Elevated Red Blood Cell count?
 

Me again - twice in 24 hours sorry! My RBC count is always at the top end of range or elevated above range, as is my total protein. This has been the case for five years now. If I look these up it says dehydration but I drink water like a fish. Does anyone else have this in their full blood count and could it be related to the SFN in any way?

This suggests a few possibilities.

Hemochromatosis--- more common than doctors think;

Hemochromatosis.org - An Education Website for Hemochromatosis and Too Much Iron
Testing is not complex and should be offered to you to rule this out.

Polycythemia vera:
Polycythemia vera - Mayo Clinic

I think you should ask firmly for these to be eliminated/ruled out.

Thanks very much Mrs D. I'll definitely ask - especially the Polycythemia Vera because some of the symptoms tarry - including peripheral burning/ tingling etc. But I'll wait for the Sjogrens lip biopsy result to be explained first. I've emboldened the symptoms that match mine - however they could apply to lots of things I guess. I've double checked and my RBC has only been elevated three or four times in five years but is at the higher end of normal always. I don't think I have an excess of iron as the symptoms don't tarry with mine.

"For many people, polycythemia vera may not cause any signs or symptoms. However, some people may experience:

Itchiness, especially following a warm bath or shower
Headache
Dizziness
Weakness
Excessive sweating
Painful swelling of one joint, often the big toe
Shortness of breath
Breathing difficulty when you lie down
Numbness, tingling, burning or weakness in your hands, feet, arms or legs
A feeling of fullness or bloating in your left upper abdomen due to an enlarged spleen"

Is your hematocrit (HCT) elevated too? A high HCT could indicate dehydration while a low HCT could indicate a over hydration. You really need to look at all aspect of your CBC when trying to figure things out. It was always interesting that throughout John's treatment for bone marrow failure, RBC was the one count they paid the least attention to. It was alway the HCT and Hemoglobin (HGB) that mattered most when assessing his red cells.

Mat, I agree with mrsD's wise thoughts.

A friend of mine lives with haemochromatosis - it is well-managed; she is fine.

No I don't think this is elevated for me Marlene. I probably shouldn't worry because I'm under a rheumatologist who will be able to work all this out himself. My Plasma Viscocity and CRP are both high and my total protein, IgG and IgA are all elevated. My ANA is positive and I have elevated RBCs. All the rest are in normal range. Thanks for reassuring me. I think it probably relates to autoimmunity but it's good to work things out for myself a bit.

Thanks Kiwi - i did have a high uric acid count when tested last year but I don't think anyone apart from me has considered haemochromatosis or PV. I did read that there's a string link with gout - which my dad suffered from severely. I do have a couple of swellings on my fingers and knuckles but I assume this is just wear and tear arthritis. My face isn't grey or orange. But I will definitely ask about this. Mat