof 101.5. then all these nutty numbers. Well, as long as he's walking, talking and breathing, I'm not going to think about it.

He looks fine, feels fine (except for the PN, which drove him crazy last night because of the weather). I have diabetic neuropathy, and last night (because the weather was like it didn't know if it would pour or just drizzle and the humidity was horrible), my skin felt like ants were crawling all over it. I phoned my friend who is also diabetic and has neuropathy in her stomach and she said "Oh, I get that too when it's going to rain".

Now this morning, all that feeling subsided and it was pouring outside like you would not believe. Did that stop me??? Oh no, because I massaged Alan all night long, I couldn't bend my fingers, so I just took myself and my umbrella and went around the corner and had a nice Dunkin Donuts Breakfast.
Came back and Alan was just getting up and it was 10:30 am.. He had a good sleep because it finally rained really hard. Cleaned the air. It's amazing how a good hard rain makes the PN go away. At least for Alan and myself it does.

I gather this would affect many of you the same way, right??

Melody

I think you should know one basic fact, [it's printed in the prescription info] and that is IVIG does skew blood numbers in many ways. It depends on what other meds Alan is on really.
It is from all I've read and learned STANDARD PROTOCOL to take blood for testing right before IVIG not after...the day before or if in a doc's office or infusion clinic immediately before infusing. Testing regarding IVIG is usually to see how well the liver is coping with the strain of the extra Igg's into the system. Most folks cope well, very few do not.
I DO know that every single medication and supplement I take alters my normals in some category or the other....that's the price we pay to try and stay well, prevent issues or improve conditions. I don't think there is a drug maker, doctor, pharmacist or pharmacy/doctor who can put together or even KNOW all the pieces of what we: take, do, and are all together.. On the plus side, my numbers are mostly consistent...Consistency is a good thing.
I hope this helps in some way! I wrestle with myself trying to understand blood work and all it means! I am losing that fight -the understanding part that is, the more I learn, the more confused I get...My docs aren't worried about most of it -so I guess I'm OK.
For Alan, the re-test sounds like the absolute best thing to do! Dr. Fred is one of the good guys! - j

PS you beat me in your posting - those numbers sound a bit better...did someone do a typo or write something down wrong? Who knows or cares...Dr Fred isn't saying COME INTO the office NOW! So enjoy?

Want to know what I think??

These doctors are so overworked and so overwhelmed, that only the most crazy blood test numbers, only the most noticable numbers, are immediately brought to their attention. I mean, where do these doctors get the time to breathe, what with office hours, hospital rounds, consultations, and then ....getting back to people with their blood tests results??? We are talking a lot of patients in the waiting room. Some wait 3 hours to get to see Dr. Fred (he does take time with each patient, so you get all the attention.

But it has to be really hard to please everybody. I mean, when we go and sit in the office waiting room, you have no idea how many people are on the line waiting to ask questions for the Doctors. Of course the doctors are with patients, and the staff behind the desk, well there are about 8 of them. And they are all busy. Answering the phones, making phone calls.

Just now when I was ending the conversation, I asked "would you please send me a copy of Alan's latest blood work, I keep a file", and she said "no problem, please send a stamped self addressed envelope requesting such". I said "no problem". Now if I lived around the corner, I'd just walk over there. But it's a bus ride to get there and it's pouring outside. So I just did the self addressed stamped envelope thing.

I wish they did e-mail. Now that would be a time saver.

I bet in 10 years, every doctor will be e-mailing their patiens all test results.

Anyway, I'm not worried about his numbers. I know that IVIG affects blood work. He's doing fine. That's all I care about.

Will update if he finds he needs a foot operation. Tomorrow we are off to Kings Plaza Foot Care to see the podiatrist.

bye for now. Hope you're feeling fine!!!

Melody

Melody, you know those HIPPA forms you sign every time you go to a new doctor? They forbid doctors communicating iwth patients by email. They are allowed to fax, but not email. It's questionable whether even emailing about appointments is allowable.

A fax can be private. Email is NEVER private.

That's why the envelope.

HIPAA does not forbid email from providers to patients. It does establish regulations pertaining to all electronic communications, including email. The AMA (and other provider organizations) has established its own guidelines for using email. A lot of services have sprung up to offer the required security necessary for transmission of emails to patients. I do know some physicians who choose to not email because they feel it is easier to comply that way.

Well, in my opinion, in this age of technology, when transmissions are done at the speed of light (ever watch the show 24???), well in ten years or less, we'll all be getting on trains and buses, just by waving our hands in front of a sensor, they'll probably do away with paper money and everything will be benefit cards, or computer chip cards, and I bet you dollars to donuts, that by the year 2015, there just might be some doctors who will have people working for them, who, all they do, is give people their test results and explanations. Do you know how much time if will save if the doctor doesn't have to be bothered, that he can be with his patients, and that he has this special employee that all they do is handle phone calls, and when a test result is off or something, they have had special training and they can explain all the results.

I think this is a very good idea. That way busy doctors, don't have to interrupt their appointments, speak to a patient about a matter that absolutely can be handled by a person who is trained just for this.

I mean, they have receptionists, medical assistants, phlebotomists, nurses, and then a brand new job description turns up, lets' call it .....MEDICAL MANAGER....

The Medical Manager is the one who you discuss your test results with, she or he is the one you can ask all your worried questions, they will know what the lympocyte absolute is, they will know what your B-12 level should be, your glucose number, etc. They will have been trained in a brand new field.

Doctor's offices really should have such an employee. I mean, there are so many patients in these offices, and when they go home and they have all their questions, and no one can be reached... well, I just think its a good idea.

Maybe some day. Just imagine calling such a person and they are in front of a computer and they go, "Hold on Melody, I'm pulling up your file right now, oh, your cholesterol, is this, your triglycerides are this, etc.

And if something is off, they will know exactly how to explain it to you, and if necessary, can tell you, come in and let's re-do the test"


Don't you all think this would be a good job for someone???

Maybe me, someday???

lol


Oh by the way, Alan came home from the podiatrist and he goes back tomorrow for an x-ray of his foot. The doctor asked him "Does your wife, well is it okay with her if you have the operation, after all, she's the one that has to take care of you?" and Alan said "Are you kidding, she wants this over with, it's been a whole year of her taking care of me"

So all that is left to find out is if they will shave down the bone or re-position it altogether.

Will update.

mel

I think your right and good luck to Alan and his best friend you. Sue